Portable optical power meter for optical cage system

Abstract

The invention provides a portable optical power meter for an optical cage system, and relates to the technical field of optical measurement and photoelectric detection equipment. The optical power meter is specifically composed of a cage type optical power meter probe module and a single-chip microcomputer control display module. The single-chip microcomputer control display module comprises a control key, a development board and a liquid crystal display screen. The device adopts a circular structure matched with the distance between guide rods of a cage-type system, so that the photoelectric detection unit can be directly mounted in the center of a cage-type light path, and coaxial incidence and in-situ measurement of light beams are realized. A silicon PIN photodiode, an RC low-pass filter and four independent-range resistors are arranged in a probe module of the cage type optical power meter, and the different independent-range resistors are communicated through jumper caps to achieve wide dynamic measurement. The control key is used for completing dark current zero clearing, mode selection and parameter setting; the development board carries out sampling and conversion on the photoelectric conversion voltage and communicates with the liquid crystal display screen, so that real-time display of measurement data and a working state is realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of optical measurement and photoelectric detection equipment technology, and in particular to a portable optical power meter for optical cage systems. Background Technology

[0002] An optical power meter is a fundamental optical measuring instrument used to measure the power of a light beam. It is widely used in laser debugging, optical communication testing, optical experimental platform construction, and optical path calibration. As optical experimental systems develop towards higher precision, higher stability, and modularity, optical platforms employing standard cage-like structures are increasingly common. Cage-like systems, through fixed-spaced rods and modular mounting structures, form a stable optical path frame, enabling rapid positioning and reconfiguration of optical components.

[0003] However, when measuring optical power inside cage-like systems or at local optical path nodes, traditional desktop optical power meters are bulky, inconvenient to insert into the optical path, and difficult to perform in-situ measurements. Furthermore, while existing portable optical power measuring devices offer advantages such as small size and portability, they are generally incompatible with the standard mounting interfaces of cage-like systems, making accurate and repeatable alignment within the optical path difficult. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a portable optical power meter that is compatible with optical cage-like systems, has a compact structure, and can be easily inserted into the optical path within limited space, enabling in-situ, rapid, and reliable measurement of optical power. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the problems of incompatible installation interfaces and difficulty in achieving precise and repeatable alignment in the optical path in existing technologies, this invention provides a portable optical power meter for optical cage systems.

[0005] On one hand, the present invention provides a portable optical power meter for an optical cage system, comprising a cage optical power meter probe module and a single-chip microcomputer control and display module;

[0006] The cage-type optical power meter probe module includes an optical cage plate and a PCB detection circuit board held inside the optical cage plate; it is used to perform optical signal processing and optical power conversion on the incident light from the optical cage system optical path, convert it into a voltage signal, and then transmit it to an external microcontroller control and display module through connecting leads.

[0007] The PCB detection circuit board is circular, and the optical cage plate provides a mounting cavity that matches the size of the circular PCB detection circuit board. The PCB detection circuit board is fixed inside the optical cage plate by a structure of screws and slots.

[0008] The PCB detection circuit board has a diameter of 25.4mm and integrates a protection diode, an RC low-pass filter, a photodiode, and four independent range resistors. The protection diode is connected in series in the power path of the PCB detection circuit board, and the output terminal of the protection diode is connected in series with the RC low-pass filter, which is composed of a resistor and a capacitor. The photodiode is a silicon PIN structure photodiode with an effective spectral response range covering 420nm to 1120nm. The photodiode is mounted at the center optical axis of the circular PCB detection circuit board, and the sensitive surface of the photodiode is coaxial with the optical axis of the optical cage system. By using jumper caps, the output terminal of the photodiode can be selectively connected to any one of the four independent range resistors, so that the corresponding range resistor and the photodiode form a closed loop. The photocurrent flows through the selected independent range resistor and is converted into a voltage signal, which is then transmitted to an external microcontroller control and display module through the connecting leads.

[0009] The microcontroller control and display module includes control buttons, a development board, and an LCD screen. The control buttons are used for manual input of dark current clearing, mode selection, and value adjustment functions. The mode selection includes wavelength mode and resistance mode. Wavelength mode is used to adjust the laser wavelength, and resistance mode is used to adjust the resistance value of the corresponding channel. The development board acquires optical power voltage signals, executes range control logic, that is, completes signal processing according to the selected range, and performs optical power calculation. The LCD screen is used to display the optical power measurement results and the current working status in real time.

[0010] The control buttons include a measurement zeroing button, a mode selection button, an up adjustment button, and a down adjustment button; the mode selection button includes a wavelength mode button and a resistance mode button; all buttons are connected to the input terminals of the development board and send measurement zeroing, mode selection, up adjustment, and down adjustment commands to the development board.

[0011] The development board is electrically connected to the cage-type optical power meter probe module to supply power to the cage-type optical power meter probe module and to collect the voltage signals across four independent range resistors, and to perform analog-to-digital conversion, arithmetic processing and power calculation on the voltage signals.

[0012] The development board switches the adjustment object and changes the independent range resistor according to the instructions input by the control buttons; the development board is connected to the LCD screen to send the calculated optical power value, range information and operation status to the LCD screen in real time.

[0013] The development board uses the Arduino MEGA 2560 development board and is powered by a 9V input via a USB interface.

[0014] The LCD screen uses an LCD1602 LCD screen and is connected to the development board via a communication interface. It is used to display the optical power value, range, working status and user interaction information processed by the development board in real time.

[0015] The LCD screen and control buttons are integrated on a through-hole adapter board and connected to the development board via pins.

[0016] On the other hand, the portable optical power meter for an optical cage system is used to implement the following method:

[0017] Install the cage-type optical power meter probe module between the four guide rods of the optical cage system to automatically align the light entrance window with the optical axis.

[0018] After powering on, the development board initializes the circuit and reads the range and parameter commands input by the control buttons;

[0019] The photodiode receives the light beam incident along the optical axis and generates a photocurrent. The photocurrent is converted into a voltage signal by a selected independent range resistor and transmitted to the development board for sampling and optical power calculation.

[0020] The development board completes the conversion based on the current range and calibration coefficients and sends the results to the LCD screen for real-time display.

[0021] The beneficial effects of adopting the above technical solution are as follows:

[0022] This invention provides a portable optical power meter for optical cage systems, which has the following advantages:

[0023] (1) The present invention adopts a circular structure design that matches the spacing of the guide rods of the cage system, so that the detection circuit board can be directly installed at the center of the cage optical path, and coaxial measurement can be completed without additional optical path adjustment, which significantly improves the convenience and stability of use in complex experimental optical paths.

[0024] (2) The photodiode used in this invention is a silicon PIN photodiode, which enables sensitive detection in a wide band from visible light to near infrared (approximately 420–1120 nm), ensuring that the device is suitable for a variety of lasers and light sources and meets the optical power measurement requirements of common wavelength ranges in the laboratory.

[0025] (3) The present invention enables the system to select appropriate current-to-voltage conversion coefficients for different optical power ranges by connecting four independent range resistors in parallel at the output terminal of the photodiode and controlling their on / off state by jumper caps. This achieves wide dynamic range measurement.

[0026] (4) The present invention is equipped with measurement zeroing, mode selection and value adjustment buttons to realize dark current zeroing, control mode selection and rapid switching of range, so that users can adapt to different measurement scenarios and improve operation efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the module configuration of a portable optical power meter for an optical cage system according to the present invention.

[0028] Among them, 1-cage-type optical power meter probe module, 2-microcontroller control and display module, 3-control buttons, 4-development board, 5-LCD display screen;

[0029] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the probe module circuit of a cage-type optical power meter for a portable optical power meter used in an optical cage system, as described in this invention.

[0030] (a) - Front view of the cage-type optical power meter probe module circuit system; (b) - Back view of the cage-type optical power meter probe module circuit system.

[0031] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a direct-plug adapter board for a portable optical power meter used in an optical cage system, as described in this invention.

[0032] Where (a) - front of the through-hole adapter board, (b) - back of the through-hole adapter board. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The specific implementation methods of this application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0034] Example 1:

[0035] On one hand, the present invention provides a portable optical power meter for optical cage systems, such as Figure 1 As shown, it consists of a cage-type optical power meter probe module and a microcontroller control and display module. Through sensitive detection of optical signals, stable circuit processing, and structural design compatible with cage-type systems, it realizes portable, in-situ, and high-precision measurement of optical power in the visible to near-infrared bands.

[0036] The cage-type optical power meter probe module includes an optical cage plate and a PCB detection circuit board held inside the optical cage plate; it is used to perform optical signal processing and optical power conversion on the incident light from the optical cage system optical path, convert it into a voltage signal, and then transmit it to the external microcontroller control display module through the connecting wire; it is used to perform photoelectric conversion on the incident light and to provide voltage signals with different ranges through four independent resistor channels.

[0037] The PCB detection circuit board is circular, and the optical cage provides a mounting cavity that matches the size of the circular PCB detection circuit board. The PCB detection circuit board is fixed inside the optical cage by screws and slots, which ensures that all detection circuits have good mechanical stability and avoids electrical instability or photodiode misalignment caused by vibration or displacement during the experiment.

[0038] The PCB detection circuit board has a diameter of 25.4mm and integrates a protection diode, an RC low-pass filter, a photodiode, and four independent range resistors. The protection diode is connected in series in the power path of the PCB detection circuit board to prevent component damage caused by reverse battery connection. An RC low-pass filter, consisting of a resistor and a capacitor, is connected in series at the output of the protection diode, allowing the photodiode to operate under stable reverse bias with low noise. The photodiode uses a silicon PIN structure and has an effective spectral response range covering 420nm to 1120nm, making it compatible with visible and near-infrared light sources commonly used in cage optical systems. The photodiode is mounted at the center optical axis of the circular PCB detection circuit board, with its sensitive surface coaxial with the optical axis of the cage optical system. By using jumper caps, the output of the photodiode can be selectively connected to any one of the four independent range resistors, forming a closed loop with the corresponding range resistor and the photodiode. The photocurrent flows through the selected independent range resistor and is converted into a voltage signal, which is then transmitted to an external microcontroller control and display module via connecting leads.

[0039] The microcontroller control and display module includes control buttons, a development board, and an LCD screen. The control buttons are used for manual input of dark current clearing, mode selection, and value adjustment functions. The mode selection includes wavelength mode and resistance mode. Wavelength mode is used to adjust the laser wavelength, and resistance mode is used to adjust the resistance value of the corresponding channel. The development board acquires optical power voltage signals, executes range control logic, that is, completes signal processing according to the selected range, and performs optical power calculation. The LCD screen is used to display the optical power measurement results and the current working status in real time. Through the coordinated operation of the above modules, this invention can realize portable, accurate, stable, and visualized optical power detection in an optical cage system.

[0040] The control buttons include a measurement zeroing button, a mode selection button, an up adjustment button, and a down adjustment button; the mode selection button includes a wavelength mode button and a resistance mode button; all buttons are connected to the input terminal of the development board and send measurement zeroing, mode selection, up adjustment, and down adjustment commands to the development board; thereby realizing the adjustment and control of the optical power measurement range, calibration parameters, or display content;

[0041] The development board is electrically connected to the cage-type optical power meter probe module to supply power to the cage-type optical power meter probe module and to collect the voltage signals across four independent range resistors, and to perform analog-to-digital conversion, arithmetic processing and power calculation on the voltage signals.

[0042] The development board switches the adjustment object and changes the independent range resistor according to the instructions input by the control buttons; the development board is connected to the LCD screen to send the calculated optical power value, range information and operation status to the LCD screen in real time.

[0043] The development board uses the Arduino MEGA 2560 development board and is powered by a 9V input via a USB interface.

[0044] The LCD screen uses an LCD1602 LCD screen and is connected to the development board via a communication interface. It is used to display the optical power value, range, working status and user interaction information processed by the development board in real time.

[0045] The LCD screen and control buttons are integrated on a through-hole adapter board and connected to the development board via pins.

[0046] On the other hand, the portable optical power meter for an optical cage system is used to implement the following method:

[0047] Install the cage-type optical power meter probe module 1 between the four guide rods of the optical cage system so that the light entrance window is automatically aligned with the optical axis.

[0048] After powering on, development board 4 initializes the circuit and reads the range and parameter commands input by control button 3;

[0049] The photodiode receives the light beam incident along the optical axis and generates a photocurrent. The photocurrent is converted into a voltage signal by the selected independent range resistor and transmitted to the development board 4 for sampling and optical power calculation.

[0050] The development board 4 completes the conversion based on the current range and calibration coefficients and sends the results to the LCD screen 5 for real-time display, thereby enabling in-situ and rapid measurement of optical power within the cage system without disassembling the optical path.

[0051] Example 2:

[0052] As per the instruction manual Figure 1As shown, a portable optical power meter for an optical cage system includes a cage-type optical power meter probe module 1, a microcontroller control and display module 2, control buttons 3, a development board 4, and an LCD screen 5. The overall design primarily revolves around the mechanical adaptation of the optical cage system. The optical power detection circuitry is fabricated as a circular PCB detection circuit board and mounted at the center of the optical cage, allowing the light beam to be directly incident on the photodiode along the optical axis, thus achieving in-situ measurement of optical power.

[0053] As per the instruction manual Figure 1 As shown, during use, the cage-type optical power meter probe module 1 is fixed between the four guide rods of the cage system via its own mechanical housing or mounting plate, automatically aligning the light entrance window of the module with the optical axis of the cage system. The device is powered by a battery connected to the development board 4. After power-on, the development board 4 displays the real-time optical power value on the LCD screen 5 based on the user's key input to select the measurement range and set the wavelength parameters. The user can complete the measurement without disassembling the cage structure externally, facilitating optical path debugging, stability testing, and experimental recording.

[0054] As per the instruction manual Figure 2 As shown in (a) and (b), the cage-type optical power meter probe module 1 is located at the front end of the device. Its core consists of a photodiode, an RC low-pass filter, and four independent range resistors mounted on a circular PCB detection circuit board. The left image shows the front of the PCB detection circuit board, and the right image shows the back. The circular PCB board's dimensions are designed according to the spacing of the cage-type system's guide rods, and it is fixed with screws to ensure that the photosensitive surface is coaxial with the optical axis of the cage-type system. The photodiode operates in reverse bias mode, and its bias is provided by a battery, a reverse polarity protection diode, a voltage regulator, and an RC low-pass filter. When incident light shines on the photosensitive surface, it generates a photocurrent, which is converted into a voltage signal by the selected independent range resistors. The independent range resistors control the connection of corresponding circuits through jumper caps, realizing different range adaptations for strong and weak light. The circular PCB board also has necessary wiring terminals for signal connection with the subsequent microcontroller control and display module 2.

[0055] As per the instruction manual Figure 3 As shown in (a) and (b), the LCD screen 5 and control buttons 3 are integrated on a through-hole adapter board. The left image shows the front, and the right image shows the back. It is connected to the development board 4 via pins. The output of the control buttons 3 is connected to the corresponding input pin of the development board 4 via wires on the through-hole adapter board to send control commands to the development board 4. The LCD screen 5 is connected to the development board 4 through the display interface on the through-hole adapter board to receive and display the output optical power measurement results and working status information.

[0056] Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a computer program product.

[0057] The various embodiments in this application are described in a progressive manner. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other. Each embodiment focuses on describing the differences from other embodiments.

[0058] The scope of protection of this application is not limited to the embodiments described above. Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this disclosure without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure. If such modifications and variations fall within the scope of the methods disclosed herein and their equivalents, then the intent of this disclosure also includes such modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A portable optical power meter for an optical cage system, characterized in that, It consists of a cage-type optical power meter probe module and a single-chip microcomputer control and display module; The cage-type optical power meter probe module includes an optical cage plate and a PCB detection circuit board held inside the optical cage plate; it is used to perform optical signal processing and optical power conversion on the incident light from the optical cage system optical path, convert it into a voltage signal, and then transmit it to an external microcontroller control and display module through connecting leads. The microcontroller control and display module includes control buttons, a development board, and an LCD screen. The control buttons are used for manual input of dark current clearing, mode selection, and value adjustment functions. The mode selection includes wavelength mode and resistance mode. Wavelength mode is used to adjust the laser wavelength, and resistance mode is used to adjust the resistance value of the corresponding channel. The development board acquires optical power voltage signals, executes range control logic, that is, completes signal processing according to the selected range, and performs optical power calculation. The LCD screen is used to display the optical power measurement results and the current working status in real time.

2. A portable optical power meter for an optical cage system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The PCB detection circuit board is circular, and the optical cage provides a mounting cavity that matches the size of the circular PCB detection circuit board. The PCB detection circuit board is fixed inside the optical cage by a structure of screws and slots.

3. A portable optical power meter for an optical cage system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The PCB testing circuit board has a diameter of 25.4mm and integrates a protection diode, an RC low-pass filter, a photodiode, and four independent range resistors. The protection diode is connected in series in the power path of the PCB testing circuit board, and the output terminal of the protection diode is connected in series with the RC low-pass filter, which is composed of a resistor and a capacitor. The photodiode is a silicon PIN structure photodiode with an effective spectral response range covering 420nm to 1120nm. The photodiode is mounted at the center optical axis of the circular PCB testing circuit board, and the sensitive surface of the photodiode is coaxial with the optical axis of the optical cage system. By using jumper caps, the output terminal of the photodiode can be selectively connected to any one of the four independent range resistors, so that the corresponding range resistor and the photodiode form a closed loop. The photocurrent flows through the selected independent range resistor and is converted into a voltage signal, which is then transmitted to an external microcontroller control and display module through connecting leads.

4. A portable optical power meter for an optical cage system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control buttons include a measurement zeroing button, a mode selection button, an up adjustment button, and a down adjustment button; the mode selection button includes a wavelength mode button and a resistance mode button; all buttons are connected to the input terminals of the development board and send measurement zeroing, mode selection, up adjustment, and down adjustment commands to the development board.

5. A portable optical power meter for an optical cage system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The development board is electrically connected to the cage-type optical power meter probe module to supply power to the cage-type optical power meter probe module and to collect the voltage signals across four independent range resistors, and to perform analog-to-digital conversion, arithmetic processing and power calculation on the voltage signals. The development board switches the adjustment object and changes the independent range resistor according to the instructions input by the control buttons; the development board is connected to the LCD screen to send the calculated optical power value, range information and operation status to the LCD screen in real time.

6. A portable optical power meter for an optical cage system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The development board uses the Arduino MEGA 2560 development board and is powered by a 9V input via a USB interface.

7. A portable optical power meter for an optical cage system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The LCD screen uses an LCD1602 LCD screen and is connected to the development board via a communication interface. It is used to display the optical power value, range, working status and user interaction information processed by the development board in real time.

8. A portable optical power meter for an optical cage system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The LCD screen and control buttons are integrated on a through-hole adapter board and connected to the development board via pins.

9. A portable optical power meter for an optical cage system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, include: Install the cage-type optical power meter probe module between the four guide rods of the optical cage system to automatically align the light entrance window with the optical axis. After powering on, the development board initializes the circuit and reads the range and parameter commands input by the control buttons; The photodiode receives the light beam incident along the optical axis and generates a photocurrent. The photocurrent is converted into a voltage signal by a selected independent range resistor and transmitted to the development board for sampling and optical power calculation. The development board completes the conversion based on the current range and calibration coefficients and sends the results to the LCD screen for real-time display.

Images