Advanced Calculator
Use direct beam power, surface irradiance, or pulse-energy mode. The page stays single-column, while the input grid responds as 3 columns on large screens, 2 on smaller screens, and 1 on mobile.
Example Data Table
These sample cases show how different input modes affect photon throughput, area-normalized flux, and total delivered photons.
| Mode | Wavelength | Input Basis | Beam Area | Efficiency | Photon Rate | Flux Density | Total Photons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power | 532 nm | 10 mW, 5 s | 1 cm² | 95% | 2.544243e+16 photons/s | 2.544243e+20 photons/(m²·s) | 1.272121e+17 photons |
| Irradiance | 450 nm | 25 mW/cm², 4 s | 2 cm² | 90% | 1.019409e+17 photons/s | 5.097043e+20 photons/(m²·s) | 4.077634e+17 photons |
| Pulse | 1064 nm | 20 µJ at 100 kHz, 2 s | 1 mm² | 85% | 9.105710e+18 photons/s | 9.105710e+24 photons/(m²·s) | 1.821142e+19 photons |
Formula Used
How to Use This Calculator
- Choose the input mode that matches your experiment, source specification, or beam report.
- Enter wavelength, beam area, transmission efficiency, and exposure time using the units you prefer.
- Provide either direct power, irradiance, or pulse energy with repetition rate, depending on the mode.
- Press Calculate Photon Flux to place the result block above the form, directly below the header.
- Review photon energy, frequency, photon rate, flux density, fluence, and exposure-related outputs.
- Use the CSV and PDF buttons to save a clean report and compare runs across wavelengths.
FAQs
1) What is photon flux?
Photon flux is the number of photons arriving each second. It describes photon delivery rate, while photon flux density further divides that rate by illuminated area.
2) Why does wavelength change the answer?
Each photon carries energy based on wavelength. Shorter wavelengths have higher photon energy, so the same optical power produces fewer photons per second.
3) What is the difference between photon flux and fluence?
Photon flux is a rate. Photon fluence is a time-integrated quantity, showing how many photons passed through a unit area during the full exposure.
4) When should I use irradiance mode?
Use irradiance mode when your source is specified in W/m², W/cm², or mW/cm². The calculator converts that surface intensity into beam power using area.
5) Why include transmission efficiency?
Efficiency accounts for losses from optics, windows, filters, fiber coupling, or coatings. It reduces source power to the effective power that actually reaches the target plane.
6) Does pulse mode calculate peak power?
No. This calculator uses pulse energy and repetition rate to estimate average power. Peak power needs pulse duration and beam-shape assumptions, which are not included here.
7) Can I use this for lasers and LEDs?
Yes. It works for any optical source when you know the representative wavelength and the delivered power or irradiance at the measurement plane.
8) Why is flux density important?
Flux density helps predict detector saturation, photochemical dose, material response, and beam exposure severity because it normalizes photon delivery by illuminated area.