Optical Power Meter Kits

Optical Power Monitor

The Optical Power Monitor GUI software features power measurement, readout from up to eight power meters, and remote wireless operation.

For details on specific software features, please see the user manual.

Users interested in the legacy Power Meter Software can find it by visiting the software page.

The PM101 Series Power Meters are only compatible with version 2.0 or later. The PM102 Series Power Meters are only compatible with version 2.1 or later. The PM103 Series Power and Energy Meters are only compatible with version 3.0 or later. The PM5020 Console is only compatible with version 4.0 or later. The PM60 and PM61 Power Meter Series are only compatible with version 6.0 or later. 

Optical Power Monitor GUI Software for Touchscreen, Handheld, and USB-Interface Power Meters

Features

• Operate up to Eight Power Meters Simultaneously
• Record and Analyze Measurements in Real Time
• Intuitive Analog Display and Graphing Modes
• Configurable Long-Term Data Logging
• Also Supports Position Measurements with Thermal Position & Power Sensors
• Compatible with USB and Bluetooth^® Connections

The Optical Power Monitor software GUI enables seamless control of up to eight power meters that are connected via USB, RS232, or Bluetooth^® wireless technology^a. The latest software, firmware, drivers, and utilities for these power meters can be downloaded here.

Multiple data measurement and analysis functions are integrated into the GUI package. The interface offers a user-friendly design with minimal use of color and low brightness that is ideal use in dark lab environments while wearing laser safety glasses. Measured data can be displayed in real time as a simulated analog needle, digital values, line graph, or bar graph. Continuously logged and short-term measurements can be recorded for data viewing and analysis at a later point. A built-in statistics mode analyzes measured data and continuously updates to reflect new measurements within the pre-determined measurement period. Beam position measurements are also supported when used with our thermal position & power sensors.

The Optical Power Monitor software package installs the GUI, which then can be used to control the touchscreen, handheld, or USB-interface power meters. Firmware updates for supported power meters are also available. Programming examples and drivers for interfacing with our power and energy meter consoles using LabVIEW, C/C++, Visual C#, and Python are installed with the software; refer to the manual for details.

Please note that the Optical Power Monitor Software uses different drivers than the Power Meter Utilities Software and Thorlabs recommends using the new driver TLPM.dll. For users who wish to use the legacy Power Meter Software or use custom software designed using the older PM100D.dll driver, a Power Meter Driver Switcher program is included for easy swapping of the installed driver between the two versions.

a. The PM61 Series, PM160, PM160T, and PM160T-HP power meters are equipped with Bluetooth^® connections.

Click to Enlarge
Power Measurement Mode: Set up and configure up to eight power meters.

Click to Enlarge
Power Tuning Mode: Simulated analog needle and digital measurement value provided. Delta Mode, enabled above, shows the fluctuation range during the measurement period.

Click to Enlarge
Power Statistics Mode: Calculate numerical statistics for a pre-determined measurement period. The panel displays the analyzed values in a bar graph and the results as numerical values.

Click to Enlarge
Position Tuning Mode: Tuning mode can be used with a thermal position & power sensor to aid in beam alignment.

Click to Enlarge
Position Statistics Mode: Statistics mode also provides aggregate information for thermal position & power sensors.

Click to Enlarge
Data Logging: Enable long-term measurement and simultaneous recording from up to eight power meters. Save data as .csv files for later processing while measurement results are displayed in a graph in real time.

Pulsed Laser Emission: Power and Energy Calculations

Click above to download the full report.

Determining whether emission from a pulsed laser is compatible with a device or application can require referencing parameters that are not supplied by the laser's manufacturer. When this is the case, the necessary parameters can typically be calculated from the available information. Calculating peak pulse power, average power, pulse energy, and related parameters can be necessary to achieve desired outcomes including:

• Protecting biological samples from harm.
• Measuring the pulsed laser emission without damaging photodetectors and other sensors.
• Exciting fluorescence and non-linear effects in materials.

Pulsed laser radiation parameters are illustrated in Figure 1 and described in the table. For quick reference, a list of equations is provided below. The document available for download provides this information, as well as an introduction to pulsed laser emission, an overview of relationships among the different parameters, and guidance for applying the calculations. 

Equations:
Period and repetition rate are reciprocal:			and
Pulse energy calculated from average power:
Average power calculated from pulse energy:
Peak pulse power estimated from pulse energy:
Peak power and average power calculated from each other:
		and
Peak power calculated from average power and duty cycle*:
		*Duty cycle () is the fraction of time during which there is laser pulse emission.

Click to Enlarge

Figure 1: Parameters used to describe pulsed laser emission are indicated in the plot (above) and described in the table (below). Pulse energy (E) is the shaded area under the pulse curve. Pulse energy is, equivalently, the area of the diagonally hashed region. 

Parameter	Symbol	Units	Description
Pulse Energy	E	Joules [J]		A measure of one pulse's total emission, which is the only light emitted by the laser over the entire period. The pulse energy equals the shaded area, which is equivalent to the area covered by diagonal hash marks.
Period	Δt	Seconds [s]		The amount of time between the start of one pulse and the start of the next.
Average Power	Pavg	Watts [W]		The height on the optical power axis, if the energy emitted by the pulse were uniformly spread over the entire period.
Instantaneous Power	P	Watts [W]		The optical power at a single, specific point in time.
Peak Power	Ppeak	Watts [W]		The maximum instantaneous optical power output by the laser.
Pulse Width		Seconds [s]		A measure of the time between the beginning and end of the pulse, typically based on the full width half maximum (FWHM) of the pulse shape. Also called pulse duration.
Repetition Rate	frep	Hertz [Hz]		The frequency with which pulses are emitted. Equal to the reciprocal of the period.

Thorlabs offers a wide selection of power and energy meter consoles and interfaces for operating our power and energy sensors. Key specifications of all of our power meter consoles and interfaces are presented below to help you decide which device is best for your application. We also offer self-contained wireless power meters and compact USB power meters.

When used with our C-series sensors, Thorlabs' power meter consoles and interfaces recognize the type of connected sensor and measure the current or voltage as appropriate. Our C-series sensors have responsivity calibration data stored in their connectors. The console will read out the responsivity value for the user-entered wavelength and calculate a power or energy reading.

• Photodiode sensors deliver a current that depends on the input optical power and the wavelength. The current is fed into a transimpedance amplifier, which outputs a voltage proportional to the input current. The photodiode's responsivity is wavelength dependent, so the correct wavelength must be entered into the console for an accurate power reading. The console reads out the responsivity for this wavelength from the connected sensor and calculates the optical power from the measured photocurrent.
• Thermal sensors deliver a voltage proportional to the input optical power. Based on the measured sensor output voltage and the sensor's responsivity, the console will calculate the incident optical power.
• Energy sensors are based on the pyroelectric effect. They deliver a voltage peak proportional to the pulse energy. If an energy sensor is recognized, the console will use a peak voltage detector and the pulse energy will be calculated from the sensor's responsivity.

The consoles and interfaces are also capable of providing a readout of the current or voltage delivered by the sensor. Select models also feature an analog output.

Consoles

Item #	PM100A	PM100D	PM400	PM5020
(Click Photo to Enlarge)
Key Features	Analog Power Measurements	Digital Power and Energy Measurements	Digital Power and Energy Measurements, Touchscreen Control	Dual Channel
Compatible Sensors	Photodiode and Thermal Power	Photodiode Power, Thermal Power, and Pyroelectric Energya	Photodiode Power, Thermal Power, Thermal Power and Position, and Pyroelectric Energya	Photodiode Power, Thermal Power, Thermal Power and Position, and Pyroelectric Energy
Housing Dimensions (H x W x D)	7.24" x 4.29" x 1.61" (184 mm x 109 mm x 41 mm)	7.09" x 4.13" x 1.50" (180 mm x 105 mm x 38 mm)	5.35" x 3.78" x 1.16" (136.0 mm x 96.0 mm x 29.5 mm)	9.97" x 4.35" x 11.56" (253.2 mm x 110.6 mm x 293.6 mm)
Channels	1			2
External Temperature Sensor Input (Sensor not Included)	-	-	Readout and Record Temperature Over Time	Readout and Record Temperature Over Time
External Humidity Sensor Input (Sensor not Included)	-	-	Readout and Record Humidity Over Time	Readout and Record Humidity Over Time
Input/Output Ports	-		4 GPIO, Programmable	4 Configurable Digital I/O Channels
Shutter Control	-	-	-	Support for SH05R(/M) or SH1(/M) Optical Shutter with Interlock Input
Fan Control	-	-	-
Source Spectral Correction	-	-
Attenuation Correction	-	-
External Trigger Input	-	-	-
Display
Type	Mechanical Needle and LCD Display with Digital Readout	320 x 240 Pixel Backlit Graphical LCD Display	Protected Capacitive Touchscreen with Color Display
Dimensions	Digital: 1.9" x 0.5" (48.2 mm x 13.2 mm) Analog: 3.54" x 1.65" (90.0 mm x 42.0 mm)	3.17" x 2.36" (81.4 mm x 61.0 mm)	3.7" x 2.1" (95 mm x 54 mm)	4.32" x 2.43" (109.7 mm x 61.6 mm)
Refresh Rate	20 Hz		10 Hz (Numerical) 25 Hz (Analog Simulation)	25 Hz
Measurement Viewsb
Numerical
Mechanical Analog Needle		-	-	-
Simulated Analog Needle	-
Bar Graph	-
Trend Graph	-
Histogram	-		-	-
Statistics
Memory
Type	-	SD Card	NAND Flash	SD Card
Size	-	2 GB	4 GB	8 GB
Power
Battery	LiPo 3.7 V 1300 mAh		LiPo 3.7 V 2600 mAh	-
External	5 VDC via USB or Included AC Adapter		5 VDC via USB	Line Voltage: 100 - 240 V

• As the PM100D and PM400 consoles can only support repetition rates of up to 3 kHz, they should not be used with the ES408C sensor, which detects repetition rates up to 10 kHz.
• These are the measurement views built into the unit.

Interfaces

Item #	PM101	PM102	PM103	PM101A	PM102A	PM103A
(Click Photo to Enlarge)
Operation Protocol	USB, RS232, UART, and Analog			USB and Analog SMA
Sensor Compatibility
Photodiode		-			-
Thermal Power			-			-
Thermal Position & Power	-		-	-		-
Pyroelectric	-	-		-	-

Key Features
C-Series Sensor DE-9 Connector
USB Connector	Lockable			Lockable
USB Max Measurement Speed	1000 S/s	1000 S/s	100 000 S/s	1000 S/s	1000 S/s	100 000 S/s
Serial DE-9 Connector	-			-
DE-9 Max Measurement Speed	-			-
SMA Connector(s)	-			1 Analog Power Output	3 Ports: Power, X-Position, and Y-Position	3 Ports: AO1, AO2, and Digital I/O (Configurable as External Trigger Input)
DA-15 Universal Connector with 2 Auxiliary I/O Ports			GPIO Ports Also Configurable as Trigger Input (Pin 2) or for Pass/Fail Analysis (Pin 3)	-
DA-15 Max Measurement Speed	200 S/s	200 S/s	100 000 S/s	-
Ethernet (RJ45) Connector	-	-	-	-
Ethernet Max Measurement Speed	-	-	-	-
Phoenix DMC 0,5/7 Connector	-	-	-	-
DMC 0,5/7 Max Measurement Speed	-	-	-	-
External Temperature Sensor Input (Sensor Not Included)	NTC Thermistor			-
Display
Type	No Built-In Display; Controlled via GUI for PC
Measurement Viewsc
Numerical	Requires PC
Simulated Analog Needle	Requires PC
Bar Graph	Requires PC
Trend Graph	Requires PC
Histogram	Requires PC
Statistics	Requires PC
Memory
Type	Internal Non-Volatile Memoryfor All Settings
Power
External	5 VDC via USB or 5 to 36 VDC via DA-15 Pins 1 and 9			5 VDC via USB

Item #	PM103E	PM101R	PM101U	PM102U	PM103U	PM100USB
(Click Photo to Enlarge)
Operation Protocol	Ethernet, RS232, and Analog	USB and RS232	USB Operation			USB
Sensor Compatibility
Photodiode				-
Thermal Power					-
Thermal Position & Power		-	-		-	-
Pyroelectric		-	-	-		a

Key Features
C-Series Sensor DE-9 Connector
USB Connector	-	Lockable	Lockable			Not Lockable
USB Max Measurement Speed	-	1000 S/s	1000 S/s	1000 S/s	100 000 S/s	300 S/s
Serial DE-9 Connector	-		-			-
DE-9 Max Measurement Speed	-	200 S/s	-			-
SMA Connector(s)	-	-	-			-
DA-15 Universal Connector with 2 Auxiliary I/O Ports	-	-	-			-
DA-15 Max Measurement Speed	-	-	-			-
Ethernet (RJ45) Connector		-	-			-
Ethernet Max Measurement Speed	100 000 S/s	-	-			-
Phoenix DMC 0,5/7 Connector		-	-			-
DMC 0,5/7 Max Measurement Speed	100 000 S/s	-	-			-
External Temperature Sensor Input (Sensor Not Included)	NTC Thermistor	-	-			-
Display
Type	No Built-In Display; Controlled via GUI for PC
Measurement Viewsc
Numerical	Requires PC
Simulated Analog Needle	Requires PC
Bar Graph	Requires PC
Trend Graph	Requires PC
Histogram	Requires PC
Statistics	Requires PC
Memory
Type	Internal Non-Volatile Memory for All Settings					-
Power
External	Power over Ethernetd and 5 to 36 VDC via DMC 0,5/7 pin 1 and 2	5 VDC via USB	5 VDC via USB			5 VDC via USB

• As the PM100USB interface can only support repetition rates of up to 3 kHz, it should not be used with the ES408C sensor, which detects repetition rates up to 10 kHz.
• Dependent on PC Settings
• These power meter interfaces do not have a built-in monitor, so all data must be displayed through a PC running the Optical Power Monitor Software.
•  48 V is the nominal voltage over the network, but can range from 36 V - 57 V.

Click to Enlarge
The PM160 wireless power meter, shown here with an iPad mini (not included), can be remotely operated using Apple mobile devices.

This tab outlines the full selection of Thorlabs' power and energy sensors. Refer to the lower right table for power meter console and interface compatibility information.

In addition to the power and energy sensors listed below, Thorlabs also offers all-in-one, wireless, handheld power meters and compact USB power meter interfaces that contain either a photodiode or a thermal sensor, as well as power meter bundles that include a console, sensor head, and post mounting accessories.

Thorlabs offers four types of sensors:

• Photodiode Sensors: These sensors are designed for power measurements of monochromatic or near-monochromatic sources, as they have a wavelength dependent responsivity. These sensors deliver a current that depends on the input optical power and the wavelength. The current is fed into a transimpedance amplifier, which outputs a voltage proportional to the input current.
• Thermal Sensors: Constructed from material with a relatively flat response function across a wide range of wavelengths, these thermopile sensors are suitable for power measurements of broadband sources such as LEDs and SLDs. Thermal sensors deliver a voltage proportional to the input optical power.
• Thermal Position & Power Sensors: These sensors incorporate four thermopiles arranged as quadrants of a square. By comparing the voltage output from each quadrant, the unit calculates the beam's position.
• Pyroelectric Energy Sensors: Our pyroelectric sensors produce an output voltage through the pyroelectric effect and are suitable for measuring pulsed sources, with a repetition rate limited by the time constant of the detector. These sensors will output a peak voltage proportional to the incident pulse energy.

Console Compatibility
Console Item #	PM100A	PM100D	PM400	PM5020	PM101 Series	PM102 Series	PM103 Series	PM100USB
Photodiode Power						-
Thermal Power							-
Thermal Position	-	-			-		-	-
Pyroelectric Energy	-	a	a		-	-		a

• As the PM100D and PM400 consoles and the PM100USB interface can only support repetition rates of up to 3 kHz, they should not be used with the ES408C sensor, which detects repetition rates up to 10 kHz.

Power and Energy Sensor Selection Guide

There are two options for comparing the specifications of our Power and Energy Sensors. The expandable table below sorts our sensors by type (e.g., photodiode, thermal, or pyroelectric) and provides key specifications.

Alternatively, the selection guide graphic further below arranges our entire selection of photodiode and thermal power sensors by wavelength (left) or optical power range (right). Each box contains the item # and specified range of the sensor. These graphs allow for easy identification of the sensor heads available for a specific wavelength or power range.

Sensor Type	Applications	Item #	Wavelength	Energy or Power Range	Detector Type	Aperture	Response Time
Standard Sensors	General Purpose Power Measurements	S120VC	200 - 1100 nm	50 nW - 50 mW	Si	Ø9.5 mm	<1 µsa
		S120C	400 - 1100 nm	50 nW - 50 mW		Ø9.5 mm
		S121C	400 - 1100 nm	500 nW - 500 mW		Ø9.5 mm
		S122C	700 - 1800 nm	50 nW - 40 mW	Ge	Ø9.5 mm
Slim Sensors	Power Measurements in Tight Spaces such as 30 mm Cage Systems	S130VC	200 - 1100 nm	Dual Range: 5 nW - 5 mW or 50 nW - 50 mW	Si Slim	Ø9.5 mm
		S130C	400 - 1100 nm	Dual Range: 500 pW - 5 mW or 100 µW - 500 mW		Ø9.5 mm
		S132C	700 - 1800 nm	Dual Range: 5 nW - 5 mW or 100 µW - 500 mW	Ge Slim	Ø9.5 mm
Compact Slim Sensor	Power Measurements in Tight Spaces such as 16 mm Cage Systems	S116C	400 - 1100 nm	20 nW - 50 mW	Si Compact Slim	Ø6 mm
Microscope Slide Sensor	Measure Power at the Sample Plane of a Microscope	S170C	350 - 1100 nm	10 nW - 150 mW	Si Large Area	18 mm x 18 mm
		S171C	400 - 1100 nm	1 nW - 15 mW
	Measure Relative Peak Power at the Sample Plane of a Microscope	NS170C	780 - 1300 nm	0.5 W - 350 mWb	Si Large Area with Second-Order Nonlinear Crystal	Ø4.5 mm
Integrating Sphere Sensors	Power Measurements for High Powers and Divergent Beams	S140C	350 - 1100 nm	1 µW - 500 mW	Si Integrating	Ø5 mm
		S142C	350 - 1100 nm	5 µW - 5 W		Ø12 mm
		S142CL	400 - 1100 nm	10 µW - 5 W	Si Integrating w/Baffle	Ø22 mm
		S144C	800 - 1700 nm	100 nW - 500 mW	InGaAs Integrating	Ø5 mm
		S145C	800 - 1700 nm	1 µW - 3 W		Ø22 mm
		S145CL	800 - 1700 nm	10 µW - 3 W	InGaAs Integrating w/Baffle	Ø22 mm
		S146C	900 - 1650 nm	10 µW - 20 W	InGaAs Integrating	Ø12 mm
		S148C	1200 - 2500 nm	1 µW - 1 W		Ø5 mm
		S180C	2900 - 5500 nm	1 µW - 3 W	MCT (HgCdTe)	Ø7 mm
Fiber Sensors	Fiber Power Measurements and Field Applications	S150C	350 - 1100 nm	100 pW - 5 mW	Si Fiber	Ø5 mm
		S151C	400 - 1100 nm	1 nW - 20 mW		Ø5 mm
		S154C	800 - 1700 nm	100 pW - 3 mW	InGaAs Fiber	Ø5 mm
		S155C	800 - 1700 nm	1 nW - 20 mW		Ø5 mm

Sensor Type	Applications	Item #	Wavelength	Energy or Power Range	Detector Type	Aperture	Response Timec
High Resolution	Broadband Measurements of Optical Powers ≤5 W with 1 µW or 5 µW Resolution	S401C	190 nm - 20 µm	10 µW - 1 W (3 Wd)	Thermal Surface Absorber with Background Compensation	Ø10 mm	1.1 s
		S405C	190 nm - 20 µm	100 µW - 5 W	Thermal Surface Absorber	Ø10 mm	1.1 s
Max Power: 10 W	General Broadband Power Measurements of Low and Medium Power Light Sources	S415C	190 nm - 20 µm	2 mW - 10 W (20 Wd)		Ø15 mm	0.6 s
		S425C	190 nm - 20 µm	2 mW - 10 W (20 Wd)		Ø25.4 mm	0.6 s
Max Power: 40 W to 200 W		S350C	190 nm - 1.1 µm, 10.6 µm	10 mW - 40 W (60 Wd)		Ø40 mm	9 s (1 s from 0 to 90%)
		S425C-L	190 nm - 20 µm	2 mW - 50 W (75 Wd)		Ø25.4 mm	0.6 s
		S322C	250 nm - 11 µm	100 mW - 200 W (250 Wd)		Ø25 mm	5 s (1 s from 0 to 90%)
High Max Power Density	Optical Power Measurements of Nd:YAG and Other Pulsed Laser Sources	S370C	400 nm - 5200 nm	10 mW - 10 W (15 Wd)	Thermal Volume Absorber	Ø25 mm	45 s (3 s from 0 to 90%)
		S470C	250 nm - 10.6 µm	100 µW - 5 W		Ø15 mm	6.5 s (<2 s from 0 to 90%)
Microscope Slide	Measure Power at the Sample Plane of a Microscope	S175C	300 nm - 10.6 µm	100 µW - 2 W	Thermal Surface Absorber	18 mm x 18 mm	3 s (<2 s from 0 to 90%)

Sensor Type	Applications	Item #	Wavelength	Power Range	Detector Type	Aperture	Response Timec
High Resolution	Precise Beam Position and Power Measurements of Low and Medium Power Lasers	S440C	190 nm - 20 µm	0.5 mW - 5 W	Thermal Absorber, Four Quadrants	17 x 17 mm	<1.1 s
High Power		S442C	190 nm - 20 µm	10 mW - 50 W	Thermal Absorber, Four Quadrants	Ø17.5 mm	<0.6 s

Sensor Type	Applications	Item #	Wavelength	Energy or Power Range	Max Repetition Rate (@ 1 MΩ Load)	Detector Type	Aperture	Response Time
Standard Energy Sensors	General Purpose Energy Meter	ES111C	185 nm - 25 µm	10 µJ - 150 mJ	40 Hz	Pyroelectric Black Broadband Coating	Ø11 mm	N/Ae
		ES120C	185 nm - 25 µm	100 µJ - 500 mJ	30 Hz		Ø20 mm
		ES145C	185 nm - 25 µm	500 µJ - 2 J	30 Hz		Ø45 mm
High-Energy Sensors	High Energy Measurements for High Peak Energy Lasers: Excimer, CO2-TEA, and Nd:YAG	ES220C	185 nm - 25 µm	500 µJ - 3 J	30 Hz	Pyroelectric Ceramic Coating	Ø20 mm
		ES245C	185 nm - 25 µm	1 mJ - 15 J	30 Hz		Ø45 mm
Fast Energy Sensors	High Repetition Rate Measurements	ES308C	185 nm - 25 µm	500 µJ - 1 J	1 kHz	Pyroelectric Black Broadband Coating	Ø8 mm
		ES312C	185 nm - 25 µm	100 µJ - 1 J	250 Hz		Ø12 mm
		ES408C	185 nm - 2.5 µm	100 µJ - 1 J	10 kHz	Pyroelectric Metal Coating	Ø8 mm
		ES412C	185 nm - 2.5 µm	50 µJ - 500 mJ	2 kHz		Ø12 mm

• The response time of the photodiode sensor. The actual response time of a power meter using these sensors will be limited by the update rate of your power meter console.
• The power range provided is for lasers with a repetition rate of 80 MHz. Because the peak power and peak power density are dependent on the average power and repetition rate of the laser, the upper limit to the working average power range will be lower for lower repetition rates. Please see the Specs tab here for more details. 
• Typical natural response time (0 - 95%). Our power consoles can provide estimated measurements of optical power on an accelerated time scale (typically <1 s) when the natual response time is approximately 1 s or greater. As the natural response times of the S415C, S425C, and S425C-L are fast, these do not benefit from accelerated measurements and this function cannot be enabled. For more information, see the Operation tab here.
• With intermittent use: maximum exposure time of 20 minutes for the S401C, otherwise maximum exposure time is 2 minutes.
• All pyroelectric sensors have a thermal time constant, τ. This value indicates how long it takes the sensor to recover from a single pulse. To detect the correct energy levels, pulses must be shorter than 0.1τ and the repetition rate of your source must be well below 1/τ. Please see the Specs tab here for the τ value of each sensor.

Sensor Options
(Arranged by Wavelength Range)

Sensor Options
(Arranged by Power Range)