Question about thermal headed meters

[White-Light]

I have a question about meters with thermal heads.

Can they be used to measure watts per cm² or being thermal will they just read the same whatever part of the sensor is illuminated?

[drlava]

Can they be used to measure watts per cm² or being thermal will they just read the same whatever part of the sensor is illuminated?

Ideally they will read the same no matter the size or the location. They operate by measuring thermal flux (temperature differential) from the absorber to the sink.

[Laserman532]

Ideally they will read the same no matter the size or the location. They operate by measuring thermal flux (temperature differential) from the absorber to the sink.

I use a turkey thermometer. (jk of course) A little slow but functions the same way, kind of hard to peak the laser, make an adjustment come back in an hour, make an adjustment come back in an hour, repeat

[frothychimp]

As they stand as components of power meters they cannot give you a W/cm^2 reading. They provide intensity measurements in the power meter configuration. To determine irradiance (W/cm^2) you need to know the beam characteristics such as diameter and profile (TEM00, etc.) and divergence. Profilers will work and you can also do rough calculations based on the laser specifications (beam diameter of 1mm and divergence of 2mrad for example) and using the intensity measurements from a power meter.

[lasersbee]

Frothy....
I miss your input at that other place.....

Well I don't drink... and I don't smoke... but the rest
sounds great to me...
I've always loved long legged women and the blues...

Jerry

[Laserman532]

THEY'RE NOT WORTHY!!!THEY'RE NOT WORTHY!!! (as said like wayne & garth on Waynes World)


*Thanks to my JHS english teacher to instruct me to correct my post

[Lasernerd]

As they stand as components of power meters they cannot give you a W/cm^2 reading. They provide intensity measurements in the power meter configuration. To determine irradiance (W/cm^2) you need to know the beam characteristics such as diameter and profile (TEM00, etc.) and divergence. Profilers will work and you can also do rough calculations based on the laser specifications (beam diameter of 1mm and divergence of 2mrad for example) and using the intensity measurements from a power meter.

nice info!

I am curious as to the function on some of the high end meters like a fieldmaster top,
it has a area function?

[lasersbee]

Hey Pat... ROFL....
I hear you...
since the change it seems all the members are 12 years old...

Jerry

[frothychimp]

Jerry,

Sorry it ain't ever gonna happen there again. I tried to help but it appears, and this is a general statement, my help is not required there. I was accused of being arrogant or egotistical because I call a spade a spade. That is the staff sergeant speaking. The things I used to do required exacting attention to detail, high motivation and a drive to do it better than the average person. Myself and those around me had no tolerance for what we called "pogues". These are the incompetent, ignorant and inept individuals seeking to just "get by". Maybe I am egotistical, but I prefer to call it confidence because I go out of my way to make sure I know what I am talking about so people get the right information. We had no time for political correctness and no time to hold the hands of those who's sensibilities were injured. Those subscribing to that kind of thinking are weak. You see it in my signature line: "The strong shall stand. The weak shall fall by the wayside." I don't care to associate with such individuals. Unfortunately, there are also some fine people over there I won't be interacting with, but for the most part they are here or on other forums also.

Lasernerd,

Does the FieldMaster model you have require you to input the area? I don't see how it could determine the area from a common thermal head unless this thing is specifically designed to find the area (which I doubt, but stranger things have happened). All our systems are Ophir which use a garden variety thermal head.

[Lasernerd]

Lasernerd,

Does the FieldMaster model you have require you to input the area? I don't see how it could determine the area from a common thermal head unless this thing is specifically designed to find the area (which I doubt, but stranger things have happened). All our systems are Ophir which use a garden variety thermal head.

Well these use the PM series of Coherent power heads alot of electronics both in the head and dongle,
you just push the area button and it gives a reading in W/cm^2

very cool to have you here!