PLUS-USB: Low Cost Digital Display for Thermal Heads

The PLUS-USB model is a meter for advanced power and energy measurement that mates to all LaserPoint detectors via a proprietary Intelligent Interface System (IIS)connection. It is sufficient to plug the head connector into the meter port to get a calibrated instrument, already configured for reliable and accurate measurements. One of the great advantages of the IIS connection is that every Laserpoint detector can be associated to a PLUS monitor if measurement requirements become different, for example once a new head is added to the lab equipment or to the system. The PLUS has been structured in its only apparent simple design to match a very broad range of applications to any customer budget. Its price and performance are infact absolutely outstanding , since it has been specifically imagined and designed to be the tool for laser measurement available to all kind of laser operators: in addition to standard laboratory applications, the PLUS is infact very popular among service engineers and within job shops for its simple way of use and its sturdiness.

UMBEATABLE PRICE TO PERFORMANCE

• Easy and immediate

  The instrument can be managed by means of three soft-touch keys :
  • ON/OFF (Zero). During a measurement session, the key will also Zero stored measurement values and display.
  • T/P. Gives access to the Tuning Function and the Power Measurement Function.
  • E. The E key provides access to the single shot Energy Measurement Function .
  • The mW/ mJ leds light to show that the low Power/Energy Measurement Functions are enabled.

Power, Energy, FIT Operational Modes

The PLUS can work on different operational modes. It can be used as a power meter, as an energy meter or as a power probe up to 6KW, when associated to LaserPoint’s FIT-H series of heads. The selection is automatically made by the monitor when it reads the detector’s E2PROM, as soon as the unit is switched on.

Temperature Compensation

Temperature compensation is made by the PLUS, driven by an incoming signal from a temperature sensor located within the detectors, to linearize the head response and advise, by means of a warning message on the display, when the head has overtaken its max allowable temperature.

External Interfacing

The PLUS can dialog with external PCs, plotters, etc via its Analog Output (0-2 Volts) or USB digital interface, which are provided as standard with the instrument.

Tuning

Through this function, a high resolution laser tweaking can be done. The existing power level is then displayed, together with the bargraph, initially positioned at the center of display. The bargraph will then will sweep downward or upward depending on tuning effectiveness. The smaller digits shown on the display represent the percent variations after the initial value of power.

More features

LaserPoint’s IIS -Intelligent Interfacing System- stores, within a set of most popular laser ranges, up tp six wavelength correction factors based on spectral data measured on head’s coating or absorber. The PLUS display may show :

• EXC : for the UV and Excimer laser range (250-350nm)
• VIS: for the Visible range (400-700nm)
• LD: for the Laser Diodes range (800-900nm)
• Yag: for the Nd-Yag wavelength at 1064 nm
• Erb: for the Erbium wavelength at 2943 nm
• CO2: for the CO2 wavelength at 10600nm

Morever, operators may use correction factors with a resolution up to 1nm, provided on request by LaserPoint, to make reliable measurements at any custom or additional wavelenghts by using the:

• UCF: ( User’s own Re-Calibration Factor).

The User Calibration Factor gives customers the possibility to modify the value of original calibration sensitivity from 0.1% up to 999.9% (or from 1/1000 up to 10 times). The UCF box can be selected when scrolling for the wavelenght selection. The UCF can also be used to: - re-establish a correct sensitivity, in case of light damages on coatings -introduce a multiplying factor to track the main beam in case of detection after partializing devices (e.g. filters, beamsplitters, mirrors) -modify the original sensitivity to have measurements aligned to other references The UCF is effective on each measurement mode of PLUS (Power, Energy, Fit) .

PLUS-SOFT: APPLICATION SOFTWARE

The Plus-Soft is a powerful application software provided as standard with each PLUS- USB. As shown below, the PLUS-SOFT can plot evolution graphs of time behavior of laser power, display energy or FIT readings in the form of histograms, show the absolute values of power and energy, provide all relevant statistical information and allow the storage of data to files, as a text format usable for Excel or other programs. The PLUS-SOFT also allows the management of laser processes and laser tuning.

Display Functions

• Head Model: shows the head model in use
• Lambda: shows detector’s calibration wavelength
• SN: shows the head serial number
• Actual Time: shows present day and time
• POWER (W/mW); ENERGY(mJ/J): shows measured power or energy values.
• User Calibration Factor: this number will multiply the actual measured value by a selectable factor to reach a desired value.
• Head Temperature (°C): shows the temperature on heads provided with temp. sensor
• ZERO: accomplishes an automatic Zeroing
• TUNING: Enables the Tuning Function
• SAVE: Enables the automatic function to save measurements on a file
• PRINT: prints the displayed window
• QUIT: leaves the program
• Power Measurement Scales
• Graph Power Max/Min (W) sets the extention of Y axis on power plot.
• Graph Time: sets the duration of Time axis (X) for the power plot;available time scales are 60(sec), 2(min), 5(min), 30(min), 1(hour), 12(hours).

Laser Process Management

Process Parameters Setting

Statistical Functions

A full set of Statistical functions is provided by the PLUS-Soft. The Duration of acquisition interval can be selected to be as long as 24 hours. Once data have been gathered, SAVE enables an automatic saving on file for data recording or future data tracking .

The Statistical Functions include:

• Max/Min (W,J): the max/min power/energy values measured during the last acquisition interval
• Avg (W,J): the average values of power/energy measured during the last acquisition interval
• PTP (%): the Peak-to-Peak stability
• STD (W): the Standard Deviation on measured data
• RMS (%): the RMS stability

Laser Tuning

A fast and highly visible Tuning Bar is available for laser tweaking or alignments. It displays variations of measured power on a double colour bar (green and red).

The Power Variation (%) box shows how much power was gained or lost from an initial reference level.

To remind the operator what has been the highest reached value, the Power Max(W) box stores the value .

Evolution of laser tuning can also be comfortably followed on the screen.

Warning Messages

All times measurement heads undergo to power levels above their full scale, an OVERFLOW alarm is displayed. The same way, whenever the temperature of a detector head is above its safety working limit, a COOL alarm message is displayed.

HIGH GAIN MODULES FOR LOW POWER MEASUREMENTS

Module Mod. AD20, when plugged to the smart connectors of Laser Point’s low power heads up to 40W, increase the head sensitivity 10X and thus extends by a factor of 10 the measurement range, toward lower powers .

For example, when connected to LaserPoint’s A-02-D12-BBF (200 mW, full scale) the module will bring its full scale to 20 mW, allowing readings with 10 μW resolution. The overall measurement extension for that head will thus be from 200mW to 10 μW, making of it a convenient alternative to photodiodes detectors, in many applications.

Another module, Mod AD2000, is available in this case only for the A-02-D12-BBF and A-02-D12-HCB heads, to bring the head full scale to 2W .The overall measurement range for this head will be 100μW to 2W.

Download Plus complete specs here

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