Colors that best absorb...?

[rtyrty100]

Hey,

I always used to think black was the best absorber for all colors of lasers, as it is darkest. But Ive heard that red is actually best for green, and lighter colors for bluray.(violet)

So if someone could lay down some matchups that would be terrific. My purpose for asking is of course, burning techniques.

Laser color-Best absorbed by
Red-?
Green-red?
Blue/Violet-White?
Yellow-?

Thanks.

 

[charliebruce]

In theory, a matte black surface is best at absorbing all colours.

What we may see as a "red" dye is reflecting red but absorbing green and blue wavelengths. It may be that the "red" dye is better at absorbing blue and green than the matte black surface is. For this reason, we can't say for sure that a red dye is better or worse for burning with any colour, because different types of dyes have difference responses to different wavelengths. If you're interested in this, professional lighting filters have a "spectral response" graph, showing what percentages of which wavelengths are absorbed.

Example spectral response for a professional filter:

 

[Cyparagon]

There are many shades of black, and many shades of red. The only sure-fire way to be sure which will burn better is to illuminate a pitch black room (on a NON-fluorescent white surface) with the light of the laser you will use and see which material appears darker under the light.

 

[rtyrty100]

Mmmmm sounds like effort. I might simply stick with the factoid that black absorbs best.

 

[Cyparagon]

If turning on a laser in a dark room is effort... You're in the wrong hobby.

 

[StardustSprinkles]

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but I have always had the belief that black IS the best color to burn with a beam of light. This based on going outside in mid-summer on a sunny day with a white shirt on for an hour, then doing the same with a black shirt. You are much more hot with the black shirt, it absorbs light energy, the white shirt had been reflecting the light energy, darker colors do absorb light energy better than lighter ones. Even though I'm a VERY white guy and I can sting my skin badly with my ~150mW pointer... Lol