Wavepatterns.. *shrug*

Hiya, could anyone explain this picture?

Info: Was taken with a ~2w 445nm laser by my camera phone with a 'Solarize' filter on my camera phone.
Pic was taken in the darkness up close. The red ring about the center is very odd..

http://i.imgur.com/lhY6l.jpg

Cheers!

Does it look like that in real life or just the photo?

I wouldn't try to draw too much from that image. You're using a solarize filter that produces odd effects such as sharp lines at transitions, and your camera may not have much control over how the effect is applied.

Only when the filter is applied.
& B-B, what does it matter exactly? Some very distinct markings can be seen such as the 'crosshair' shape, could you direct me to any articles which say this is a load of baloney?

Because that filter can enhance certain features that aren't that significant. For example that "crosshair" shape may only be a slight brightness difference because of the way the emitter is shaped, but the solarizing filter may enhance that filter to the extent that it appears extremely anomalous.

I don't think filters that are designed to create weird effects--such as the solarizing filter--are really the proper analysis tools. In the particular case of that solarizing filter, the original physical effect was caused by prematurely exposing the film to light during development. In effect, the image is damaged by the premature exposure, and some parts overexposed when they shouldn't be.

So what you're seeing in the above image is probably just an artifact of the filter, not a significant feature of the diode's output. Worse, you don't even have control over how it is applied, or what is being enhanced. Even Photoshop has few controls over it.