Maximum Measurable Power for Photodiode Detector

Tuesday, September 8, 2020
MKS/Newport

Photodiodes are one of the most common detectors used for measuring optical power of a light source. However, the maximum power specification is an oversimplified representation that provides easy information for the user to decide which detector to use. In reality, the maximum power that a photodiode can handle depends on multiple factors such as photodiode output current saturation, wavelength of the light source, use of an attenuator such as a diffuser or a neutral density filter, and power meter’s maximum current input value.