Recent content by PhysicsEngineer

What I am doing is using a 5kHz clock freq (from a function generator) to drive a waveguide CO2 laser. I want to see the relationship between the output signal of the beam to the input signal from the function generator with LabView and a pyroelectric detector. When I had my duty cycle set at...

That last post was TOTALLY off base!! The duty cycle was in us NOT Hz!! :wtf:

I also just looked at the specs of the detector and it says its Incident power limit is 5 W/cm^2 and I am running around 5W at its lowest driving power. It also says that the thermal breakpoint is at 5Hz. I am not sure if this is the same or not, but I have my function generator set at .88kHz...

I can decrease the power of the laser and the pyroelectric detector is rated for IR but I am nervous that it may damage the detector. I have already successfully made glass out of my brick backstop. Should I just go with confidence that the detector will be fine with low enough power and with...

Can anyone help me...please? I have the laser ready to operate, I just need to find means of decreasing the output power of the beam. Am I safe with just putting one of the 100 P-type Silicon wafers in the beam path? Or should I start with a number of the wafers back to back? ANY input will...

I have at my disposal many 100 P-type Silicon wafers. Any suggestions on easiest method for decreasing the power, or is it just trial and error? I am going to take measurements using a ELTEC model 420 Pyroelectric Laser Detector and the incident power limit (max) it can take from the laser is...

I am doing a senior project at UW-River Falls with a Synrad 25W CO2 laser (model: 48-2-28(W)) with a wavelength of ~10.6um. Since it was a donation and seasoned, it is only operating at about half the power ~12.5 W/cm^2. Still at this power, it is too much for my energy meter. I am...