# Thorlabs Optical Power Meter (pypi · labmcp-thorlabs-pm)

MCP server for Thorlabs optical power meters (PM100 family, PM400, PM101, PM5020) over SCPI.

- Trust score: 84/100 (high trust)
- Registry status: active
- Liveness: live
- Owner verified: no
- Last scored: 2026-09-30

## Components

- pypi · `labmcp-thorlabs-pm`: 84/100 (this document), [markdown](https://verifymcp.io/servers/k-dense-ai-labmcp-thorlabs-pm/labmcp-thorlabs-pm.md), [page](https://verifymcp.io/servers/k-dense-ai-labmcp-thorlabs-pm/labmcp-thorlabs-pm)

## Channel facts

- Registry: `pypi`
- Package: `labmcp-thorlabs-pm`
- Version: `0.1.2`
- Transport: `stdio`

## Trust breakdown

How this component scores in each security and reliability category. Every signal is checked automatically from public evidence about the published package, including repeated runs of it in an isolated sandbox, and we only credit what we can confirm. Scores are 0–100 per category. Scoring method: https://verifymcp.io/docs/scoring (what has changed: https://verifymcp.io/docs/scoring/changelog)

Scored 2026-09-30.

- **Supply Chain Security**: 99/100
  - No malware found by supply-chain analysis.
  - No known CVEs affecting this package version or its production dependencies.
  - Runs hatchling.build at install time, a recognised build step with no custom scripting around it.
  - 2 of 17 dependencies flagged as unhealthy.
- **Provenance & Transparency**: 100/100
  - Source repository is publicly reachable at the declared URL.
  - Cryptographically verified build provenance (signed, bound to K-Dense-AI/lab-instrument-mcps).
  - Clear OSI-approved license (Apache-2.0).
  - Actively maintained (last published 3 days ago).
  - Publishes a security disclosure policy (SECURITY.md).
- **Schema Quality & AI Usability**: 79/100
  - AI-judged instruction clarity (excellent).
  - Tool/resource definitions use about 1055 tokens (~95/item across 11 items; 11 tools + 0 resources), lean.
  - Usage-examples check failed: none of the tools include examples.
- **Stability & Change Management**: 13/100
  - Stability observed for 4 of 30 days with no destabilising changes; credit accrues until the full window elapses.
- **Tool Coverage**: 97/100
  - 100% of tools have a non-trivial description (not blank, and not just the tool's name).
  - 89% of tool parameters carry a description.
  - Structured output schemas are declared (100% of tools); any adoption earns full credit.
- **Tool Safety**: 100/100
  - No prompt-injection markers were found in the server instructions, tool names or descriptions we captured.
  - We read all 11 captured tool definition(s), and no name or description among them implies an irreversible operation.
  - An AI judge read all 12 captured unit(s) of tool text and found none that tries to manipulate the model reading it.
- **Capabilities**: 100/100
  - Implements a current MCP spec version (2026-07-28).

## Install

### How do I install the Thorlabs Optical Power Meter MCP server?

Thorlabs Optical Power Meter runs locally as a PyPI package, launched with uvx labmcp-thorlabs-pm. Ready-made configuration for Claude, Cursor, VS Code, Codex and 5 more is on this page, copied from each client's own documentation.

### Claude

```bash
claude mcp add k-dense-ai-labmcp-thorlabs-pm -- uvx labmcp-thorlabs-pm
```

### Cursor

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "k-dense-ai-labmcp-thorlabs-pm": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "labmcp-thorlabs-pm"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

### VS Code

```json
{
  "servers": {
    "k-dense-ai-labmcp-thorlabs-pm": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "labmcp-thorlabs-pm"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

### Codex

```bash
codex mcp add k-dense-ai-labmcp-thorlabs-pm -- uvx labmcp-thorlabs-pm
```

### opencode

```json
{
  "$schema": "https://opencode.ai/config.json",
  "mcp": {
    "k-dense-ai-labmcp-thorlabs-pm": {
      "type": "local",
      "command": [
        "uvx",
        "labmcp-thorlabs-pm"
      ],
      "enabled": true
    }
  }
}
```

### OpenClaw

```bash
openclaw mcp add k-dense-ai-labmcp-thorlabs-pm --command uvx --arg labmcp-thorlabs-pm
```

### Hermes

```yaml
mcp_servers:
  k-dense-ai-labmcp-thorlabs-pm:
    command: "uvx"
    args: ["labmcp-thorlabs-pm"]
```

### Netclaw

```json
{
  "McpServers": {
    "k-dense-ai-labmcp-thorlabs-pm": {
      "Transport": "stdio",
      "Command": "uvx",
      "Arguments": [
        "labmcp-thorlabs-pm"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

### Vellum

```bash
assistant mcp add k-dense-ai-labmcp-thorlabs-pm -t stdio -c uvx -a labmcp-thorlabs-pm
```

### Other

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "k-dense-ai-labmcp-thorlabs-pm": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "labmcp-thorlabs-pm"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

## Changelog

Every change recorded for this component, newest first. Days that predate change tracking, or that we cannot explain, say so: "we were watching and nothing happened" and "we were not watching" are different claims.

### 2026-09-30 (score 84, +1)

No change was recorded against any check on this day. Stability & Change Management went from 10 to 13. That category is still filling its 30-day observation window: 3 days of observed history at the previous scan, 4 at this one. The score rises as the window fills, whether or not the server changes.

### 2026-09-29 (score 83, +11)

- [security improvement] Provenance: unverified → pass
- [security] The attested source repository moved: K-Dense-AI/lab-instrument-mcps

### 2026-09-28 (score 72, +33)

- [functional] We updated how we score, so this day's move reflects our rubric, not a change to the server

### 2026-09-27 (score 39, −32)

- [security regression] Tool safety: pass → unverified
- [security] Stability: Stability not yet verified: we do not have a sandbox capture of the MCP schema this version of the package serves yet.
- [functional regression] Capabilities: pass → unverified
- [functional regression] Tool coverage: 100 → unverified
- [functional] First check of Schema quality: unverified
- [functional] Package version: 0.1.1 → 0.1.2

### 2026-09-26 (score 71)

First indexed and scored.

## MCP tools (11)

### `get_connection_info` (~40 tokens)

Get Connection Info

Report which instrument is connected (identity, address, simulated or real),
whether the server is read-only, and the active safety limits. Call this first.

### `get_command_log` (~46 tokens)

Get Command Log

Return the most recent raw commands sent to / replies received from the
instrument (newest last). Useful for debugging and for recording what was done.

Input parameters:

- `limit` (integer)

Output parameters:

- `result` (array)

### `reconnect` (~35 tokens)

Reconnect

Close and re-open the connection to the instrument (e.g. after it was power
cycled or a cable was re-plugged).

### `get_device_info` (~45 tokens)

Get Device Info

Identify the meter console and the attached sensor head (model, serial, type, wavelength
range, power ranges), and report the present wavelength, averaging, range and zero value.

Output parameters:

- `auto_range`
- `averaging_count` (integer)
- `firmware` (string)
- `manufacturer` (string)
- `max_range_w`: Least sensitive range (W). Not the sensor damage threshold - check the sensor spec.
- `model` (string)
- `range_w`: Upper limit of the power range in use, W
- `sensor`: None if no sensor head is plugged in
- `serial` (string)
- `timestamp` (string)
- `wavelength_max_nm`
- `wavelength_min_nm`
- `wavelength_nm`
- `zero_value`: Present dark-zero correction (A for photodiodes, V for thermal)

### `read_power` (~41 tokens)

Read Power

Read the optical power once (in W, plus dBm and a formatted string). The reading uses the
configured correction wavelength and averaging; set the wavelength first.

Output parameters:

- `formatted` (string): Power with an SI prefix, e.g. '1.234 mW'
- `power_dbm`: Power in dBm re 1 mW; None if the reading is <= 0
- `power_w` (number)
- `sensor` (string)
- `timestamp` (string)
- `wavelength_nm`: Correction wavelength used for this reading

### `log_power_series` (~136 tokens)

Log Power Series

Log a series of power readings to characterise laser stability, warm-up or drift. Returns
mean, stdev, min/max, RMS and peak-to-peak stability (%) and drift (%/min), plus the readings
(downsampled to `max_points`; use `save_path`, a new .csv file, to keep all of them).

Input parameters:

- `count` (integer): Number of readings
- `interval_s` (number): Seconds between readings (0 = as fast as the meter allows)
- `max_points` (integer): Maximum readings returned in the reply
- `save_path`: Optional CSV path for every reading

Output parameters:

- `completed` (boolean): False if the series stopped early to stay within the tool's time budget
- `count` (integer): Readings actually taken
- `drift_percent_per_min`: Drift relative to the mean, % per minute
- `drift_w_per_min` (number): Least-squares slope of power vs time, W per minute
- `duration_s` (number): Actual elapsed time from first to last reading
- `interval_s` (number)
- `max_w` (number)
- `mean_formatted` (string)
- `mean_w` (number)
- `min_w` (number)
- `peak_to_peak_stability_percent`: (max - min) / mean x 100
- `points_returned` (integer)
- `power_w` (array): Readings in W (downsampled to max_points)
- `rms_stability_percent`: stdev / mean x 100 (None if mean <= 0)
- `saved_to`
- `started` (string)
- `stdev_w` (number)
- `time_s` (array): Reading times relative to the first reading (downsampled to max_points)
- `wavelength_nm`

### `set_wavelength` (~63 tokens)

Set Wavelength

Set the correction wavelength (nm) the meter uses to convert sensor signal to power. Must be
within the sensor's calibrated range (see `get_device_info`); sent as a whole number of nm.

Input parameters:

- `wavelength_nm` (number, required): Source wavelength in nm

### `set_averaging` (~76 tokens)

Set Averaging

Set how many samples the meter averages for each reading. More averaging lowers noise but
slows each reading (PM100 series: ~3 ms per sample; PM400/PM101/PM5020: 1 ms).

Input parameters:

- `count` (integer, required): Samples averaged per reading (PM100: ~3 ms per sample)

### `set_range` (~79 tokens)

Set Range

Select auto-ranging, or a fixed power range that fits `range_w` (the meter picks the most
sensitive range that can hold that power). A fixed range reports over-range if exceeded.

Input parameters:

- `mode` (string): auto-ranging or a fixed range
- `range_w`: For manual mode: the highest power you expect, in W

### `zero_sensor` (~64 tokens)

Zero Sensor

Dark-zero the sensor (removes dark current / thermal offset). BEFORE calling, ask the user
to block the beam and cover the sensor aperture completely, and wait for them to confirm:
zeroing with light on the sensor corrupts all later readings. Takes a few seconds.

### `read_sensor_temperature` (~32 tokens)

Read Sensor Temperature

Read the sensor head temperature in °C (thermal sensors and other heads with a built-in
temperature sensor only).

## Diagnostics

Captured diagnostic sections: Provenance, Install scripts, Dependencies. The full working is on the page: https://verifymcp.io/servers/k-dense-ai-labmcp-thorlabs-pm/labmcp-thorlabs-pm#diagnostics

## Score history

- 2026-09-30: 84
- 2026-09-29: 83
- 2026-09-28: 72
- 2026-09-27: 39
- 2026-09-26: 71

## Common questions

### What is the Thorlabs Optical Power Meter MCP server?

Thorlabs Optical Power Meter is an MCP server listed in the public MCP registry as io.github.K-Dense-AI/labmcp-thorlabs-pm. MCP server for Thorlabs optical power meters (PM100 family, PM400, PM101, PM5020) over SCPI. This page covers its PyPI package (labmcp-thorlabs-pm).

### Is the Thorlabs Optical Power Meter MCP server safe to use?

Thorlabs Optical Power Meter scores 84 out of 100 on VerifyMCP. We found no known CVEs affecting it as of 30 September 2026. Its build provenance is signed and verified. That is a record of what we were able to check automatically, not an endorsement. The category breakdown on this page shows every signal behind the number, including the ones we could not confirm.

### What tools does the Thorlabs Optical Power Meter MCP server expose?

Thorlabs Optical Power Meter exposes 11 tools: get_connection_info, get_command_log, reconnect, get_device_info, read_power, and 6 more. Their descriptions and schemas cost roughly 657 tokens of context every time the server is loaded.

### Is the Thorlabs Optical Power Meter MCP server still maintained?

Thorlabs Optical Power Meter is still listed as active in the MCP registry. We last reached this channel on 30 September 2026. Those dates come from our own scans of the registry and the channel itself, not from anything the publisher announced.

### What licence is the Thorlabs Optical Power Meter MCP server under?

Thorlabs Optical Power Meter declares the Apache-2.0 licence, which is OSI-approved. That covers the source only, and says nothing about the cost of any service it calls.

## Links

- PyPI project: https://pypi.org/project/labmcp-thorlabs-pm/
- Socket report: https://socket.dev/pypi/package/labmcp-thorlabs-pm
- Repository: https://github.com/K-Dense-AI/lab-instrument-mcps
- Website: https://github.com/K-Dense-AI/lab-instrument-mcps/tree/main/servers/physics/thorlabs-power-meter
- Changelog RSS feed: https://verifymcp.io/servers/k-dense-ai-labmcp-thorlabs-pm/labmcp-thorlabs-pm.xml
- Changelog JSON feed: https://verifymcp.io/servers/k-dense-ai-labmcp-thorlabs-pm/labmcp-thorlabs-pm.json
- HTML version of this page: https://verifymcp.io/servers/k-dense-ai-labmcp-thorlabs-pm/labmcp-thorlabs-pm