- Joined
- Jun 5, 2012
- Messages
- 58
- Points
- 0
I have seen various laser pointers on eBay and other sources claiming "5mW violet laser" or "5mW Bluray laser". Of course violet lasers are manufactured solely for their usefulness in Bluray players, so one must look to the power levels of Bluray laser diodes. I have indeed checked at laserpointerforums on the laser diode comparison page and found the lowest powered laser diode for Bluray player use to be rated at 60mW. This means that a 5mW diode in fact does NOT exist. Yes it is possible to underpower a laser diode, but if you don't provide it with ENOUGH power input, it is below the "lasing threshold" and so in fact is behaving as an LED, and not a laser-diode. So that must mean that all those 5mW "Bluray laser pointers" on ebay are in fact not operating as Lasers at all, but instead as well collimated violet LEDs? Can someone please explain?
Or in fact does some company actually manufacture 5mW laser diodes (possibly specifically for use in laser pointers)?
Or in fact does some company actually manufacture 5mW laser diodes (possibly specifically for use in laser pointers)?