Is an IR filter expensive?

[c0ldshadow]

Hey guys, I have noticed lasers without IR filters are usually a lot less expensive. Is an IR filter itself expensive? Is the reason these lasers are so much cheaper because the IR filter itself is an expensive component?


Sorry if this is a dumb question :-[ - I'm not a laser expert

 

[SenKat]

NOT a dumb question, c0ld ! They are not expensive, but rather a little bit of extra effort needs to go in on making the laser - and the output power drops significantly if there is an IR filter installed in CHEAP pointers....

The better pointers almost do not need a filter, as the majority of IR is converted to green output by the higher quality crystals - but the "big guys" put one on anyways, as they want their customers to be safe from accidental exposure.