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Uses for CO2 mirrors?

Pontiacg5

Pontiacg5

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I have a CO2 tube that is toast. I was planning on removing the mirrors for use with another CO2 laser but have a few questions.

I know CO2 optics are usually ZnSe and usually look golden but why do the mirrors on tubes usually look sliver? Is it a different material or different mixture. I know that one is 50% reflective and the other is 100%

Would using one of there mirrors without cooling be ok or do they need to be cooled? I was planning on using a couple of mirrors and focusing lenses on a pantograph to make a really simple engraving machine. I figure if I can use the semitransparent mirror without it breaking it would work better for shading since the power level would theoretically be 1/2.

Optics for CO2 lasers are too expensive :(
 





L

LSRFAQ

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Pontiacg5 said:
I have a CO2 tube that is toast. I was planning on removing the mirrors for use with another CO2 laser but have a few questions.

I know CO2 optics are usually ZnSe and usually look golden but why do the mirrors on tubes usually look sliver? Is it a different material or different mixture. I know that one is 50% reflective and the other is 100%

Would using one of there mirrors without cooling be ok or do they need to be cooled? I was planning on using a couple of mirrors and focusing lenses on a pantograph to make a really simple engraving machine. I figure if I can use the semitransparent mirror without it breaking it would work better for shading since the power level would theoretically be 1/2.
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The CO2 OC is anywhere from 5 to 20% transmissive, usually.

The OC is most often ZnSe, but the HR is usually coated germanium or silicon.

Steve
Click to expand...
 
Cyparagon

Cyparagon

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They don't need to be cooled if you're using them as bounce mirrors (unless you plan on more than 100W maybe). They DO need to be cooled as part of a resonator though because of the ridiculous amounts of energy they reflect there. The light concentration inside the resonator is MANY times what comes out as a beam.

As is, I don't think the OC is good for anything but an OC. But the HR can be a good bounce mirror.
 
Greenmechanic

Greenmechanic

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Pontiacg5 said:
I have a CO2 tube that is toast. I was planning on removing the mirrors for use with another CO2 laser but have a few questions.

I know CO2 optics are usually ZnSe and usually look golden but why do the mirrors on tubes usually look sliver? Is it a different material or different mixture. I know that one is 50% reflective and the other is 100%

Would using one of there mirrors without cooling be ok or do they need to be cooled? I was planning on using a couple of mirrors and focusing lenses on a pantograph to make a really simple engraving machine. I figure if I can use the semitransparent mirror without it breaking it would work better for shading since the power level would theoretically be 1/2.

Optics for CO2 lasers are too expensive :(
Click to expand...
I just ordered some CO2 mirrors that act as Diffraction Gratings (5 orders of lines)
They sound very similar to what you are describing.
Have you tried reflecting any different wavelength's off of/through them yet?
The reason I'm interested is, I heard they (some) work good for splitting ML-488nm
I see tons of IR mirrors on eBay, but no Argon ones.:yabbmad:
 
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