General Information; Getting Started; Unpacking; Preparation - THORLABS PM100A Quick Reference

1 General Information

The PM100A Handheld Optical Power Meter is designed to measure the radiant
power of laser light or other monochromatic or near monochromatic light sources.
The space-saving, battery powered design and compatibility to all Thorlabs 'C-
Series' photodiode and thermal sensors, and custom photodiode and thermal
detectors, featured with a fast USB device interface
applications in Manufacturing, Quality Control, Quality Assurance, and R&D for
stationary and field use. The unit combines a precise 4 digit power readout with a
high sensitive mechanical analog needle meter to perform laser tuning tasks or
watching trends.
Please refer to the user manual on the data carrier supplied with the unit for
detailed function description.

2 Getting Started

2.1 Unpacking

Inspect the shipping container for damage.
If the shipping container seems to be damaged, keep it until you have inspected
the contents and you have inspected the PM100A mechanically and electrically.
Verify that you have received the following items within the hard-case:
1. PM100A power meter console
2. Plug-In power supply with Interchangeable primary plug for USA, UK,
Europe, and Australia
3. USB cable, type 'A' to 'mini-B'
4. Quick-start guide
5. USB memory stick with instrument drivers, user application and operation
manual
6. Certificate of Calibration

2.2 Preparation

Configure the plug-in power supply with the primary plug for your local power
supply.
Connect a suitable power sensor. The sensors have a self-fixing mechanism. To
plug or unplug sensors slightly press from both sides on the brass pins in the
connector housing.
Turn the unit on by pressing the power button in the side panel.
After switching on the unit, the needle deflects to full scale and the graphics display
shows the device status and then jumps to the last measurement screen prior
powering down.
The PM100A is immediately ready to use after turning on.
open a wide range of
3