Laser Heat Transfer Calculator

Thermal Resistance · Heat Dissipation · Junction Temperature

g/cm³
J/g·K
(Properties auto-filled. Clear fields to enter manually.)
%
mm
Temp. Increase (ΔT)
--- °C
Final Temperature
--- Starting @ 20 °C

How the Laser Heat Transfer Calculator Works

Laser heat transfer calculator estimates instantaneous temperature rise using the principles of Adiabatic Calorimetry. It calculates the upper-limit thermal load by assuming that all absorbed laser energy is trapped entirely within the illuminated volume of the target material, prior to thermal conduction pulling the heat away.

ΔT =
Eabsorbed m · cp
Adiabatic Temperature Rise Equation
Diagram illustrating laser heat transfer, absorption, and thermal conduction in a material
Figure 1: The instantaneous temperature rise ($\Delta$T) is directly proportional to the absorbed laser energy, and inversely proportional to the mass and specific heat of the heated volume.

Understanding the Variables:

  • Eabsorbed Absorbed Energy (J): The total laser energy ($P \times t \times \eta$) that successfully enters the material, minus reflected light.
  • m Heated Mass (g): The mass of the material directly exposed to the beam, calculated as $\text{Density} (\rho) \times \text{Volume}$.
  • cp Specific Heat (J/g·°C): The amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of the material by 1 degree Celsius.
  • η Absorptivity: The fraction of incident laser light that is absorbed by the material rather than reflected (e.g., 0.1 for 10% absorption).
Engineering Note: Real-World Conduction Because this calculator uses adiabatic assumptions, it provides the "Upper Limit" or worst-case temperature spike. In real-world laser processing (like welding or cutting), thermal conduction into the surrounding bulk material begins cooling the spot immediately. For continuous-wave (CW) lasers with long dwell times, actual temperatures will be lower than this adiabatic estimate.

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