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ArcticMyst Security by Avery

Why gas lasers?

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I guess what I am asking here is why are gas lasers cool? I'm not trolling I am seriously wondering what a reason to get a gas laser over a regular handheld would be. I have seen argon 488nm and the color is just spectacular. I'm just wondering what are the real uses? I mean with a handheld you can star gaze and such. I'm just trying to find a reason why I should buy one :p


Thanks
 
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DJZ

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I'm guess what I am asking here is why are gas lasers cool? I'm not trolling I am seriously wondering what a reason to get a gas laser over a regular handheld would be. I have seen argon 488nm and the color is just spectacular. I'm just wondering what are the real uses? I mean with a handheld you can star gaze and such. I'm just trying to find a reason why I should buy one :p


Thanks

Blasphemy!

The pic should answer your question! :p
 

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Laser diodes are a closed system. This is advantageous in a way because when something
goes wrong, they can just be replaced as a whole unit. The power density is extremely high
as well.

Gassies on the other hand, while in many cases indeed everything is sealed inside a glass
envelope, in many others they are completely open systems. You are free to play with the
cavity as you please. You can even get multiple wavelengths lasing simultaneously in the
same cavity (multiline). It puts you on a lower level to interact with the actual physics of the
lasing medium itself.
 

SKeeZ

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blasphemy!

The pic should answer your question! :p

precisely. One cannot simply explain the epicness of a gas laser. use one and watch some videos.
 
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I was in a similar position as you not too long ago :p it's actually really cool, a completely different branch of lasers. Think of cool laser pen vs big badass laser :D
 
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My love for gas has something to do with having a full pallet to my disposal.

As mentioned earlier, you have a cavity that is as fluid as your imagination (and budget). You can use mirrors and optics to do things you can't do with any other medium.
 

DJZ

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precisely. One cannot simply explain the epicness of a gas laser. use one and watch some videos.

Wow, that's awesome! SKeeZ, I must steal that...
 

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  • In a laser diode, you don't get to (easily) see how it produces light. In bigger gassers, you do.
  • The science is easy and clear to see and understand.
  • The color of the light is directly related to the size of the atom emitting the photon.
  • And when's it's broke, in many cases, may be fixed.
  • In some cases, the output color may be changed.
  • They're not really making them any more. In most of our lifetimes, they'll be dried up and gone or too costly to own.
  • Some of them use voltages that can kill you, produce heat that's amazing, are heavier than an adult and emit badassness that's harder to explain than to just witness and feel.
 
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They say pictures explain better than words, right?

CIMG1837.JPG
 
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Stick a 3 watt diode laser on your desk and people go "Ok that's pretty cool"

Stick a 3 watt mixed gas laser on your desk, plus the water cooler and high voltage inputs to make it run and a 6' head and 200 pound starter/power supply and people are in awe and fear. And, of course, you may have to replace the desk. :crackup:

Do some reading on PCAOM and see what you can do with that. - Split out every color at any point from one laser beam (not a combined beam)

Look up Multiline lasers.

Try and find a true orange (612nm or close) diode laser - HeNe lasers can do that.

Find a laser diode that will do green, red and blue at the same time - Krypton Argons will

I like my pointers, but the gas has better beams also.

I'm guess what I am asking here is why are gas lasers cool? I'm not trolling I am seriously wondering what a reason to get a gas laser over a regular handheld would be. I have seen argon 488nm and the color is just spectacular. I'm just wondering what are the real uses? I mean with a handheld you can star gaze and such. I'm just trying to find a reason why I should buy one :p


Thanks
 

djQUAN

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Makes me want to tear apart an old laserdisc player at home. IIRC, it used a HeNe for the reader.
 
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If I got a gas laser I would get a HeNe. There is no way I could afford, or even have room for one of those giant ones. What should I start looking up about HeNe's? Also what one would be suggested to get?


Makes me want to tear apart an old laserdisc player at home. IIRC, it used a HeNe for the reader.


Is there something I'm missing here? I though HeNe lasers are glass tubes basically. How could one fit in a laserdisc player?
 

djQUAN

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I remember the label said it was <1mW output so the tube could be really small. I'm not exactly sure though if it was our old player or something I saw at a surplus store so I need to check :p
 




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