Verbal and Photo Descriptions of the Visible Wavelengths

THE WAVELENGTH POKEDEX!!!!!!! A Resource for Enthusiasts!

This is meant to be a resource for those seeking data or color reference on different laser wavelengths. Encyclopedia will be separated into two parts. The first post will be Diode Lasers, Diode Pumped Solid State(DPSS) Lasers, and Sum Frequency Generation(SFG) Lasers. The second post will contain gas lasers. Wavelengths covered will be limited to those in the visible spectrum of light.

Each entry will proceed as follows:
WAVELENGTH NAME
Process: Type | Full Process
Descriptions: Word descriptions of the wavelengths by members
Pictures: Pictures of the wavelengths by members

Click to expand...

If you have data, descriptions, or pictures of the wavelengths listed, you may PM me with it and I will see about adding it here. All contributions to the information gathered here will be credited.

All section titles will have specific font coloring appropriate to their wavelength, acquired through THIS wavelength to HEX converter tool created by RHD ages ago. (Hint: this is great for customizing you signatures with as well)

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405nm LASER Light
Process: Diode Laser | InGaN Semiconductor

Descriptions:
"This wavelength really carries a royal luster reminiscent of Amethysts. Especially when the beam is illuminated through the use of fog or visualizer, the beam has a richness about it which is enthralling. Difficult to view at long distances due to its tendency to cause fluorescence in the eye, viewers will note it becomes blurry and difficult to manually focus after a short distance." - Wannaburnstuff

Pictures: is difficult to capture, the circled purple section is what it appears as to me.


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445nm/450nm LASER Light
Process: Diode Laser | InGaN Semiconductor

Descriptions:
"This wavelength, despite becoming more and more common amongst hobbyists, will always hold a place in my heart(or eyes) for its spectacular blue color. Many describe it as being an indigo, sort of truck stop between the more exotic blues and the more common 405nm lasers. To go back to the gemstone descriptors, I would compare this wavelength to a deep sapphire. Definitely blue, but with a darker hue. This color wavelength always makes me think of magic, and I admit to using my low powered 450nm laser as a wand, shooting beams of magic into a mirror." - Wannaburnstuff

Pictures:

Picture courtesy of ZRaffleticket

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473nm LASER Light
Process: DPSS | An 808nm Diode is used to pump an Nd:YAG crystal to lase at 946nm wavelength. This light is then frequency doubled to 473nm light by passing through a BBO or LBO crystal. Low efficiency at around 5%.

Descriptions:

Pictures: This Picture by member Eudaimonium. Pictured is RPL-473(left) and a 445nm Laser(Right).

Picture Courtesy of Eudaimonium

Picture Courtesy of ZRaffleticket

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510nm LASER Light
Process: Diode | Need Information on Semiconductor

Descriptions:

Pictures:

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520nm LASER Light
Process: Diode | Need Information on Semiconductor

Descriptions:
"This wavelength is a much purer green than 532nm lasers we have come to know and love. It is a very lovely green color, lacking much of the sharpness 532's yellow tinge brings to the table. This creates a nice, subtle green. It reminds me of the green lantern often, and if I were to compare it to a gemstone I would compare it to an emerald sitting on a light. It makes me think of tree leaves and grass a lot." - Wannaburnstuff

Pictures:

Picture Courtesy of Wannaburnstuff

Picture Courtesy of Wannaburnstuff

Picture Courtesy of ZRaffleticket

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532nm LASER Light
Process: DPSS | An 808nm Diode is used to pump Nd:YAG or Nd:YVO4 crystal to lase at 1064nm. This light is frequency doubled to 532nm light by passing through KTP crystal. This process is 20-35% efficient.

Descriptions:
"This is one of those wavelengths that strikes me as very neon-esque in that the color seems quite electric in tone. A mixture of green and some small amount of yellow, this wavelength is becoming more and more common. Due to its beam characteristics, I often imagine this wavelength as a thin thread of energy. Gemstone comparison for this wavelength would have to be Peridot." - Wannaburnstuff

Pictures:

Picture Courtesy of Wannaburnstuff

Picture Courtesy of ZRaffleticket

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561nm LASER Light
Process: DPSS | An 808nm Diode is used to pump an Nd:YAG crystal to lase at 1110nm. This light is frequency doubled by passing through an LBO crystal. Efficiency is higher, at ~20%.

Descriptions:

Pictures:

Picture Courtesy of Arynthya

Picture Courtesy of Arynthya

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589nm LASER Light
Process: Sum Frequency Generation | An 808nm Diode is used to pump an Nd:YAG crystal to laser at both 1064nm and 1319nm light. These lines are converted to 589nm light via SFG.

Descriptions:

Pictures:

Picture Courtesy of ZRaffleticket

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593.5nm LASER Light
Process: Sum Frequency Generation | Similar to 589, an 808nm Diode is used to pump an Nd:YVO4 crystal to lase at both 1064nm and 1342nm light. These lines are converted to 593.5nm light via SFG.

Descriptions:
"This wavelength is such a warm yellow color, and reminds me of a liquid fire. If a dragon were to breathe, this is what color his breath would be. Rather than compare it to a gemstone, I would say it reminds me of pure gold." - Wannaburnstuff

Pictures:

Picture Courtesy of Wannaburnstuff

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635nm/638nm LASER Light
Process: Diode | AlGalnP Semiconductor

Description
"This wavelength is very vibrant and similar to 650nm until they are viewed side by side. Somewhat reminiscent of the Ruby gemstone, this is the closest to Orange many hobbyits ever get due to the costs inherent in going lower." - Wannaburnstuff

Pictures:

Picture Courtesy of ZRaffleticket

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650nm/660nm LASER Light
Process: Diode | AlGalnP Semiconductor

Descriptions:
"These wavelengths get mixed up and thrown together so much that I don't really differentiate anymore. This color is a darker, blood red reminiscent of Garnet." - Wannaburnstuff

Pictures:

Picture Courtesy of ZRaffleticket

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671nm LASER Light
Process: DPSS | 808nm Diode is used to pump an Nd:YAG or Nd:YVO4 crystal to lase at 1342nm light. This light is frequency doubled to 671nm Light by passing through nonlinear optics, probably LBO crystal.

Descriptions:

Pictures:

Picture Courtesy of Arynthya

Picture Courtesy of Arynthya

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I hope everyone enjoys this thread and I hope it is helpful to those considering purchases. I know being able to see what things should look like helps me to decide ESPECIALLY when I am going back and forth between two or more options. Thanks to ZRaffleticket for clearing up some questions I had about the materials used for some of the DPSS processes!

Thanks,
Isaac

Welcome to the Gas Section of this resource thread!

As it turns out, Bloompyle has assembled a marvelous thread regarding all of his HeNe Lasers along with pictures, so instead of putting HeNe wavelengths here, I will defer to his LARGE HeNe/gas collection and reference thread. He will be adding more to it as he gains more units, definitely a thread to keep an eye on.

When I have the time I will be adding Argon Laser Lines here and will be looking for good pictures of these lines.

Thanks,
Isaac

You'll have to make room for bloom's 612's (and eventually 607... whenever I get enough cash...)
Not sure if you want to add other common gas laser colors (578nm, 543nm, 604nm, 514nm)

As you may or may not know, RHD's "556nm" showed ~561nm on a spectrometer, so I'm not so sure what you should put down for that (aryntha ordered at the same time-- his is probably the same case)

I can take some 473nm, 520nm and 589nm pictures tonight. I'll have a 561nm in a few months as well if this thread takes off.

I'm surprised nobody made one of these yet--

Got a 445nm vs 473nm pic comparison here if you want it:

http://i690.photobucket.com/albums/vv263/Eudaimonium/Colors_real_SQ_zps28d53637.jpg

:beer:

As I was reading your posts I realized some mistakes I made. I need to update the thread with the actual link to RHD's converter tool. Also 556 as you mentioned is not the GreeNe wavelength, so I will edit that as well later(when I get back to my computer).

Huh? 556nm is DPSS, I didn't say it was the GreeNe line :thinking:

Edit: may as well point out some things,
"Difficult to view at long distances due to its tendency to cause fluorescence in the eye, viewers will note it becomes blurry and difficult to manually focus after a short distance." Moreso the wavelength has a smaller index of refraction and can only be seen properly at close distances (unless you are farsighted)

I'd also mention that 593.5/589nm can take the appearence of orange or yellow-- depending on a few factors (such as viewing 650nm first appears yellow, 532nm orange)

Well I could feel in the description of the 488. I see the 488 as a light blue color that resembles the color of the sky in a nice summer day. The difference with the other blues is quite evident. I could say it has a color very similar to that of an aquamarine gem stone. It is light and brilliant even if comes from a low power laser. You could easily see the beam at night from as low as 30mw without any fog added. It's just an hypnotizing color.

Here are some pics:

^your camera doesn't do it much justice for 488nm

For those of you who've played Dead Space, the blue lights on the suit and blue lasers used on the guns matches 488nm in my eyes.

Really/?? I see that light on the jacket as a green... not a blue are you sure your screen is giving you the right colors? I was checking my picture and on my screen it looks exactly as in the real life.

Lemme fire my argon up and point it next to my computer screen for comparison, gimme a minute

Hm, it is more green on the suit however it's not too far off--

Then again, I was just taking pictures of a 473nm and 445nm so my eyes may be off right now

That is not going to work unless you take a picture of it with your camera and post it on your screen to see if it's set up correctly.... You could adjust your screen to make my picture look like your argon.... that would set it up...

That's not the problem, my profile picture is pretty well synced with 473nm... at least to my eyes. Though given my eyes time to adjust, yeah the dead space pictures look more green than 488nm. Still close for playing a game and calling it 488nm.

If you want, I can take some HD photos of my 604nm and 612nm when I get a camera. Unless you want to use Aryntha's tunable REO. Though I'd ask for permission first. I'll eventually be getting a >5mW 612nm from Sam, so it might be better to do it then. That one is also an ML 594/604/612nm.

Also, not sure if you want the RAMAN wavelengths or not as they're pretty much normal wavelengths, or very close, but I could if I figure out a way to.

Also, why no 685/690nm?

Those other end of my avatar:
532nm:
http://i.imgur.com/dOqP6h.jpg
473nm:
http://i.imgur.com/A7YORh.jpg


445nm: (I think this photo is a really good representation of 445nm)
http://i.imgur.com/mCt7D5B.jpg

473nm is a light blue, it closely resembles the blue of the sky on a crisp clear day.

I don't know how but I missed a lot of posts in this thread and never got an update until today.

I PM'd Arynthya yesterday asking for permission to use some of his multimedia in this thread due to the rarity of some of his wavelengths.

ARG, I am going to look at those pics now and edit my OP

EDIT: Eudaimonium I love that picture of your RPL 473! That must've cost a LOT!!!!

I can take beamshots if you need. His pics show the color pretty well though. He's been dealing with a lot of stuff lately. I told him about my multilines in case he was curious, and no replies. Not online for quite a while, didn't reply to email either. Hope all is well...