Review of a 5mW 405nm Violet Purple Blue Beam Laser Pen

[The_LED_Museum]

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5mW 405nm Violet Purple Blue Beam Laser Pen, retail $8.43
Manufactured by: (Unknown)
Last updated 10-17-10

​

The 5mW 405nm Violet Purple Blue Beam Laser Pen is a violet-emitting, directly-injected laser. That is, it produces violet laser radiation directly, without the need for messy, fragile nonlinear crystals like those green laser pointers and the amberish-yellow and blue ones as well. It uses two AAA cells -- the same power source used in most other "pen-style" laser pointers and laser modules.

It is advertised to output 5mW of laser radiation at ~405nm.
It actually measures 49.590mW at exactly 405.0nm!!!

It comes in a handsome brass body with a black finish and chrome colored bezel, tailcap, and pocket clip.

SIZE

To get the laser to turn on, first be certain that there are a pair of AAA cells installed. If there isn't, then install them (see directly below), and THEN you can go irradiate something.

Press & hold down the button on the barrel for as long as you want or need the laser spot, and release pressure on the button to turn the laser back off.

To change the batteries in this violet laser , unscrew the laser near the center, and set the front portion aside.

Tip the two used AAA cells out of the barrel and into your hand, and dispose of, recycle, or recharge them as you see fit.

Insert two new AAA cells into the barrel, flat-end (-) negative first. This is the opposite of how batteries are installed in most flashlights, so please pay attention to polarity here.

Screw the front portion of the tube back on, and be done with it.

Unable to measure current use due to how this laser was constructed.


***EXTREMELY IMPORTANT!!!***
This laser has a fair amount of {vulgar slang term for male nads} to it (measured at 49.590mW), so you ***DEFINITELY*** do not want to shine it into your eyes, other people's eyes, pets' eyes, for that matter, the eyes of any person or animal you encounter.

Eye damage can occur faster than the blink reflex can protect them, regardless of what species' eyes you irradiate with this laser. So just don't do it.

And for Christ sakes (and for heaven sakes and for Pete sakes and for your sakes too) do not shine this laser at any vehicle, whether ground-based like a motorcycle, car, or truck, or air-based like a helicopter, airplane, or jet. And if you shoot it at a person in the dark and he turns out to be a police officer, he may think he's being targeted, unholster (whip out) his gun, and hose you down with it.


From somebody who knows their {vulgar slang term for caca; rhymes with "pit"} about lasers, comes this information:

More on 50-60 mW violet lasers:

The spot is not safe to stare into from close distances. At 60 mW,
assuming a perfectly diffuse-reflecting white wall and fully dilated
pupil, the spot is at borderline between Class I and Class II at a little
over 7 feet. This wavelength also has the extra ill effects of blue and
a bit of the ill effects of UV.

Usually a yellowish dye that naturally exists in the lens of the eye
significantly attenuates deep violet wavelengths. However, this is not
completely reliable. You probably do not want to stare at the violet spot
for more than a couple seconds from distances within a couple feet.

If the spot or your eyes keep moving, then things are OK.


Does this evaluation look an awful lot like the one I made for this laser?
Thought you'd say so.
That's because they're functionally, electrically, and physically identical, so I was able to use its web page as a template for this one.

Beam photograph of this laser on the test target at 12".
Beam image bloomed ***SIGNIFICANTLY***.
I deliberately photographed this in daylight to help reduce image blooming!!!

That white & blue color does not really exist; the spot appears to be a very deep royal purple to the eye.
Digital cameras have a tough time at these wavelengths.

And yes, I know that the colors purple and violet are two different critters, but the phrase "royal violet" would not make very much sense; however, most everybody knows what "royal purple" looks like.

Purple is a mixture of red & blue; violet is a spectral color, encompassing wavelengths of ~390nm to ~410nm.

Measures a rather hefty 49.590mW on a Sper Scientific Pocket Laser Power Meter # 840011 using known-new Duracell AAA cells.

Beam photograph on a wall at ~10'.
Again, that white & blue color does not really exist.


Those colored graphics toward the left are my "Viva Piñata posters, and that clock on the right that looks like a gigantic wristwatch is my Infinity Optics Clock.
You may also be able to see two of my SpongeBob SquarePants plush (Squidward Tentacles and Patrick Star) and a Digimon plush (Greymon).

Spectrographic analysis of the Blu-ray laser diode in this product.
Wavelength appears to be ~405nm, which is within specification for the type of laser diode used in this laser.

Same as above; but spectrometer's response narrowed to a band between 400nm and 410nm.
This shows that the wavelength is *EXACTLY* 405.0nm.

Spectrographic analysis of the fluorescence of a uranated* glass marble when irradiated with this laser.

Spectrographic analysis of the fluorescence of the 2009 NIA commemorative insulator in uranated* glass when irradiated with this laser.



* "Uranated" - infused with an oxide of uranium, *NOT* piddled (peed) on.

Commonly referred to as "Vaseline glass" because it has
a distinct pale yellow-green color when not being irradiated.

Note spelling: "urAnated", not "urEnated","urInated",
"urOnated", "urUnated", or sometimes "urYnated".

USB2000 spectrometer graciously donated by P.L.

Beam cross-sectional analysis with beam widened (x-axis).

Beam cross-sectional analysis with beam widened (y-axis).

These charts show the somewhat ovoid beam profile;
this is consistent with directly-injected diode lasers.

Images made using the ProMetric System by Radiant Imaging.
​

TEST NOTES:
Test unit was purchased on Ebay on 10-06-10 (or "06 Oct 2010" if you prefer), and was received at 4:21pm PDT on 10-16-10 ("16 Oct 2010").

I have decided to rate this wonderful little laser four stars!!!

The only real reason that it did not receive five stars is because the claimed power output and the measured power output vary so greatly -- it is labelled to be a CDRH Class III (note no "a" on the label) instrument outputting "<5mW", but it measures 49.590mW which is clearly Class IIIb.





UPDATE: 00-00-00




PROS:
Color is very radiant & unusual for a handheld laser
Uses inexpensive and readily available batteries
The price is right!
Color is very radiant an unu...o wait, I said that already!!!

CONS:
Just the usual suspects for laser modules/pointers - nothing that affects rating...actually, there is one little thing: it is advertised as a 5mW laser, but outputs over 49mW of laser radiation.
That's what lopped that last star off.

MANUFACTURER: Unknown
PRODUCT TYPE: Violet-emitting laser
LAMP TYPE: Sony Blu-ray laser diode
No. OF LAMPS: 1
BEAM TYPE: Very narrow spot
SWITCH TYPE: Momentary on/off button on barrel
CASE MATERIAL: Brass
BEZEL: Metal; laser & lens recessed into its end
BATTERY: 2x AAA cells
CURRENT CONSUMPTION: Unknown/unable to measure
WATER- AND URANATION-RESISTANT: Light splatter-resistant at maximum
SUBMERSIBLE: For Christ sakes NO!!!
ACCESSORIES: None
COUNTRY OF MANUFACTURE: China
WARRANTY: Unknown/not stated



PRODUCT RATING:

 

[DTR]

Nice review. I actually made it all the way threw this one.

I would also add if you have a bunch of lithium batteries laying around like I do and don't want to blow threw AAA's you can use a single rechargeable 10440 and a dummy battery. Don't use two it will kill your pen. I speak from experience.:tinfoil:

 

[extremeodd]

Great review, I have this exact same pointer and love it. If you remove the cap (press fit) you can adjust the lens for burning. I can get a red match to light within 2-4 secs. I used a modified paperclip since the diode/lens assembly is about 3/4in in there. Uses same threading as an aixiz.

 

[cistercian]

Great review, and a long time fan of your website.I have 2 of these lasers....more bang for the buck than anything else out there.Great collimation too!
+rep

 

[The_LED_Museum]

Great review, I have this exact same pointer and love it. If you remove the cap (press fit) you can adjust the lens for burning. I can get a red match to light within 2-4 secs. I used a modified paperclip since the diode/lens assembly is about 3/4in in there. Uses same threading as an aixiz.

Thank you for your compliments re: my review!!!

Regarding the end cap, I'm having a H-E-Double-Bendy-Straws of a time in attempting to remove it. I have several other violet-emitting laser pens with the same type of body, and I am not able to remove their caps either.

Do you use any kind of a tool to assist in this?
I've just used my fingers, and the blade of a rather sharp folding knife in an attempt to pry it up -- even if only a bit -- and still no joy (the cap does not move even a fraction of a millimeter when pried in this fashion; almost as if LockTight or a similar adhesive is holding it in place.

I don't have any matches at my disposal, but I could easily obtain some for testing in this manner if necessary; as I have a positive lens enclosed in a transparent tube that press-fits onto the end of the laser.

 

[rangedunits]

WOAAAAAAAAAH 1000% the rated output!!!!!!!



Does it has UV filters*?, ive heard uv-a b & c is dangerous for the skin and the eyes.



*This thread needed a little bit of fun, therefore i added it.
-Greg

 

[extremeodd]

Thank you for your compliments re: my review!!!

Regarding the end cap, I'm having a H-E-Double-Bendy-Straws of a time in attempting to remove it. I have several other violet-emitting laser pens with the same type of body, and I am not able to remove their caps either.

Do you use any kind of a tool to assist in this?
I've just used my fingers, and the blade of a rather sharp folding knife in an attempt to pry it up -- even if only a bit -- and still no joy (the cap does not move even a fraction of a millimeter when pried in this fashion; almost as if LockTight or a similar adhesive is holding it in place.

I don't have any matches at my disposal, but I could easily obtain some for testing in this manner if necessary; as I have a positive lens enclosed in a transparent tube that press-fits onto the end of the laser.

Take either a pair of pliers of preferably some vice grips and grab the cap and it takes around a metric-f**kton a force to wiggle it out. The cap is the definition of press fitted. Don't worry about hurting anything since the diode is sunk in around 3/4th of an inch in there. Its rather hard not to scratch the cap a little in removal even with cloth due to the force required. However once its removed you can focus it enough to damned near instant light matches. For only 50-60mw this thing packs a punch. Personally I used a tubing cutter and cut off the excess host allowing easy access to the lens, some time next week I plan on ordering a aixiz glass lens to replace the acrylic thats in this since its the same size.

WOAAAAAAAAAH 1000% the rated output!!!!!!!



Does it has UV filters*?, ive heard uv-a b & c is dangerous for the skin and the eyes.



*This thread needed a little bit of fun, therefore i added it.
-Greg

Yes its quite powerful, I caught a reflection at the focus point when messing with my transition glasses and have had a spot in my vision for over 24hrs now so be careful with this one. I noticed the sun glasses at a local gas station that were yellow tinted will block almost the whole beam from one of these. I shined mine through em and you could only see the slightest bit of a dot. So its weak enough a good pair of sunglasses (UV/A/B rated) will block it, test em to make sure.

 

[Tech_Junkie]

I would also add if you have a bunch of lithium batteries laying around like I do and don't want to blow threw AAA's you can use a single rechargeable 10440 and a dummy battery. Don't use two it will kill your pen. I speak from experience.:tinfoil:

You were just doing it wrong.

Better off running 2 10440s in parallel.

 

[532 with Envy]

Well thanks Tech_Junkie that simple photo spoke a thousand words! Sometimes its simple pics like that that can explain a situation much easier.(problem solved)

 

[DTR]

You were just doing it wrong.

Better off running 2 10440s in parallel.

You can certainly run them in parallel. But I just wanted to make sure nobody says that I caused them to break their laser if they put them in series.


Since this host is case positive would you not want to insulate the copper strip going between negative contacts on the battery from the host walls?

 

[Tech_Junkie]

You can use the ribbon from electronic devices. Like the ribbons that connect the laser diode on the sled. They are coated so there should be no grounding.

 

[John7788]

T_J, (this may be off-topic, but really puzzled)

there seems to be something wrong with the rep system.


You can see one with rep0 have more blue rep points than one with rep3

 

[Tech_Junkie]

If someone gets a lot of rep in a short time, it takes a few days to register in the system. It only happens with positive reps. I dont know why it works that way, but I've seen it happen a few times. LED has a small post count, so I think the system has a setting to verify the the points before it registers on his scale. That's just a guess though, but I do know know for a fact there is a delay sometimes.

 

[00Giorge]

T_J, (this may be off-topic, but really puzzled)

there seems to be something wrong with the rep system.


You can see one with rep0 have more blue rep points than one with rep3

The rep points don't show up until you have 50 posts!

 

[aryntha]

I think it's awesome that The_LED_Museum is participating in the forum like this -- The hours I've spent reading that website ...

Things have come a long way since your review of that ~5mW 473 CNI...

 

[cistercian]

I think it's awesome that The_LED_Museum is participating in the forum like this -- The hours I've spent reading that website ...

Things have come a long way since your review of that ~5mW 473 CNI...

I second that.His site is EPIC.