Wall-plug efficiency

In optics, wall-plug efficiency or radiant efficiency is the energy conversion efficiency with which the system converts electrical power into optical power. It is defined as the ratio of the radiant flux (i.e., the total optical output power) to the input electrical power.[1]

In laser systems, this efficiency includes losses in the power supply and also the power required for a cooling system, not just the laser itself.[2]

See also

References
  1. N. P. Barnes, “Solid-state lasers from an efficiency perspective”, IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 13 (3), 435 (2007)
  2. Experimental measurement of the wall-plug efficiency in THz quantum cascade lasers

SI radiometry units
Quantity Unit Dimension Notes
Name Symbol[nb 1] Name Symbol Symbol
Radiant energy Qe[nb 2] joule J M⋅L2⋅T −2 Energy of electromagnetic radiation.
Radiant energy density we joule per cubic metre J/m3 M⋅L−1⋅T −2 Radiant energy per unit volume.
Radiant flux Φe[nb 2] watt W = J/s M⋅L2⋅T −3 Radiant energy emitted, reflected, transmitted or received, per unit time. This is sometimes also called "radiant power", and called luminosity in Astronomy.
Spectral flux Φe,ν[nb 3] watt per hertz W/Hz M⋅L2⋅T −2 Radiant flux per unit frequency or wavelength. The latter is commonly measured in W⋅nm−1.
Φe,λ[nb 4] watt per metre W/m M⋅L⋅T −3
Radiant intensity Ie,Ω[nb 5] watt per steradian W/sr M⋅L2⋅T −3 Radiant flux emitted, reflected, transmitted or received, per unit solid angle. This is a directional quantity.
Spectral intensity Ie,Ω,ν[nb 3] watt per steradian per hertz W⋅sr−1⋅Hz−1 M⋅L2⋅T −2 Radiant intensity per unit frequency or wavelength. The latter is commonly measured in W⋅sr−1⋅nm−1. This is a directional quantity.
Ie,Ω,λ[nb 4] watt per steradian per metre W⋅sr−1⋅m−1 M⋅L⋅T −3
Radiance Le,Ω[nb 5] watt per steradian per square metre W⋅sr−1⋅m−2 M⋅T −3 Radiant flux emitted, reflected, transmitted or received by a surface, per unit solid angle per unit projected area. This is a directional quantity. This is sometimes also confusingly called "intensity".
Spectral radiance
Specific intensity		 Le,Ω,ν[nb 3] watt per steradian per square metre per hertz W⋅sr−1⋅m−2⋅Hz−1 M⋅T −2 Radiance of a surface per unit frequency or wavelength. The latter is commonly measured in W⋅sr−1⋅m−2⋅nm−1. This is a directional quantity. This is sometimes also confusingly called "spectral intensity".
Le,Ω,λ[nb 4] watt per steradian per square metre, per metre W⋅sr−1⋅m−3 M⋅L−1⋅T −3
Irradiance
Flux density		 Ee[nb 2] watt per square metre W/m2 M⋅T −3 Radiant flux received by a surface per unit area. This is sometimes also confusingly called "intensity".
Spectral irradiance
Spectral flux density		 Ee,ν[nb 3] watt per square metre per hertz W⋅m−2⋅Hz−1 M⋅T −2 Irradiance of a surface per unit frequency or wavelength. This is sometimes also confusingly called "spectral intensity". Non-SI units of spectral flux density include jansky (1 Jy = 10−26 W⋅m−2⋅Hz−1) and solar flux unit (1 sfu = 10−22 W⋅m−2⋅Hz−1 = 104 Jy).
Ee,λ[nb 4] watt per square metre, per metre W/m3 M⋅L−1⋅T −3
Radiosity Je[nb 2] watt per square metre W/m2 M⋅T −3 Radiant flux leaving (emitted, reflected and transmitted by) a surface per unit area. This is sometimes also confusingly called "intensity".
Spectral radiosity Je,ν[nb 3] watt per square metre per hertz W⋅m−2⋅Hz−1 M⋅T −2 Radiosity of a surface per unit frequency or wavelength. The latter is commonly measured in W⋅m−2⋅nm−1. This is sometimes also confusingly called "spectral intensity".
Je,λ[nb 4] watt per square metre, per metre W/m3 M⋅L−1⋅T −3
Radiant exitance Me[nb 2] watt per square metre W/m2 M⋅T −3 Radiant flux emitted by a surface per unit area. This is the emitted component of radiosity. "Radiant emittance" is an old term for this quantity. This is sometimes also confusingly called "intensity".
Spectral exitance Me,ν[nb 3] watt per square metre per hertz W⋅m−2⋅Hz−1 M⋅T −2 Radiant exitance of a surface per unit frequency or wavelength. The latter is commonly measured in W⋅m−2⋅nm−1. "Spectral emittance" is an old term for this quantity. This is sometimes also confusingly called "spectral intensity".
Me,λ[nb 4] watt per square metre, per metre W/m3 M⋅L−1⋅T −3
Radiant exposure He joule per square metre J/m2 M⋅T −2 Radiant energy received by a surface per unit area, or equivalently irradiance of a surface integrated over time of irradiation. This is sometimes also called "radiant fluence".
Spectral exposure He,ν[nb 3] joule per square metre per hertz J⋅m−2⋅Hz−1 M⋅T −1 Radiant exposure of a surface per unit frequency or wavelength. The latter is commonly measured in J⋅m−2⋅nm−1. This is sometimes also called "spectral fluence".
He,λ[nb 4] joule per square metre, per metre J/m3 M⋅L−1⋅T −2
  1. Standards organizations recommend that radiometric quantities should be denoted with suffix "e" (for "energetic") to avoid confusion with photometric or photon quantities.
  2. Alternative symbols sometimes seen: W or E for radiant energy, P or F for radiant flux, I for irradiance, W for radiant exitance.
  3. Spectral quantities given per unit frequency are denoted with suffix "ν" (Greek letter nu, not to be confused with a letter "v", indicating a photometric quantity.)
  4. Spectral quantities given per unit wavelength are denoted with suffix "λ".
  5. Directional quantities are denoted with suffix "Ω".


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