Laser Viewing Cards

Overview
Graphs
Laser Safety
Feedback
Selection Guide

Features

Detector Cards for UV, Visible, NIR, or MIR Wavelength Ranges
Detect Radiation as Low as 1 nW/cm²
Absorption Wavelength Range(s) or Sensitivity Curve Printed on Card

Thorlabs offers a selection of detector cards for use with UV, Visible, Near IR (NIR), or Mid IR (MIR) radiation. These cards are fabricated from plastic with a liquid crystal photosensitive region. Each card's light-sensitive detector area allows for the easy location of a UV, Visible, NIR, or MIR laser beam and its focal point. To facilitate their use during alignment procedures, every card except the VRC5 has a detection region that extends all the way to the edge of the card and two engraved reticles for use in laser beam collimation.

Please note that these detector cards are not intended to be used as laser beam blocks, and appropriate safety measures should be taken when working with laser beams. See the Laser Safety tab for details.

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Wavelength Absorption from 250 - 540 nm
Wavelength Emission from 450 - 750 nm

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Wavelength Absorption from 400 - 640 nm & 800 - 1700 nm
Wavelength Emission from ~580 - 750 nm

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Wavelength Absorption from 790 - 840 nm & 870 - 1070 nm & 1500 - 1590 nm
Wavelength Emission from ~520 - 580 nm

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Wavelength Absorption from 700 - 1400 nm
Visible Wavelength Emission

Laser Safety and Classification

Safe practices and proper usage of safety equipment should be taken into consideration when operating lasers. The eye is susceptible to injury, even from very low levels of laser light. Thorlabs offers a range of laser safety accessories that can be used to reduce the risk of accidents or injuries. Laser emission in the visible and near infrared spectral ranges has the greatest potential for retinal injury, as the cornea and lens are transparent to those wavelengths, and the lens can focus the laser energy onto the retina.

Safe Practices and Light Safety Accessories

Thorlabs recommends the use of safety eyewear whenever working with laser beams with non-negligible powers (i.e., > Class 1) since metallic tools such as screwdrivers can accidentally redirect a beam.
Laser goggles designed for specific wavelengths should be clearly available near laser setups to protect the wearer from unintentional laser reflections.
Goggles are marked with the wavelength range over which protection is afforded and the minimum optical density within that range.
Blackout Materials can prevent direct or reflected light from leaving the experimental setup area.
Thorlabs' Enclosure Systems can be used to contain optical setups to isolate or minimize laser hazards.
A fiber-pigtailed laser should always be turned off before connecting it to or disconnecting it from another fiber, especially when the laser is at power levels above 10 mW.
All beams should be terminated at the edge of the table, and laboratory doors should be closed whenever a laser is in use.
Do not place laser beams at eye level.
Carry out experiments on an optical table such that all laser beams travel horizontally.
Remove unnecessary reflective items such as reflective jewelry (e.g., rings, watches, etc.) while working near the beam path.
Be aware that lenses and other optical devices may reflect a portion of the incident beam from the front or rear surface.
Operate a laser at the minimum power necessary for any operation.
If possible, reduce the output power of a laser during alignment procedures.
Use beam shutters and filters to reduce the beam power.
Post appropriate warning signs or labels near laser setups or rooms.
Use a laser sign with a lightbox if operating Class 3R or 4 lasers (i.e., lasers requiring the use of a safety interlock).
Do not use Laser Viewing Cards in place of a proper Beam Trap.

Laser Classification

Lasers are categorized into different classes according to their ability to cause eye and other damage. The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a global organization that prepares and publishes international standards for all electrical, electronic, and related technologies. The IEC document 60825-1 outlines the safety of laser products. A description of each class of laser is given below:

Class	Description	Warning Label
1	This class of laser is safe under all conditions of normal use, including use with optical instruments for intrabeam viewing. Lasers in this class do not emit radiation at levels that may cause injury during normal operation, and therefore the maximum permissible exposure (MPE) cannot be exceeded. Class 1 lasers can also include enclosed, high-power lasers where exposure to the radiation is not possible without opening or shutting down the laser.
1M	Class 1M lasers are safe except when used in conjunction with optical components such as telescopes and microscopes. Lasers belonging to this class emit large-diameter or divergent beams, and the MPE cannot normally be exceeded unless focusing or imaging optics are used to narrow the beam. However, if the beam is refocused, the hazard may be increased and the class may be changed accordingly.
2	Class 2 lasers, which are limited to 1 mW of visible continuous-wave radiation, are safe because the blink reflex will limit the exposure in the eye to 0.25 seconds. This category only applies to visible radiation (400 - 700 nm).
2M	Because of the blink reflex, this class of laser is classified as safe as long as the beam is not viewed through optical instruments. This laser class also applies to larger-diameter or diverging laser beams.
3R	Lasers in this class are considered safe as long as they are handled with restricted beam viewing. The MPE can be exceeded with this class of laser, however, this presents a low risk level to injury. Visible, continuous-wave lasers are limited to 5 mW of output power in this class.
3B	Class 3B lasers are hazardous to the eye if exposed directly. However, diffuse reflections are not harmful. Safe handling of devices in this class includes wearing protective eyewear where direct viewing of the laser beam may occur. In addition, laser safety signs lightboxes should be used with lasers that require a safety interlock so that the laser cannot be used without the safety light turning on. Class-3B lasers must be equipped with a key switch and a safety interlock.
4	This class of laser may cause damage to the skin, and also to the eye, even from the viewing of diffuse reflections. These hazards may also apply to indirect or non-specular reflections of the beam, even from apparently matte surfaces. Great care must be taken when handling these lasers. They also represent a fire risk, because they may ignite combustible material. Class 4 lasers must be equipped with a key switch and a safety interlock.
All class 2 lasers (and higher) must display, in addition to the corresponding sign above, this triangular warning sign

Posted Comments:

dsteil (posted 2018-09-17 13:56:41.477)

Hi, would it be possible to put the IR or UV-active materials onto a metal substrate? We do burn this cards quite often due to high average power of our femtosecond fiber amplifiers (pulse energy is not the problem), but mostly it seems that the plastic is in fact the first one to go not the coating. Best Daniel

nbayconich (posted 2018-09-21 09:57:14.0)

Thank you for contacting Thorlabs. We can provide the fluorescent material alone on a self-adhesive backing which could then be placed on metallic surface if needed. I'll reach out to you directly to discuss our custom capabilities.

felix.attila.farkas (posted 2018-02-08 15:49:07.54)

Hello Thorlabs, I am interested in a laser protection system for some of our products categories. Is there a laser exposure indicator foil that is not reversible? If the product was exposed at a certain wavelength range then the foil will change permanently the color and remain like that. Could you please give me a feedback for this? Thanks you! Attila

nbayconich (posted 2018-03-30 03:17:02.0)

Thank you for contacting Thorlabs. It sounds like you are describing laser burn paper which can be used as an indicator of a high intensity laser. At the moment we do not supply products similar to burn paper and we have not tested our laser viewing detection cards in the same application. These laser viewing cards are generally used for just locating the position of an IR or UV source but are not intended to be used in the same application as burn paper. I will reach out to you directly to discuss your application

kedves (posted 2017-05-23 14:08:28.58)

Dear Thorlabs, which laser viewing card can you recommend for 780 nm? VCR5's absorption band seems to cover 780 nm, but it has a smaller sensitive area and a shiny surface which are not advantageous. How about VCR2 and VCR4? Is there any experience how sensitive these are at 780 nm? Thanks

nbayconich (posted 2017-07-10 11:50:46.0)

Thank you for contacting Thorlabs. We recommend using the VRC5 for 780nm. Our VRC2 & VRC4 IR cards do not cover 780nm in their absorption range. I will reach out to you directly to discuss the VRC2 & VRC4's sensitivity.

user (posted 2016-04-05 00:31:49.21)

Can we have these in the form of alignment disks, such as the VRC2D1's which can be mounted on alignment targets? thanks!

besembeson (posted 2016-04-05 11:30:55.0)

Response from Bweh at Thorlabs USA: Thanks for your feedback. We will look into expanding these alignment disks to include the VRC1 as you suggested.

berkdiler (posted 2016-03-23 16:31:40.833)

I work with a wide range of IR wavelengths. I see online that there are materials to view IR without recharging. I do have your florescent viewers however since they bleach extremely fast the SM1 mounted ones are useless (since they are stationary). I see that the material VR4 only works for a short range of wavelengths however there seems to be a similar material http://www.zap-it.com/products/view-it-ir-laser-spot-targets on this website that works with a much broader wavelength. Another material I found online is http://www.sintecoptronics.com/irdetector.asp, which is a doubling ceramic. Overall I would appreciate a lot a broadband NIR card (800-1700) without bleaching and the material to make one appears to exist.

besembeson (posted 2016-03-24 01:54:42.0)

Response from Bweh at Thorlabs USA: Thanks very much for your very valuable feedback. We are going to review our viewing card offerings.

ryanh (posted 2016-02-22 04:21:17.59)

Is the VRC6 detector card suitable for beam alignment of a 200W CO2 laser with a power density of approximately 200W/CM2 or will it damage the card? The laser will only be firing 1 pulse with an on time of around 50uS. Thanks.

besembeson (posted 2016-03-03 02:05:37.0)

Response from Bweh at Thorlabs USA: That laser power is significantly much higher than what we have tested the card with. These are generally not recommended for high power applications. I will contact you regarding testing this.

drakem (posted 2016-02-17 15:40:48.323)

It would be very helpful if the card's destructive threshold laser intensity were included. I burnt a hole in it the first time I used it.

besembeson (posted 2016-03-03 01:31:27.0)

Response from Bweh at Thorlabs USA. Thanks for your feedback. These are generally not recommended for high power applications. We will look into adding some notes on our website for recommended high power levels. I will contact you regarding your damaged card.

yehonatan.gilead (posted 2015-05-21 13:07:12.287)

Hello, I can't seem to find the dimensions of the painted reticles. perhaps you could post the diameters of the small and large circles, as well as the length of the lines?

jlow (posted 2015-05-21 11:36:15.0)

Response from Jeremy at Thorlabs: The line width is around 0.004". The inner circle is about Ø0.063" and the outer circle is about Ø0.288". The length of the cross is about 0.512" (same for both vertical and horizontal lines)

maxl (posted 2014-12-18 16:31:41.427)

Can you offer IR Card Damage Threshold spec Thanks for your help! Looking forward to hearing from you soon!

besembeson (posted 2014-12-18 04:25:58.0)

Response from Bweh at Thorlabs: We don't have damage threshold specification yet for these. I will contact you by email to determine if this can still be suitable for you.

user (posted 2014-07-22 17:21:31.48)

Can I cut one of these cards into a small piece that would fit my sample holder, or would that destroy it?

Eddie.wu (posted 2014-07-14 16:38:22.857)

Dear Sir: our customer reply that this CRC6 card have something wrong, it can't recover the original state anymore. Do you have any energy limitation to this card? (they use 30W CW CO2 laser, setting to 17W, and the original beam size is 2.5mm, and the space between laser and alignment card is 2 meter) please contact us as soon, thanks.

jlow (posted 2014-08-01 02:55:07.0)

Response from Jeremy at Thorlabs: The detector area is only green between around 25 to 30°C and it's brown or black otherwise. So please make sure that the temperature of your lab is around the right temperature range to get back to the green color. We do not have a damage threshold information on this for the moment but we will update the website with the damage threshold once we have the test data.

egregorio (posted 2014-03-24 20:45:29.01)

I have read in previous comments that the VRC4 has a minimum detectable power density for a pulsed laser of 250 kW/cm^2 peak @ 1064nm, 7ns, 10Hz. I have a pulsed laser at 1535 nm with 210 kW/cm^2 peak @ 1535 nm, 7 ns, 1 Hz, So, I am not sure if the VRC4 is sensitive enough. Do you know the sensitivity of this card for a pulsed laser at 1535 nm?

jlow (posted 2014-03-26 11:36:56.0)

Response from Jeremy at Thorlabs: The absorption at 1535nm would be lower than that at 1064nm (see spectral sensitivity graph on the webpage) so the minimum detectable power would be higher. Therefore, the VRC4 would probably not work for you. The VRC2 would probably work better for you. The min. stimulation is around 2kW/cm^2 peak power @ 1064nm. Adjusting it to 1535nm would be around 10kW/cm^2 or so.

kedves (posted 2013-12-11 18:40:08.92)

Dear Thorlabs, Can your NIR Detector Card VRC4 be used with Ti:Sapphire laser beams? The absorption band seems to be appropriate, but how about the peak/average power density thresholds in the femtosecond pulse range? Are there any data or experiences? Secondly, I suppose that the surface of the photosensitive region is non-reflecting, is it correct? Thanks.

tcohen (posted 2014-01-09 04:27:57.0)

Response from Tim at Thorlabs: Thanks for your inquiry. The VRC4 has the appropriate absorption bands, but currently our data is only for CW and Pulsed: CW: Min <2uW/cm^2 at 808nm in dark. Min Pulsed: 250 kW/cm^2 peak @ 1064nm, 7ns, 10Hz, low ambient light. Max Pulsed: 35 MW/cm^2 peak @ 1064nm, 7ns, single pulse. Unfortunately this may not scale well to the fs regime. There is not a laminate over this coating but there will be some diffuse reflection. I’ve contacted you to organize some testing.

lunaysol77 (posted 2013-11-28 13:33:51.477)

Hello, I have a pulsed QCL in the range 6.71 to 8.73 microns with a maximum power of 300 mW, pulse width maximum of 500 ns, a pulse repetition rate of 100 KHz and a spot size of 2.5 mm. The VRC6-card serves to this laser?. Do you have any other recomendation to detect this laser? Thanks!!

jlow (posted 2013-12-02 02:44:05.0)

Response from Jeremy at Thorlabs: The VRC6 can be used to view the output from your QCL.

jlow (posted 2014-08-01 11:09:06.0)

Response from Jeremy at Thorlabs: These can be cut into smaller pieces.

Erik.Schmidt (posted 2013-11-13 17:53:53.273)

Hello, is the flourescent material on the VCR4-Card also available as a foil or as a paintable coating? Thx for reply!

cdaly (posted 2013-11-14 04:01:26.0)

Response from Chris at Thorlabs: Thank you for your inquiry, but unfortunately, we are not able to offer the viewing materials in this format.

hambitza (posted 2013-05-13 11:27:33.783)

My laser runs at 1080 nm. Does the flourescence of the VRC4D1 for 870 nm - 1070 nm "cut off" at 1070 nm or will it show some signal also 10 nm away at 1080 nm?

jlow (posted 2013-05-15 11:13:00.0)

Response from Jeremy at Thorlabs: The absorption does cut off at 1070nm. For 1080nm, I would recommend using the VRC2D1 instead.

doug.newman (posted 2013-05-08 12:26:07.12)

Product is currently in use. May order more. Question: are there any power-density threshold studies that have been done to note the maximum power/heat the cards may withstand before being damaged? Obviously this question has been asked before; just wondering if there are any updates? Thank you. doug

jlow (posted 2013-05-14 09:27:00.0)

Response from Jeremy at Thorlabs: We do not have the damage threshold spec at the moment. We are testing the damage threshold and we will update the webpage with the damage threshold spec once we are finished with the testing.

bowen (posted 2013-02-28 11:07:27.38)

Which card should I use for a 660-680nm source (your diode SLD1332V)? Thanks!

cdaly (posted 2013-03-06 09:21:00.0)

Response from Chris at Thorlabs: Thank you for using our web feedback. There's no card we recommend for this particular wavelength range. 660-680 nm is red light, which should be visible without the use of one of these. These are typically designed for use with UV or IR wavelengths. A few of these do have span wavelength in the visible, but these are always in addition to other non-visible ranges.

jlow (posted 2012-10-22 16:33:00.0)

Response from Jeremy at Thorlabs: The guideline value for the damage threshold for VRC2 is 60MW/cm^2 (peak power, for Nd:YAG laser @ 1064nm - single 7ns pulse). Unfortunately we do not have a damage threshold spec for CW.

mlpgil (posted 2012-10-19 15:54:48.483)

We need to use the VRC2 card, with a laser beam with 1064nm, and 30W of maximum power. We need to know what is the maximum power and energy density that could whitstands the VRC2 card. Thank you,

tcohen (posted 2012-03-29 11:12:00.0)

Response from Tim at Thorlabs to Raffi: Thank you for your feedback! The VRC4 has a sharp cut on working range at 795nm whereas the VRC2 and VRC5 have some low absorption which is nonzero at 795nm. Therefore, at this wavelength it is difficult to see performance differences between the three. To clarify, we will update our website presentation to include graphs for future users to compare. If you have found that your VRC2/5 are working better for you and you have no need for the VRC4, we will fully refund your purchase.

raphael.cohen3 (posted 2012-03-29 07:36:09.0)

we use a 795nmn laser so we bought a VRC4, according to your graphs but it is not as effective as VRC2 & 5 that we have can you explain this? Thanks Raffi

bdada (posted 2011-10-18 14:19:00.0)

Response from Buki at Thorlabs: Thank you for using our feedback tool. We will consider making the mounted version of the VRC4 available on our website. In the meantime, you could purchase the VRC4D1 alignment disk, which has the same wavelength band as the VRC4, and place it in a 1” mount like the LMR1 or a lens tube like the SM1L03. Please contact TechSupport@thorlabs.com if you have further questions.

cbrideau (posted 2011-10-13 23:01:15.0)

Could I get something like the VRC2SM1 threaded alignment disk, but using the VRC4 detector material instead? I find the VRC4 much easier to work with since it doesn't require room light charging.

jjurado (posted 2011-03-23 13:54:00.0)

Response from Javier at Thorlabs to dmitry_skvortsov: Thank you very much for contacting us with your request. For light detection at 1550 nm, we recommend using the VRC2 or VRC4 cards. I deem that the VRC4 would be the optimal solution for use at 1550 nm, since its absorption band is more pronounced than that of the VRC2. Also, the VRC4 requires no room light charging and the minimum incident power required is 100uw/cm^2 (@1550nm). We currently do not have the specification for the minimum power required for the VRC2. I will look into this and get back to you.

dmitry_skvortsov (posted 2011-03-17 18:42:44.0)

Which card has the highest sensitivity for 1550nm? What is the minimum cw laser power density needed to view the spot?

Thorlabs (posted 2010-10-19 15:35:45.0)

Response from Javier at Thorlabs to tkendall: The 830 nm output of your laser diode is close to one of the upper boundaries of the absorption bands of the VRC4, so the card is not very sensitive at this wavelength. We tested our IR viewing cards with an 830 nm laser diode, an the VRC4 actually requires a ~3.5 mW inout in order for one to be able to view the beam. On the other hand, the VRC2 and VRC4 clearly display the 830 nm beam at arounf 0.8 mW and 0.3 mW, respectively. So, I would recommend using the VRC5 card, although it is worth noting that this card needs to be constantly charged by room light. I will contact you directly in case you have additional questions.

tkendall (posted 2010-10-18 20:11:52.0)

Just purchased a VRC4 detector card. It does not display the IR radiation. The application is viewing the output of a 0.5mW output 830nm IR laser. Apparently this low output cant be detected. Is there something wrong or was the wrong detector card purchased?

apalmentieri (posted 2010-03-01 15:22:10.0)

A response from Adam at Thorlabs to fschewe: The text on the physical VRC2 card shown on our website is incorrect. The range is 400-640nm and we will correct this picture right away. If you recieved a card with the incorrect text, we can send a replacement card out to you.

fschewe (posted 2010-02-26 15:01:24.0)

On the VRC2 is written 400-540 nm but it is officially specified for 400-640 nm. What is right?

klee (posted 2009-11-20 16:10:50.0)

A response from Ken at thorlabs to traub: Unfortunately, we do not carry any viewing card for the Mid-IR range. I was unable to source this from other companies neither.

traub (posted 2009-11-18 15:26:53.0)

Hello, I search for a sensor card that works in the mid infrared (2-5 um). I did not find such a card in your product catalog and/or website. Can you help me finding such MIR sensor cards? Thanks in advance, Tobias

Laurie (posted 2009-04-21 16:55:14.0)

Response from Laurie at Thorlabs to smarka: Thank you for your interest in our products. We can provide the VRC4 with the requested dimensions. To provide a quote, we will need some additional information. Someone from our technical support staff will contact you directly.

smarka (posted 2009-04-20 11:43:10.0)

I would like to know whether it would be possible to have VDIR (or VRC4) coated material available in larger sheets. 4"x4" or 10"x10" would be extremely useful. Thank you!

Tyler (posted 2008-11-03 16:58:13.0)

A response from Tyler at Thorlabs to aren100won: I will contact you via email in case you had trouble with our feedback form.

Tyler (posted 2008-11-03 16:56:42.0)

A response from Tyler at Thorlabs to Antonio_Oliver: I will forward this question to our technical support department who will then contact you. Thank you for considering us for this request. We always appreciate hearing about what the research community needs and Thorlabs is dedicated to fulfilling those needs whenever possible.

aren100won (posted 2008-11-03 02:44:02.0)

sdfsdf

Antonio_Oliver (posted 2008-10-22 08:39:52.0)

I would like to be able to purchase a large 30cm by 30cm detection "sheet." For our application, we often have to locate and align an array of multiple beams at once. Is it possible to get a custom product like what I have described above? Antonio

TechnicalMarketing (posted 2007-11-19 11:24:16.0)

Dear acable, Thank you for your excellent suggestions. The active area of the VC-1550, VC-VIS/IR, and VC-UV viewing cards has been extended to the edge of the card and the back of the card behind the active region no longer has black ink on it so that in certain conditions the spot can be seen through the card. Your request for adding the absorption curves to the back of the card has been forwarded to a design engineer and will hopefully be implemented in the future.

acable (posted 2007-11-10 14:20:23.0)

It would be good to extend the active area right to the end of the card. Also the back side of the card should be white, with the room lights out i can typically see a spot thru the card after i scrap off the black ink. It would also be good to have separate price boxes for each of the cards, with a photo of the card and the corresponding response curve. Not sure if the response curve is printed on the back of the VC-series cards but if not i would suggest adding it.

Alignment Disk and Laser Viewing Card Selection Guide
(Click Representative Drawing for Details; Not to Scale)
Wavelengths	Ø1/2” Unmounted Disk	Ø1” Unmounted Disk^a	Threaded Disk	Cage-Plate-Mounted Disk	Viewing Cards
250 - 540 nm	-	-	VRC1SM1 (SM1 Threading)	-	VRC1
400 - 640 nm 800 - 1700 nm	VRC2D05	VRC2D1	VRC2RMS (RMS Threading)	-	VRC2
400 - 640 nm 800 - 1700 nm	VRC2D05	VRC2D1	VRC2SM1 (SM1 Threading)	-	VRC2
700 - 1400 nm	-	-	-	-	VRC5
790 - 840 nm, 870 - 1070 nm, 1500 to 1590 nm	VRC4D05	VRC4D1	VRC4SM1 (SM1 Threading)	VRC4CPT	VRC4
1500 - >13 200 nm	-	-	VRC6SM1 (SM1 Threading)	VRC6SCPT	VRC6S

We also offer Ø1" unmounted fluorescent alignment disks.

UV/VIS Detector Card: 250 to 540 nm

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VRC1 Specifications
Spectral
Absorption Wavelength Range	250 - 540 nm
Emission Wavelength Range	450 - 750 nm
Emission Center Wavelength	580 nm
Sensitivity Graph
Dimensional
Active Region	2.10" x 1.20" (53.3 mm x 30.5 mm)
Overall	2.10" x 3.40" (53.3 mm x 86.4 mm)
Complete
Visible Emission Performance
Charging Required for Emission	No
Minimum Pulsed Stimulation for Emission^a	<8 W/cm² at 337 nm, 4 ns Pulses, 20 Hz <40 W/cm² at 337 nm, 4 ns Pulses, 1 Hz
Minimum CW Stimulation for Emission^a	<1 nW/cm² at 450 nm <1 nW/cm² at 365 nm
Persistence of Emission^b	6 s to 4 min
Minimum Stimulation to Quench Emission^a	2 MW/cm² at 1064 nm, Ten 7 ns Pulses
Damage Threshold, Single 7 ns Pulse
1064 nm	60 MW/cm²
337 nm	130 MW/cm²

Darkened Conditions
With stimulus removed. Persistence length depends on ambient light conditions.

Does Not Require Charging
Two Engraved Reticles for Use in Beam Collimation
Absorption Wavelength Range Printed on Card
Overall Dimensions (W x H): 2.10" x 3.40"

The VRC1 is a credit-card-sized detector card for viewing light in the 250 to 540 nm wavelength range. The lower front surface of this durable plastic card is photosensitive and enables the easy location of ultra-violet (UV) and visible (through 540 nm) light beams and focal points. As it is not necessary to charge the active region of the card before use, either CW or pulsed incident light will generate emission, even when the card is used in a darkened room.

To facilitate the use of the card during alignment procedures, the detection region extends all the way to the edge of the card and includes two engraved reticles for use in laser beam collimation. These reticles, formed from lines that are about 0.004" wide, feature two concentric circles that have diameters of approximately 0.063" and 0.288" with horizontal and vertical lines that are approximately 0.512" long. When the card is used in a darkened room with a sufficiently bright source, the fluorescence from the activated photosensitive region can be seen through the back of the card. The photosensitive region can also be activated by illuminating the back of the card, which is useful when aligning two beams to overlap.

VIS/NIR Detector Card: 400 to 640 nm and 800 to 1700 nm

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VRC2 Specifications
Spectral
Absorption Wavelength Ranges	400 - 640 nm 800 - 1700 nm
Emission Wavelength Range	~580 to 750 nm
Sensitivity Graph
Dimensional
Active Region	2.10" x 1.20" (53.3 mm x 30.5 mm)
Overall	2.10" x 3.40" (53.3 mm x 86.4 mm)
Complete
Visible Emission Performance
Charging Required for Emission	Yes
Minimum Pulsed Stimulation for Emision^a	250 kW/cm² at 1064 nm, 7 ns Pulses, 10 Hz
Minimum CW Stimulation for Emission^a	<2 µW/cm² at 808 nm <175 nW/cm²at 960 nm <100 µW/cm² at 1550 nm
Damage Threshold, Single 7 ns Pulse
1064 nm	35 MW/cm²

Darkened Conditions

Requires Charging by Visible Light
Two Engraved Reticles for Use in Beam Collimation
Absorption Wavelength Ranges Printed on Card
Overall Dimensions (W x H): 2.10" x 3.40"

The VRC2 is a credit-card-sized detector card for viewing light in the 400 to 640 nm or the 800 to 1700 nm wavelength range. The lower front surface of this durable plastic card is photosensitive and enables the easy location of visible or near-infrared (NIR) light beams and focal points. Before using the card, it is necessary to charge the active region with visible light. As a consequence of the card needing to be charged to generate emission, during operation the user must move the position of the incident light spot around the active region to maintain the intensity of the excited emission.

NIR Detector Card: 700 to 1400 nm

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VRC5 Specifications
Spectral
Absorption Wavelength Range	700 - 1400 nm
Emission Wavelength Range	Visible
Sensitivity Graph
Dimensional
Active Region	1.50" x 0.75" (38.1 mm x 19.1 mm)
Overall	1.75" x 2.50" (44.5 mm x 63.5 mm)
Complete
Visible Emission Performance
Charging Required for Emission	Yes

Requires Charging by Visible Light
Sensitivity Curve Printed on Card
Overall Dimensions (W x H): 1.75" x 2.50"

The VRC5 laser viewing card is designed for operation in the 700 to 1400 nm wavelength range. The photosensitive area at the top of the card measures 1.50" x 0.75" and is laminated between sheets of durable clear plastic. Before the card is used, the active region must be charged with visible light. As a consequence of the card needing to be charged to generate emission, during operation the user must move the position of the incident light spot around the active region to maintain the intensity of the excited emission.

NIR Detector Card: 790 to 840 nm, 870 to 1070 nm, and 1500 to 1590 nm

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VRC4 Specifications
Spectral
Absorption Wavelength Ranges	790 - 840 nm 870 - 1070 nm 1500 - 1590 nm
Emission Wavelength Range	~520 - 580 nm
Sensitivity Graph
Dimensional
Active Region	2.10" x 1.20" (53.3 mm x 30.5 mm)
Overall	2.10" x 3.40" (53.3 mm x 86.4 mm)
Complete
Visible Emission Performance
Charging Required for Emission	No
Visible Emission, Minimum Stimulation(Pulsed)^a	250 kW/cm² at 1064 nm, 7 ns Pulses, 10 Hz
Visible Emission, Minimum Stimulation (CW)^a	<2 µW/cm² at 808 nm <175 nW/cm²at 960 nm <100 µW/cm² at 1550 nm
Damage Threshold, Single 7 ns Pulse
1064 nm	35 MW/cm²

Darkened Conditions

Does Not Require Charging by Visible Light
Two Engraved Reticles for Use in Beam Collimation
Absorption Wavelength Ranges Printed on Card
Overall Dimensions (W x H): 2.10" x 3.40"

The VRC4 is a credit-card-sized detector card for viewing light in the 790 to 840 nm, 870 to 1070 nm, and 1500 to 1590 nm wavelength ranges. The lower front surface of this durable plastic card is photosensitive and enables the easy location of near-infrared (NIR) light beams and focal points. As it is not necessary to charge the active region of the card before use, either CW or pulsed incident light will generate emission, even when the card is used in a darkened room.

MIR Detector Card: 1.5 to >13.2 µm

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Left: The VRC6S active area changes color above 23 °C.
Right: The rear of the card is inactive and offers usage tips.

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Ø8.0 mm Spot at 10 mW/mm²

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Ø4.0 mm Spot at 2.0 mW/mm²

These photos demonstrate the spot size of a 1550 nm laser with a Ø3.3 mm beam at two different power densities.

Liquid Crystal Film Changes Color When Exposed to MIR Light
Active Area: 2.13" x 1.81"
Minimum Detectable Power Density: 0.05 mW/mm² @ 1550 nm (22 °C)
Recovery Time: <10 Seconds
Ambient Operating Temperature: 20 to 24 °C
Ambient Temperature for Peak Sensitivity and Visibility: 22 °C
Overall Dimensions (W x H): 2.13" x 3.37"

The VRC6S MIR laser viewing card is designed to react to wavelengths from 1.5 µm to at least 13.2 µm. The detector area is a thin layer of thermochromic liquid crystals (TLC), which are temperature-sensitive organic chemicals with twisted helical molecular structures, protected by a mylar film. MIR light changes the temperature of the detector area, resulting in a color change. The detection region extends all the way to the edge of the card in order to facilitate the use of the card during alignment procedures, and each card features two engraved reticles for use in laser beam collimation.

Our VRC6S MIR card features enhanced sensitivity over competitor's offerings due to the TLC material used as well as the lack of backing on the detector area. The card begins to show color changes when the TLC material reaches a temperature of approximately 23 °C, compared to the 25 °C reaction temperature for competitors. Additionally, the lack of backing material lowers the heat capacity, making the card more responsive.

The recommended ambient temperature range for this card is 20 to 24 °C, with peak sensitivity and responsivity at an ambient temperature of 22 °C. The detector area is black below approximately 23 °C and turns blue/violet around 28 °C whether heated by laser exposure or increased ambient temperature. The responsivity will be reduced when used at an ambient temperature below 20 °C since the material will require more time for the area exposed to the laser to reach a temperature above 23 °C, while the card will exhibit lower sensitivity above 24 °C since the color contrast between the laser-exposed region and the rest of the card will be reduced.

To restore the card after beam exposure, rest the card flat on a table top (i.e. an optical table with stainless steel surface) for a few minutes. The card may take longer to recover after exposure to higher laser energy, and sometimes the color change may look permanent at room temperature. If this occurs, place the card in a refrigerator at 0 to 4 °C for a few minutes to accelerate the recovery.

Please Note: The spot size on the card will vary depending on the beam power, as shown in the photos to the right.

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Laser Viewing Cards

Features

Laser Safety and Classification

Safe Practices and Light Safety Accessories

Laser Classification

UV/VIS Detector Card: 250 to 540 nm

VIS/NIR Detector Card: 400 to 640 nm and 800 to 1700 nm

NIR Detector Card: 700 to 1400 nm

NIR Detector Card: 790 to 840 nm, 870 to 1070 nm, and 1500 to 1590 nm

MIR Detector Card: 1.5 to >13.2 µm