The Purdue School of Aeronautics and Astronautics has received a new pyroelectric detector thanks to the Gentec-EO Laser Lab Awards. It will be used to measure laser energy in Purdue’s Interfacial Multiphysics Laboratory. AAE Professor Vikas Tomar and postdoctoral researcher Mahavir Singh are co-principal investigators on the project that will benefit most immediately from this new device.

The pyroelectric detector is intended to measure laser energy from high-powered, 1064nm and 532nm nanosecond-pulse lasers. These are used in ablation and impact experiments — their powerful pulses are used to accelerate small pieces of aluminum to extremely high speeds.

Notably, the QE25LP-H-MB-INT-D0 model can handle up to 3.8 Joules in a single pulse as well as in a continuous burst. The detector’s USB module, in conjunction with software, will enable statistical analysis of pulses from some of the high-powered lasers in that lab. Its precision will be used to calibrate those lasers, as well as other in-line detectors.