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Energy Sensors: Response Time, Integration Time…

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Energy Sensors: Response Time, Integration Time…

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There seems to be a good deal of confusion when it comes to the terms “response time” and “integration time” of energy sensors. In this article we will clarify the meaning of these terms, as they apply to Ophir’s pyroelectric “Smart Sensors.”Pyroelectric sensors use a pyroelectric crystal. When a laser pulse is absorbed, it is turned into a heat pulse in the crystal, and the crystal then generates an electric charge proportional to the heat absorbed. Since the two surfaces of the crystal are metal coated, the coated crystal in effect becomes a capacitor; the total charge generated is collected (and therefore the response is not dependent on beam size or position) and becomes a voltage pulse, which gets measured.

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