Green Laser Technology Can Enhance The Future
Infrared lasers are electromagnetic radiations with a wavelength longer than seeable light. But they are shorter than microwave radiation. Infrared lasers supply light to the optical fiber communication systems. Infrared lasers, having wavelengths of 1,330 nm or 1,550 nm, are the finest options for typical silica fibers. Infrared lasers are also used for welding, cutting and engraving of materials. They provide high power and fine band tunable light. Therefore infrared lasers are useful in photo acoustic (PA) techniques. At present CO2 and CO lasers are usually used as light source in PA detection of gases. The reason is that these lasers offer comparatively high power.
Green lasers are the type of laser whose wavelength is in the green spectral region between 510 nm and 570 nm. Laser pointers, laser projection displays, and interferometers use green laser technology. Also, when pumping solid-state lasers such as Ti-sapphire lasers, green laser technology is used. Since they have a much higher absorption coefficient when compared to near-infrared lasers, green lasers are also used in processing of different types of materials like copper, gold and silicon.
The range of applications for Green lasers is limited, because they carry a low spectrum range. Still, they are the most common visible lasers due to their uniqueness.
Green is the brightest color in the visible light spectrum with its wavelength of 532nm. When a laser is used to flux this light into a high power output projected as laser beam, it gets the brightest possible laser light frequency. Because of this feature green laser pointers are the most popular form of hand held laser technology available in the market today.
Argon-ion lasers, one of the most common lasers, are created with the amplification of light in argon plasma that is formed with an electrical discharge. Since they can achieve the highest amount of power at 514 nm, they are potent light sources for various wavelengths. Green lasers, on the other hand, easily exceed this limit. But the drawbacks are that it would have to have high electrical power usage of many kilowatts, and a significant increase in the magnitude of the cooling systems. For generating green laser beams at 10 mille watts, small air-cooled tubes are used which require hundreds of watts of electrical power. The tube’s operational life is only a few thousand hours. So they are to be changed very frequently and are very expensive to acquire.
Research scientists are working on a number of projects for developing a mechanism that will enable the transmission of electronic data via green lasers. This mechanism, if successfully developed at affordable costs, will change the way people communicate with each other.
Green laser beams, despite being visually spectacular and highly useful in many professional fields, is also cause for extreme caution. If a 532 nm green laser were to directly shine into a person’s eye, there is a possibility of laser retinal damage. In order to avoid any green laser eye damage, be sure to take proper safety measures. All green lasers should include standard safety features, but it is ultimately the responsibility of the user to be sure that all spectators and themselves are safe.
Filed under: Computers & Technology