New laser power sensor using diamagnetic levitation

This paper presents a preliminary study of an elementary device consisting of a small plate made from pyrolytic carbon levitated above a magnet array which is sensitive to any irradiating laser power. This device might provide an interesting alternative to power meters based on thermal measurement techniques via the Stefan-Boltzmann law or the photon-electron interaction. We show that the photo-response of a pyrolytic carbon plate in terms of levitation height versus irradiation power in the range of 20 mW to 1 W is sufficiently linear, sensitive, and reproducible to be used as a laser power sensor. The elevation height change as a function of irradiance time appears to be a suitable measurement parameter for establishing a relation with the irradiating laser power. The influence of some quantities affecting the measurement results has been highlighted. The study demonstrates that such a device should prove useful for applications in metrology, industry, or emerging technologies.