The 3A-IS integrating sphere photodiode laser measurement sensor is for divergent beams up to +/-40 degrees. It has a 12 mm aperture and can measure optical power from 1 µW to 3 W. It covers the spectral range from 350 to 1100 nm.
1.6 inch ID integrating sphere for divergent beam
Silicon photodiode for 350 to 1100 nm spectral range
Additional CAD file downloads are not available for this product.
3a-is-integrating-sphere - Drawings
Additional drawings are not available for this product.
Specifications
Product Name
3A-IS
Type
Divergent Beam
Sphere Size
1.6 inch Inner Diameter
Aperture Size
Ø12 mm
Detector Type
Silicon Photodiode
Spectral Range
350-1100 nm
Minimum Power
1 µW
Maximum Average Power
3 W
Maximum Pulse Energy
100 µJ
Maximum Average Power Density
0.2 kW/cm²
Response Time
0.2 s
Dimensions
68 x 95 x 46 mm (LxWxD)
Cable Length
1.5 m
CE Compliance
Yes
UKCA Compliance
Yes
China RoHS Compliance
Yes
Features
Integrating Spheres for Divergent Light Sources
Integrating spheres are used when we have divergent light sources. An integrating sphere has its inner surface coated with a surface that highly reflects (typically 99%) in a scattering, nonspecular way. Thus when a divergent beam hits the walls of the integrating sphere, the light is reflected and scattered many times until the light hitting any place on the walls of the sphere has the same intensity.
A detector placed in the sphere thus gets the same intensity as anywhere else and the power the detector detects is thus proportional to the total incident power independent of the beam divergence. (The detector is so arranged that it only sees scattered light and not the incident beam). An ideal integrating sphere has a surface with reflective properties that are Lambertian. This means that light incident on the surface is scattered uniformly in all directions in the 2pi steradians solid angle above the surface. The surface used by Ophir closely approximates a Lambertian surface.
Two Integrating Spheres in Series
The 3A-IS series has two 50 mm integrating spheres in series with a photodiode detector. The two series spheres scramble up the light very well thus giving output very independent of incident beam divergence angle. The two spheres in series also insure that the light hitting the detector is greatly reduced in intensity thus allowing use up to 3 Watts even though photodiodes saturate at about 1 mW. There are two models, the 3A-IS with a silicon photodiode for 400-1100 nm and the 3A-ISIRG with an InGaAs detector for 800-1700 nm.
Choose the Right Sensor Using the LED Sensor Finder
Choosing the right sensor to measure LEDs or similar sources, whose beams are usually divergent and have a broadened spectrum, can be tricky. The LED Sensor Finder will help you get it right.
Calibration Factors - Laser Power/Energy Meter
When a power/energy meter is in "Calibrate" mode, various "Factors" are displayed to the user. This video explains the meaning of each of these factors.
Measuring Power of LEDs: UV, Visible and NIR
Measuring the emitted power of an LED can be tricky. It is different in some important ways from measuring the power of a laser beam. This video shows you how to use the Ophir 3A-IS Integrating Sphere Sensor, along with the Auxiliary LED accessory, to easily make accurate measurements in LED applications.
Measuring Beams Coming Out of A Fiber
When you need to measure a beam coming out of a fiber, there are some parameters that might have a somewhat different meaning than they do when referring to "regular" beam measurements. Missing some of these points could lead to incorrect measurement, and possible equipment damage. This video clarifies some issues you'll need to keep in mind so you can set up -- and perform -- this measurement correctly.
Product Feature: 3A-IS Integrating Sphere Sensor
Measuring a widely diverging, low power beam (think of laser diodes, fibers, etc.) can be challenging. The 3A-IS family of Integrating Sphere Sensors can help you fully capture and accurately measure such beams. Find out more in this video.
Calibration Stability of 3A-IS Integrating Sphere Sensors
The Ophir integrating sphere sensors, models 3A-IS and 3A-IS-IRG have a white diffuse reflecting coating on the inside of the integrating sphere. The sensitivity of the sensor is quite sensitive to the reflectivity of the coating. If the coating absorption goes up 1%, it can cause a 5% change in reading. Therefore, care must be taken not to soil or damage the white coating of the sensors. Also it may be a good idea to send the sensors for recalibration yearly.
All Ophir power meters, including photodiode power meters, have an air gap between the fiber tip and the sensor. Therefore they measure the power emitted by the fiber into the air and do not take into account any reflection losses there are in the fiber. Therefore, if in actual use, the fiber will be coupled with no loss to another element, then the losses should be added to the reading. These losses are usually about 4%. Thus if the reading on the Ophir meter is say 100 mW, then in lossless use, the real power will be 104 mW.
Integrating Sphere Theory
Integrating spheres are used when we have divergent light sources. As shown in the illustration, an integrating sphere has its inner surface coated with a surface that highly reflects (typically 99%) in a scattering, nonspecular way. Thus when a divergent beam hits the walls of the integrating sphere, the light is reflected and scattered many times until the light hitting any place on the walls of the sphere has the same intensity.
A detector placed in the sphere thus gets the same intensity as anywhere else and the power the detector detects is thus proportional to the total incident power independent of the beam divergence. (The detector is so arranged that it only sees scattered light and not the incident beam). An ideal integrating sphere has a surface with reflective properties are Lambertian. This means that light incident on the surface is scattered uniformly in all directions in the 2pi steradians solid angle above the surface. The surface used by Ophir closely approximates a Lambertian surface.
Step 1 – Starting position
3A-IS Series
The 3A-IS series has two 50mm integrating spheres in series with a photodiode detector. The two series spheres scramble up the light very well thus giving output very independent of incident beam divergence angle. The two spheres in series also insure that the light hitting the detector is greatly reduced in intensity thus allowing use up to 3 Watts even though photodiodes saturate at about 1mW. There are two models, the 3A-IS with a silicon photodiode for 400 – 1100nm and the 3A-ISIRG with an InGaAs detector for 800 – 1700nm
The Ophir integrating sphere sensors, models 3A-IS and 3A-IS-IRG have a white diffuse reflecting coating on the inside of the integrating sphere. The sensitivity of the sensor is quite sensitive to the reflectivity of the coating. If the coating absorption goes up 1%, it can cause a 5% change in reading. Therefore, care must be taken not to soil or damage the white coating of the sensors. Also it may be a good idea to send the sensors for recalibration yearly.
The auxiliary LED is used to increase accuracy in cases where the source under measurement is reflective or protrudes into the integrating sphere. The auxiliary LED is used to measure this effect and calibrate it out.
An unused port should be closed, to prevent unwanted light from entering the sphere. Closing it with a diffuse white port plug, however, adds the surface area of that plug to the (diffuse white) effective area of the sphere that is doing the “integrating”. For a calibrated integrating sphere sensor, this change in the behavior of the sphere changes its calibration, and results in incorrect readings. In such applications, a black “Port Cover” should be used.
Ophir water cooled sensors measure the heat flow across the thermopile disc and therefore are quite insensitive to the water temperature or flow rate within the given specified limits. However, sudden changes in the water temperature or water flow rate can cause a disturbance to the reading until the flow rate/temperature stabilizes again. Therefore we specify in our water cooled sensors that the water temperature should not change faster than 1 °C/min. Likewise, sudden changes in flow rate (e.g. switching another device connected to the same water line on and off) can results in temporary disturbances in the power reading.
The damage threshold is given in the datasheet for the sphere inner surface rather than for the detector itself, because the sphere surface will reach its damage threshold long before the detector will. A beam entering the sphere will first hit the inner surface on the opposite side of the sphere, and if at that point the power density is too high it will damage the inner surface of the sphere. From that first "meeting" of the beam with the white diffuse reflective inner sphere surface, it will be diffusely reflected multiple times. Since there is no direct line of sight between the entrance port and the detector, any light reaching the detector has already been uniformly distributed around the inner surface of the sphere, but light in that "first impact" on the sphere wall has not yet been uniformly distributed. Therefore, the "damage threshold" for the device is the maximum power density of the beam as it first hits the inner wall.
All Ophir power meters, including photodiode power meters, have an air gap between the fiber tip and the sensor. Therefore they measure the power emitted by the fiber into the air and do not take into account any reflection losses there are in the fiber. Therefore, if in actual use, the fiber will be coupled with no loss to another element, then the losses should be added to the reading. These losses are usually about 4%. Thus if the reading on the Ophir meter is say 100 mW, then in lossless use, the real power will be 104 mW.
Integrating Sphere Theory
Integrating spheres are used when we have divergent light sources. As shown in the illustration, an integrating sphere has its inner surface coated with a surface that highly reflects (typically 99%) in a scattering, nonspecular way. Thus when a divergent beam hits the walls of the integrating sphere, the light is reflected and scattered many times until the light hitting any place on the walls of the sphere has the same intensity.
A detector placed in the sphere thus gets the same intensity as anywhere else and the power the detector detects is thus proportional to the total incident power independent of the beam divergence. (The detector is so arranged that it only sees scattered light and not the incident beam). An ideal integrating sphere has a surface with reflective properties are Lambertian. This means that light incident on the surface is scattered uniformly in all directions in the 2pi steradians solid angle above the surface. The surface used by Ophir closely approximates a Lambertian surface.
Step 1 – Starting position
3A-IS Series
The 3A-IS series has two 50mm integrating spheres in series with a photodiode detector. The two series spheres scramble up the light very well thus giving output very independent of incident beam divergence angle. The two spheres in series also insure that the light hitting the detector is greatly reduced in intensity thus allowing use up to 3 Watts even though photodiodes saturate at about 1mW. There are two models, the 3A-IS with a silicon photodiode for 400 – 1100nm and the 3A-ISIRG with an InGaAs detector for 800 – 1700nm
The Ophir integrating sphere sensors, models 3A-IS and 3A-IS-IRG have a white diffuse reflecting coating on the inside of the integrating sphere. The sensitivity of the sensor is quite sensitive to the reflectivity of the coating. If the coating absorption goes up 1%, it can cause a 5% change in reading. Therefore, care must be taken not to soil or damage the white coating of the sensors. Also it may be a good idea to send the sensors for recalibration yearly.
The auxiliary LED is used to increase accuracy in cases where the source under measurement is reflective or protrudes into the integrating sphere. The auxiliary LED is used to measure this effect and calibrate it out.
An unused port should be closed, to prevent unwanted light from entering the sphere. Closing it with a diffuse white port plug, however, adds the surface area of that plug to the (diffuse white) effective area of the sphere that is doing the “integrating”. For a calibrated integrating sphere sensor, this change in the behavior of the sphere changes its calibration, and results in incorrect readings. In such applications, a black “Port Cover” should be used.
Ophir water cooled sensors measure the heat flow across the thermopile disc and therefore are quite insensitive to the water temperature or flow rate within the given specified limits. However, sudden changes in the water temperature or water flow rate can cause a disturbance to the reading until the flow rate/temperature stabilizes again. Therefore we specify in our water cooled sensors that the water temperature should not change faster than 1 °C/min. Likewise, sudden changes in flow rate (e.g. switching another device connected to the same water line on and off) can results in temporary disturbances in the power reading.
The damage threshold is given in the datasheet for the sphere inner surface rather than for the detector itself, because the sphere surface will reach its damage threshold long before the detector will. A beam entering the sphere will first hit the inner surface on the opposite side of the sphere, and if at that point the power density is too high it will damage the inner surface of the sphere. From that first "meeting" of the beam with the white diffuse reflective inner sphere surface, it will be diffusely reflected multiple times. Since there is no direct line of sight between the entrance port and the detector, any light reaching the detector has already been uniformly distributed around the inner surface of the sphere, but light in that "first impact" on the sphere wall has not yet been uniformly distributed. Therefore, the "damage threshold" for the device is the maximum power density of the beam as it first hits the inner wall.
Accessories
Fiber Adapter Mounting Bracket
A mounting bracket is needed to connect most power and energy sensors to a fiber adapter (SC, ST, FC or SMA). This bracket can be used for integrating sphere models 3A-IS and 3A-IS-IRG.
These adapters allow for power measurement of connectorized fiber-optic cables. The sensor may need an additional mounting bracket to connect to these fiber adapters.
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Extended Warranty for Sensor
Customers that purchase the above items also consider the following items. Ophir-Spiricon meters and sensors include a standard manufacturers warranty for one year. Add a one year Extended Warranty to your meter or sensor, which includes one recalibration.
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