Measuring Laser Power With A Pyroelectric Detector: The Basics

Let’s start this article by discussing the various types of detectors that can be used for this purpose and the differences between them. This will help you understand why a pyroelectric detector is a great choice and how it provides some advantages over other types of detectors.

TECHNOLOGIES USED TO MEASURE LASER POWER
The three most common detectors used for optical or laser power measurements are photodiodes, thermopiles, and pyroelectrics. This is not to say that there aren’t others, like water calorimeters, Golay cells, micro-bolometers to name a few, but they are on the periphery of mainstream optical power measurements.