Slightly crazy 980 nm laser experiment

[Benm]

Perhaps they are even PHR803 diodes. The labeling seems to be for customs purposes mostly, and cannot be trusted in many cases. Don't put it beyond traders to mark things as <5 mW so that they can sell them through ebay, even if they are in fact more powerful. Its all very dangerous, but real.

 

[00Giorge]

I've purchased a number of "CDRH Class IIIa" (<5mW) laser pointers off of a popular auction website in recent months, and ***EVERY ONE*** of them measured well over 10mW (Class IIIb specs) -- and MOST of them measured between 40mW and 60mW!!!

So you really can't trust the labelling.

So you have an LPM to see what the output is?

I have not seen anyone else get 60mw the highest the I have seen here on the forum has been 54mw for the violets.

 

[The_LED_Museum]

So you have an LPM to see what the output is?

I have not seen anyone else get 60mw the highest the I have seen here on the forum has been 54mw for the violets.

Yes, all of the lasers in my custody (including these violets) were measured using a LPM -- it is a silicon photodetctor-type that can measure up to 400mW at ~400nm.

Let me go double-check...that "60mW" value may be in error -- though I suspect that if it is, it won't be by much...BBS...ok, one measured 57.60mW and...BINGO! Found one on my website that measured 67.60mW with a wavelength (measured spectrographically) of 408.19nm.

The laser cost me $10.88, and was purchased on 07-12-10 (or "12 Jul 2010" if you prefer).
The direct-entry URL to it on my website is http://ledmuseum.candlepower.us/29/bluray10.htm

 

[rev0]

Scary. I can imagine how many people just buy these things on Ebay, clueless, and wave them around like any old <5mW red pointer...

It wouldn't help in this instance, but sometimes I think we ought to have a "laser license", just like the FCC does with amateur radio (which I just passed last week). A simple safety/common sense with a little electronics info thrown in there, that any half-decent hobbyist would pass, but would spread a lot of good safety info to those who want to play with high power lasers legally.

 

[00Giorge]

Yes, all of the lasers in my custody (including these violets) were measured using a LPM -- it is a silicon photodetctor-type that can measure up to 400mW at ~400nm.

Let me go double-check...that "60mW" value may be in error -- though I suspect that if it is, it won't be by much...BBS...ok, one measured 57.60mW and...BINGO! Found one on my website that measured 61.470mW with a wavelength (measured spectrographically) of 408.19nm.

The laser cost me $10.88, and was purchased on 07-12-10 (or "12 Jul 2010" if you prefer).

Wow, that's pretty good. I don't have an LPM, I would like to have one, but I can't justify 2 to 300$ for one. I have 2 of those violets for what I paid for them I can't complain, they are great.

Jeff

 

[00Giorge]

Scary. I can imagine how many people just buy these things on Ebay, clueless, and wave them around like any old <5mW red pointer...

It wouldn't help in this instance, but sometimes I think we ought to have a "laser license", just like the FCC does with amateur radio (which I just passed last week). A simple safety/common sense with a little electronics info thrown in there, that any half-decent hobbyist would pass, but would spread a lot of good safety info to those who want to play with high power lasers legally.

Yes I agree totally, I have to take a class to get my concealed weapons permit, so why not for a high powered laser.

There are too many idiots that have or can get a HP laser and don't have a clue!

My neighbor in Portland OR was a ham radio finatic, he even repairs radios for other operators. :beer:

 

[JaiNobeZ]

The old "laser license" discussion. We've seen it before. The main problems with the licensing system are:

1) Once you have licenses for lasers, you'll need licenses for power tools, darts, hand-tools, blowtorches, ciggarette lighters, all manner of things (all of which i have currently in my bedroom)

2) The licenses would (i'm assuming) apply to lasers >5mW, in which case these things would get through anyway because they're sold online via China

3) Another major issue is the way that there already are laws relating to laser purchase in America & in Australia & it doesn't work because it's not enforced.

Finally
4) Personal choice. The possibly overused but always standing argument that if someone wants to harm themselves, they should be allowed to. I also wouldn't know where to get a laser license, fewer people are interested than are interested in getting a driving license for example so it wouldn't be easily available to most people.

 

[kathy82]

If you hold a bright source (incandescent lamp for example) you can still see a faint red glow, but I doubt you can see it when an infrared led is behind it.
940nm shouldn't be visible to the eye, I can't even see 850nm LED.

 

[MorgothV8]

808 nm 500 mW - laser beam dot is visible as red in darkness (I mean dot on paper - not tried on my eyes directly - probably 500 mW will burn them in just few ms)

 

[zyxwv99]

The cyan you saw may have been caused by your own eyeball. The human retina is capable of functioning as a frequency doubler at high wavelengths. I just thought it only worked with pulsed lasers.

I'm aware of the article on 1064nm being visible. I even started a thread on the subject, "What's the highest wavelength you've ever seen?" (http://laserpointerforums.com/f40/what-longest-wavelength-laser-light-you-have-seen-83438.html) This Sunday I'm going to the main branch of the library to read the entire article (Sliney 1976).

By the way, great experiment.

 

[jeffreythe00]

Do you guys know that this thread is over 3 years old!?

 

[Atomicrox]

It's still interesting, though.

 

[samwhiteUK]

I can't believe the "advice" that some on here are giving. Most of you have said don't do it, but personally I wouldn't even say "if you are going to, do this, but my advice is don't do it". The answer should be a straight up no, without giving them advice on how to do it SHOULD they want to go against you. A lot of people reading will look for the first excuse to actually try it.

A few examples.....

you are going to do something potentially dangerous like that (who knows if that pointer is really overspec 50mW?) at least try it by pointing it near your eye instead of into it. The obvious answer though is just don't do it.. You wouldn't point a potentially loaded firearm at your face would you? Lasers need to be treated with respect and caution, once you stop being afraid of their potential consequences is when your safety practices will slip and accidents will happen.

You guys think every one is a troll... Maybe he is just not the brightest light bulb. you could try un focusing it as well if you do decide to do the dumb thing

I would advise not to do it. Try:
1. turn shower on hot an close door and windows and look for beam and/or dot.
2. Use incense instead and do the same.

Well... should you persist against the other members' reasoning, meter it beforehand. My opinion is that you should use LEDs. But i'm really curious as to know what happens so post results. Even if they are "severe damage".

DON'T GIVE THEM THE EXCUSE! :scowl:

OP, and people in future, don't point a laser in your eye, for god's sake. What's to gain? To see if you'll damage your vision? Its like shooting yourself in the foot and seeing if you can walk. If you can, you haven't lost anything, and you haven't gained anything. If you can't....well, you dun goofed. There's no potential gain.

 

[Things]

You know the OP hasn't even logged in in the last 3 years, right? No point trying to warn them about it ...

 

[samwhiteUK]

Same goes for everyone though.

I checked the last post date to make sure I wasn't bumping an old thread, didn't realise someone had already done it. Apologies!

 

[Terabyte2007]

I've recently gotten into cheap lower-powered lasers, and I'm interested in the limits of human vision. To that end, I just bought a 5 mW 980 nm laser off the Internet. As I understand it, looking directly into lasers of that power for a time on the order of a few seconds should be fairly safe. If I do this with the laser I just bought, what do you think will happen?

Possibilities:
-I see a red light when I shine it into my eye.
-980 nm is totally invisible, and I see nothing.
-I fry my eye, due to some difference between the 650 nm lasers that are virtually harmless and 980 nm light at the same intensity

No laser, I repeat, NO laser should be purposely pointed directly into the eyes. This is foolish practice and amateur.