Improvements in a Calorimeter for High-Power CW Lasers

Measurement certainty with the BB series of electrically calibrated calorimeters for high-energy lasers has been enhanced by the addition of monitors for energy backscattered from the meter and for energy missing the entrance aperture (overspill). The performance and design features of the recently constructed BB2 meter are compared with the previously described BB1 meter. Direct intercomparison shows the agreement between meters to be 1 percent.