Future of lasers

[paul1598419]

I wouldn't say that. They require less maintenance than water cooled ones, but the massive water cooled ones cost a lot of money, usually, for a good working one with few hours.

 

[Richie89]

Most of the argons that are air cooled output between 20 mW and 175 mW. So, a bit better than 4-8 mW.

oh wow I actually didnt know that, i wouldnt mind one now :yh:

 

[dressur4]

oh wow I actually didnt know that, i wouldnt mind one now :yh:

I love argons they have a special place with me. I love DPSS lasers as well, but I think argons are so impressive and the beam quality is the best. Bare diode lasers just don't do it for me

 

[Benm]

I wonder how long they will keep producing argon lasers for really.

The main application would probably be for laser shows to begin with, and considering the cost difference for the average venue you'd definitely go with direct diodes and corrective optics nowadays.

Perhaps we will never see that beam quality in the visible spectrum again: For things like projectors the laser diodes basically are "very bright led's" that get away with multimode if you need any serious amount of optical power.

For laser enthusiasts it would be great to have something like an affordable 1 watt 550 nm single mode laser diode. But something like that has no mass market application, so i fear we will not get them at all.

They're not impossible to produce however, if the quantity demanded is large enough these things seem to come down in price rapidly. I wonder how big the market really is though - would it be realistic to state that the demand for a diode like that would be 10.000 pcs at $100 each, or even 100.000?

It would be interesting to see if we could get a quote from semiconductor manufacturers for a (custom built) batch of such diodes if we'd buy $1 million worth of them collectively.

That seems like an insane amount of money, but sometimes you see crowdfunded things that seem far less useful rake in such amounts.

 

[dressur4]

I wonder how long they will keep producing argon lasers for really.

The main application would probably be for laser shows to begin with, and considering the cost difference for the average venue you'd definitely go with direct diodes and corrective optics nowadays.

Perhaps we will never see that beam quality in the visible spectrum again: For things like projectors the laser diodes basically are "very bright led's" that get away with multimode if you need any serious amount of optical power.

For laser enthusiasts it would be great to have something like an affordable 1 watt 550 nm single mode laser diode. But something like that has no mass market application, so i fear we will not get them at all.

They're not impossible to produce however, if the quantity demanded is large enough these things seem to come down in price rapidly. I wonder how big the market really is though - would it be realistic to state that the demand for a diode like that would be 10.000 pcs at $100 each, or even 100.000?

It would be interesting to see if we could get a quote from semiconductor manufacturers for a (custom built) batch of such diodes if we'd buy $1 million worth of them collectively.

That seems like an insane amount of money, but sometimes you see crowdfunded things that seem far less useful rake in such amounts.

I don't know. I am told you can't do this you can't do that it's so hard to build this or that..... that it gets to be where no one will try. There is a guy on Youtube that built one hell of a dye laser that had lots of power. He did it why can't us? why can't someone here make lasers? personally I can't stand direct diode lasers I got one it is a 445 nm and it BORES me yes it burns yes it's 2.5 watt but it is boring. I don't know what to say, but I agree as well. I am worried about the future of lasers . Not too keen on fiber lasers I am sure they are boring as well.. at least when you look under that hood of a huge ND YAG you have something cool external optics Q switches KTP crystals argons are awesome machines with beautiful clock work construction and to me I am sorry vut that is half of the reason why I love lasers they look cool inside and waht they do outside. Diodes are boring just are. I know they have their place., but not everywhere and sometimes I wish they were never invented. Pointers are cool don't get me wrong but I like large lab lasers. I may be the only one but I like lots of optics and external mirrors and lots of aluminum in my lasers. Just me I suppose.

 

[paul1598419]

The guy with the dye laser is a member here with the user name planters. We do this kind of thing here all the time. There are a lot of members to the LPF. There are members here that have rebuilt argon tubes. There are members here who have built all manner of solid state lasers.

 

[dressur4]

I am sure. Just when I say I want to build this or that.. it's "you'll never be able to do that" that is crazy on and on.. I would love to rebuild an argon tube I know I can't at this point in my laser journey as I don't have all the stuff you need. My point was , if good lasers are going to be hard to find. we need to build our own. I wish there was support here where I live.

 

[paul1598419]

It really depends on what you are trying to do. Somethings are just not possible. Others are complicated and difficult, but doable if you have the background and the money to do it. That dye laser that planters made was a very expensive project and took him way over a year to complete. And he has the background to do it if you watched the version where he explained everything it took to get it done.

 

[dressur4]

It really depends on what you are trying to do. Somethings are just not possible. Others are complicated and difficult, but doable if you have the background and the money to do it. That dye laser that planters made was a very expensive project and took him way over a year to complete. And he has the background to do it if you watched the version where he explained everything it took to get it done.

I don't have his background, but then again neither did many inventors got to start somewhere. I never had the background to rebuild a huge motor coach. now I am restoring my old Greyhound. I wish I had a mentor. There is a guy in Springfield Mo I met at a Knights of Columbus shindig and he repairs lasers for Mercy Hospital and Cox Health never got back to me. but I want to be able to do what plasters did. but won't happen overnight

 

[Richie89]

I love argons they have a special place with me. I love DPSS lasers as well, but I think argons are so impressive and the beam quality is the best. Bare diode lasers just don't do it for me

well i dont have an Argon but ive seen many online and i understand why theyre so loved, they look absolutly stunning.

I wonder how long they will keep producing argon lasers for really.

For laser enthusiasts it would be great to have something like an affordable 1 watt 550 nm single mode laser diode. But something like that has no mass market application, so i fear we will not get them at all.

yeah that definitly does suck thats the one bad thing about the laser community, its not like the flashlight endustry where hundreds of millions of people use flashlights every day, like you said "not much of a mass market application".