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1-2W CO2 laser

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Nivanio

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Hello, i'm finding quite hard to find a CO2 laser with 1-2W output power...

Anyone know where i can find one?

I'm gonna use it in research for evoked potential, so i would need them cabled.. But i think it would be too expensive, right?
Or would be more expensive if i try to cable it myself?


Thank for you help, and sorry about that, don't know much about laser >.<
But i will try to learn xD
 





Try searching for higher powers. Typically I see them in powers greater than 10W.
If you want a 1-2W laser it's best and probably much cheaper to stay with solid state lasers.

E-bay has some CO2 laser tubes, but not normally a complete unit.
 
The lowest I've ever seen is 4W.

Also in many cases you will pay the same for a 4W tube as you will for a 10W tube since the tube length is not much different between the two.
 
Sure, within reason, you just need to have the minimum operating voltage and strike voltage. That's why you find power supplies that are matched to the tubes.
 
But i will use them to research, at humans, i won't use a 10W at someone..

And i need a co2 because the reflection is lower than solid ones...

i'm usingtit for evoked potential
 
VillageIdiot said:
Is it possible to run a higher rated tube at a lower current?
Click to expand...

It certainly is. I could run my 60W at powers that appeared to be 200mW. I never measured it, but it would barely light a match when focused.

Obtaining a 10W system and running it at lower currents is not only one of your only options, but it should increase the life of the laser as well.
 
Cyparagon said:
but it should increase the life of the laser as well.
Click to expand...

Really, running a 10W at 1W? I would of thought it would be too low to be safe for laser life.

I mean for example, driving a car. Driving it at lower and lower revs doesn't necessarily decrease wear on the engine, it'll just stall it :) And that's pretty bad.
 
I'm not certain cars are the best analogy to lasers, but I can play along.

IF you stall it, yes. Argons are a good example of this. Argons only have an idle setting because the medium must be ionized and a current lower than 3-4A or so (in small heads) will impede the perpetuation of the ionization, and will "stall" it. Just about all other lasers have a much lower threshold. A 200mW red driven at 20mW will probably run forever.

When a printing company required a comparatively long life from argons, a common practice was to purchase a system rated for 50mW and only use 5mW of it.
 
Yeah, I know diodes lasers can run forever at low power.

But don't you need a certain amount of juice being pumped in to a CO2 before it'll work at all? And surely the amount of juice you'd need to put in would be enough to kick it up to a decent output.

I don't really know, gas lasers aren't my forté, just curious :)
 
But is kind dangerous to point a 10W at someone, so i would prefer one with 1-2W, but seems like it's really hard to find one. >.<

and CO2 laser really have a less reflection than diode laser, right?
 
But we will make a system control for it, so the output will be much lower, but if something fails, its better to be hit with a 1W than a 10W
 
It's not good to hit a person with either :P just get a 10W and turn the 'juice' down at the power supply, it should be ok then, aslong as its not like anything too strong.
 
I don't think it would be safe to hit a person with a CO2 laser of any power, especially over a watt, unless you sufficiently expand the beam to reduce the power density. I have a 20 watt CO2 and if I run the beam thru a focusing lens at about half power, about five feet away from the laser or so the beam has expanded to a point that it just feels like a warm spot in the air, like holding your hand near a hair dryer.
Of course I stuck a piece of paper in the spot before I put my hand in it - human flesh absorbs the CO2 wavelength almost 100% so even lower powers can be very dangerous, not only to the eyes to but to skin.
 
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