Laser power and energy sensor utilizing anisotropic thermoelectric material

A laser-radiation sensor (30) includes a copper substrate (32) on which is grown an oriented polycrystalline buffer layer (34) surmounted by an oriented polycrystalline sensor-element of an anisotropic transverse thermoelectric material (36). An absorber layer (42), thermally connected to the sensor-element, is heated by laser- radiation to be measured and communicates the heat to the sensor-element, causing a thermal gradient across the sensor-element. Spaced-apart electrodes (38, 40) in electrical contact with the sensor-element sense a voltage corresponding to the thermal gradient as a measure of the incident laser-radiation power.