An optical power meter is a tool that helps us measure the amount of light coming from something called an optical fiber. Imagine you have a water hose, and you want to know how much water is flowing through it. You could measure it with a water meter, right? Well, the optical power meter is like the water meter, but instead of measuring the amount of water, it measures the amount of light.
How does it work?
The optical power meter has a sensor that can detect light. When we connect the meter to the optical fiber, some of the light from the fiber goes into the meter and hits the sensor. The sensor then creates an electrical signal that tells us how strong the light is. The stronger the light, the higher the number on the meter.
Why is it important?
Optical fibers are used to transmit information over long distances. For example, when you make a phone call or browse the internet, your signal is sent through optical fibers. By using an optical power meter, we can make sure that enough light is going through the fiber to transmit information correctly. We can also use the meter to troubleshoot problems if something goes wrong with the fiber.
So, in short, an optical power meter helps us measure how much light is going through an optical fiber so we can make sure our information travels correctly.