Welcome to Laser Pointer Forums - discuss green laser pointers, blue laser pointers, and all types of lasers

LPF Donation via Stripe | LPF Donation - Other Methods

Links below open in new window

ArcticMyst Security by Avery

need help understanding

Joined
Nov 30, 2010
Messages
3
Points
0
hi everyone im just getting into lasers and have become very interested with them. i dont really know too much about them and i kinda get a little confused with all the big words in the sticky threads. can anyone help me the difference between the power of lasers. what makes a 300mw laser more powerful. is it just a different diode or do you also need a higher rated driver to push it. if anyone has been to burningman then you have seen those huge lasers that go across the sky im really looking to find information on those, all i seem to find is laser pointers and people burning stuff. im not really into burning stuff (yet) im more into expanding the beam into wide visible beams if anyone doesnt mind explaining a little bit i would appreciate it.
 





anselm

0
Joined
Nov 22, 2010
Messages
2,448
Points
0
Welcome to the forum!:wave:
what makes a 300mw laser more powerful. is it just a different diode or do you also need a higher rated driver to push it.
Every diode is rated to a certain power. This "rating" determines the maximum possible
power output. To take advantage of that power, you need an appropriate driver.
i kinda get a little confused with all the big words in the sticky threads.
Which ones? Did you already read the first link in my signature?

Big lasers like you saw on Burning Man are most likely projectors or "scanners" as some
people like to call them, and not handheld devices.
 
Joined
Dec 14, 2010
Messages
315
Points
0
Well,

A diode is simply a semi-conductor that passes electricity. Because it's not a low-resistance conductor, some electricity is going to be "held back" in the materials of the diode itself. How that energy comes out is Dependant on the type of materials and configuration used. For example, LED is a light-emitting diode. When electricity passes through the semi-conducting medium, light is the output. On something like a stove top, the metal coil that goes around and around that you set your pots on gets really hot. It emits heat and light.

Well, with lasers, the type of output is also light, but it's only 1 wavelength in a pretty organized fashion.

What I'm getting at here though is that different materials will produce different wavelengths (colors) and some materials are more efficient. Some materials might take less power to make output.

mW is simply a measure of a number of photons being emitted by a diode in a specific time frame. (In other words, power output)

The higher the number, the more power is coming out of the diode.

A driver is how you control current. Some diodes require a LOT more power than other diodes.

There are some laser diodes that only start lasing at 300+mA of current, where other diodes work at a peak of 75mA current.

How bright a laser is, is partially related to it's mW output, but also related to it's color too.

I was going to suggest you read the link in my signature, but Anselm already suggested it :)
 
Joined
Nov 30, 2010
Messages
3
Points
0
if they are projectors they only spit one beam clear across the sky. are they different from the lasers they use in clubs and sometimes do a scanning motion. i have read a thread on here saying that 455 lasers have made there way to the playa with picture of a big blue one. and one more question is it better to buy a laser projector or build one.
 
Joined
Nov 30, 2010
Messages
3
Points
0
the reason i ask about the diodes is i was seeing if i could change the diode in my 5mw ebay pointer to bump it up a little.
 

anselm

0
Joined
Nov 22, 2010
Messages
2,448
Points
0
Just get a better pointer.
Are we talking green?
Like the Dealextreme "true 30mw" for example, unless you're in the USA.
 




Top