Radiation pressure on a micromirror in a high-tech setting.

The Future of Lasers: How Radiation Pressure is Revolutionizing Manufacturing and Measurement

Kai Mendoza in Tech & Innovation September 2025 • 4 min read.

"Discover how radiation pressure technology is simplifying laser power measurement and paving the way for more precise and efficient industrial processes."

In the world of optics, a fascinating shift is taking place. For years, the focus has been on improving detectors to measure light and laser power. But now, a groundbreaking approach is emerging: using the light source itself as the basis for measurement. This is made possible by the practical application of radiation pressure, particularly in high-power laser systems.

Unlike traditional methods that rely on absorbing laser energy and measuring the heat, radiation pressure offers a 'non-exclusive' way to measure laser power. This means the laser power can be determined with minimal interference, opening exciting possibilities. Imagine a laser system combined with a radiation pressure power meter (RPPM), acting as a traceable source linked directly to the international standard of the kilogram. This concept unlocks new potential in high-power metrology.

Traceable multi-kilowatt laser beams bring two significant advantages. First, they simplify the often complex process of calibrating laser power meters. Second, they enhance the precision with which laser power can be applied in crucial industrial processes like welding, cutting, and additive manufacturing. Let’s delve into how this technology is reshaping these areas.

Revolutionizing Laser Power Meter Calibration

Radiation pressure on a micromirror in a high-tech setting.

Typically, access to multi-kilowatt continuous wave (cw) laser sources is limited to specialized facilities, making it difficult to perform calibrations traceable to national standards. Traditional thermal power meters at these power levels are also bulky and slow to respond, complicating comparative measurements. As illustrated in Fig. 1 of the original paper, a radiation pressure power meter (RPPM) offers a streamlined solution for calibrating thermal power meters.

The RPPM works in conjunction with the laser source, effectively creating a traceable laser power source to calibrate other power meters directly. This innovative technique has already been successfully demonstrated for on-site power calibrations at 20 kW. This method significantly reduces the reliance on sending equipment to specialized labs, saving time and resources.

Simplified Calibration: RPPM technology simplifies the complex task of calibrating high-power laser meters.
On-Site Measurement: Enables calibrations to be performed directly on-site, reducing downtime.
Reduced Downtime: Offers faster measurements.
Cost Effective: Reduces cost by eliminating the need to send equipment.

Recent tests using a 50 kW cw fiber laser source at a test facility further highlight the advantages and limitations of radiation pressure for laser power meter calibration. Over nine days, 277 measurements were conducted on ten different instruments ranging from 1 kW to 48 kW, with the RPPM serving as the reference standard (as seen in Fig. 1). The primary factor affecting measurement uncertainty was environmental vibration, which influenced the RPPM's force transducer. While the uncertainty was slightly higher (2.5-3%) at lower power levels compared to laboratory conditions (1.6%), performance improved at higher powers where the constant noise floor was less significant.

The Future is Precise: Micromachined Mirrors and Material Processing

The use of traceable high-power laser sources extends beyond calibration to revolutionize material processing. Laser-based welding and additive manufacturing require precise laser power control. Current methods involve periodically directing the laser onto a thermal power meter, which doesn't allow real-time power monitoring during critical operations. Recent advancements in radiation pressure sensing technology, particularly the development of micromachined silicon force transducer plates, promise significant improvements in real-time power metrology. These new designs demonstrate improvements in response time, sensitivity, and size, making them suitable for manufacturing environments. The integration of these technologies ensures more accurate and efficient laser-based processes.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1109/cpem.2018.8501072, Alternate LINK

Title: Progress Toward Radiation-Pressure-Enabled Traceable Laser Sources

Journal: 2018 Conference on Precision Electromagnetic Measurements (CPEM 2018)

Publisher: IEEE

Authors: Paul Williams, Joshua Hadler, Ivan Ryger, Alexandra Artusio-Glimpse, John Lehman

Published: 2018-07-01

Everything You Need To Know

How does radiation pressure offer a different approach to measuring laser power compared to traditional methods?

Radiation pressure offers a 'non-exclusive' way to measure laser power, meaning it determines the power with minimal interference. This is unlike traditional methods that absorb laser energy and measure heat. A laser system combined with a radiation pressure power meter (RPPM) acts as a traceable source linked directly to the international standard of the kilogram. This unlocks new potential in high-power metrology. The RPPM works in conjunction with the laser source, effectively creating a traceable laser power source to calibrate other power meters directly.

What are the primary benefits of using traceable multi-kilowatt laser beams in industrial applications?

Traceable multi-kilowatt laser beams offer two key advantages. First, they simplify the calibration process for laser power meters, which can often be complex. Second, they enhance the precision with which laser power can be applied in crucial industrial processes like welding, cutting, and additive manufacturing. This is because traceable sources ensure that the laser power is accurately known and controlled, leading to more consistent and reliable results in these applications.

How does a radiation pressure power meter (RPPM) streamline the calibration process for laser power meters, and what factors can affect its accuracy?

A radiation pressure power meter (RPPM) simplifies the calibration of thermal power meters by working in conjunction with the laser source. This creates a traceable laser power source to calibrate other power meters directly, even on-site. Recent tests have successfully demonstrated on-site power calibrations at 20 kW using this technique. This reduces the reliance on sending equipment to specialized labs, saving time and resources. Environmental vibration can influence the force transducer in RPPM, which affects measurement uncertainty.

What role do micromachined silicon force transducer plates play in advancing real-time power metrology in manufacturing?

Recent advancements in radiation pressure sensing technology, particularly the development of micromachined silicon force transducer plates, offer significant improvements in real-time power metrology. These new designs demonstrate improvements in response time, sensitivity, and size, making them suitable for manufacturing environments. The integration of these technologies ensures more accurate and efficient laser-based processes, enabling real-time power monitoring during critical operations like laser-based welding and additive manufacturing.

What are the limitations of radiation pressure technology, and how can these challenges be addressed to improve measurement accuracy?

While radiation pressure technology offers numerous advantages, environmental factors like vibration can affect the accuracy of measurements, particularly at lower power levels where the constant noise floor is more significant. The uncertainty at lower power levels can be slightly higher (2.5-3%) compared to laboratory conditions (1.6%). Overcoming these limitations involves mitigating environmental disturbances and improving the design of the force transducer to minimize sensitivity to external factors. Further research and development in these areas could enhance the reliability and precision of radiation pressure-based measurements across a wider range of power levels and environments.