Pulsed Laser Average Power Calculator
Enter the values of peak power, PP(W) and duty cycle, DC to determine the value of Pulsed laser average power, P(W).
Pulsed Laser Average Power Formula:
Pulsed Laser Average Power signifies the average amount of power a pulsed laser emits over a specific time period, typically measured in seconds. It’s expressed in watts (W) and provides a more comprehensive picture of the laser’s overall energy output compared to just focusing on the peak power of individual pulses.
Imagine a pulsed laser that fires incredibly powerful bursts (high peak power) but with long intervals between them. While the peak power might be impressive, the overall “on” time might be minimal. PLAP considers this factor through the concept of duty cycle (DC).
Duty cycle, a value between 0 and 1 (often expressed as a percentage), represents the fraction of time the laser is actively emitting a pulse compared to the total time between pulses. A higher duty cycle indicates the laser spends more time “on,” delivering pulses more frequently.
Pulsed laser average power, P(W) in watts is calculated by multiplying the peak power, PP(W) of an individual pulse in watts by the duty cycle, DC of the laser, which is a value between 0 and 1.
Pulsed laser average power, P(W) = PP(W) * DC
P(W) = pulsed laser average power in watts, W.
PP(W) = peak power in watts, W.
DC = duty cycle.
Pulsed Laser Average Power Calculation:
- A pulsed laser emits pulses with a peak power of 10 kW and has a duty cycle of 20%. What is the average power output?
Given: PP(W) = 10,000 W, DC = 20% = 0.2
P(W) = PP(W) * DC
P(W) = 10,000 * 0.2
P(W) = 2000W.
- A pulsed laser has an average power output of 5 watts (W) and a peak power of 20 kW. What is the duty cycle of the laser?
Given: P(W) = 5 W, PP(W) = 20 kW = 20,000 W
P(W) = PP(W) * DC
DC = P(W) / PP(W)
DC = 5 / 20,000
DC = 0.025%.