What all can a laser lase and make "radioactive"?

[Thorsteenster]

I've seen uranium glass is UV reactive and I'd guess a 405nm would make it glow.
But what else can a laser make glow?

Being this subforum only has one thread, thought it might be nice to have another with various materials a laser can "glow up"

 

[RedCowboy]

I know a little about laser uranium enrichment, but I have not heard of a laser making anything radioactive.....

Well now this is interesting.....I assume it would have longer range than today's back-scatter x-ray technology.

Radioactive material detected remotely using laser-induced electron avalanche breakdown

Physicists have developed a powerful new method to detect radioactive material. By using an infrared laser beam to induce an electron avalanche breakdown near the material, the new technique can detect shielded material from a distance -- improving upon current technologies that require close...

www.sciencedaily.com

 

[Thorsteenster]

Ha, I was just going along with the sub-forum title! lol

That is pretty interesting, thanks for sharing!

I've got a couple small bits of uranium glass on my Ebay watchlist at 0 bids. If no one bids I'll swoop in, but would like to get some various small bits for lasing. And showing off of course....

 

[CurtisOliver]

A 408nm can make nearly all fluorescent materials glow. 445nm, 488nm and even 523nm can also cause fluorescence in certain materials. There are cases where you need sub 385nm in order to have enough energy to cause particular objects to glow. An example is a crystal called lapis lazuli. Under 408nm it’s produces very weak orange patches. Under 385nm my sample illuminates very broadly these pretty orange streaks.

Lasers don’t however add to radioactivity typically. Red has shared one good example.

If you want a piece of uranium glass go for art deco or equivalent era pieces. The uranium content is higher. Look for glassware like you would imagine your Nan having at some point.

 

[Thorsteenster]

A 408nm can make nearly all fluorescent materials glow. 445nm, 488nm and even 523nm can also cause fluorescent in certain materials. There are cases where you need sub 385nm in order to have enough energy to cause particular objects to glow. An example is a crystal called lapis lazuli. Under 408nm it’s produces very weak orange patches. Under 385nm my sample illuminates very broadly these pretty orange streaks.

Lasers don’t however add to radioactivity typically. Red has shared one good example.

If you want a piece of uranium glass go for art deco or equivalent era pieces. The uranium content is higher. Look for glassware like you would imagine your Nan having at some point.

Thanks, the lapis lazuli sounds interesting, I'd like to see that!

Is vaseline glass essentially the same as uranium glass? The listings I'm watching on Ebay say they're both but don't mention their vintage.
It is said both glow under UV though and has pictures glowing.

 

[CurtisOliver]

Vaseline glass is sometimes used as a synonym however iirc there is a technical difference. However you just want a piece that is preferably predating 1930. Restrictions on uranium content came in later on and limited the amount of uranium that could be included.

I’ll see if I can get a some pics added here tomorrow if that crystal.

 

[CurtisOliver]

Thanks, the lapis lazuli sounds interesting, I'd like to see that!

Is vaseline glass essentially the same as uranium glass? The listings I'm watching on Ebay say they're both but don't mention their vintage.
It is said both glow under UV though and has pictures glowing.

Here is the lapis lazuli under white light:



Under 408nm:



It was really difficult to photograph the orange parts with my phone for 408nm. More was present than shown in the images. However they are weak and not as plentiful.

And now under 385nm:


And some bonus pics. 408nm fluorescing different live edge acrylics and phosphorescent 3D prints.



And on topic of radioactivity, that is a custom made holder for 9 tritium vials. Nothing like a radioactive night light.

 

[Sowee7]

A 408nm can make nearly all fluorescent materials glow. 445nm, 488nm and even 523nm can also cause fluorescence in certain materials. There are cases where you need sub 385nm in order to have enough energy to cause particular objects to glow. An example is a crystal called lapis lazuli. Under 408nm it’s produces very weak orange patches. Under 385nm my sample illuminates very broadly these pretty orange streaks.

Lasers don’t however add to radioactivity typically. Red has shared one good example.

If you want a piece of uranium glass go for art deco or equivalent era pieces. The uranium content is higher. Look for glassware like you would imagine your Nan having at some point.

I've seen some materials that dimly fluoresce under 594nm laser light and some materials that need below 300nm (UVC) to fluoresce. As Curtis said, a 395nm-405nm light source should be able to make most fluorescent materials glow brightly

 

[CurtisOliver]

Fluorescence can theoretically occur under long wavelengths as it just needs to be a photon with higher energy than the emission. Short wave visible and UV will obviously yield the best visible results.

 

[Thorsteenster]

That Lapis looks pretty sweet under the 385nm!

Nice collection, thanks for sharing!

 

[CurtisOliver]

That Lapis looks pretty sweet under the 385nm!

Nice collection, thanks for sharing!

It was a surprising one. Thanks. We should have a thread where we can share cool minerals and fluorescent/phosphorescent objects.

 

[Unown (WILD)]

I should get some uranium. I could use a third arm. Heheh

 

[CurtisOliver]

Its a good element to have. Not too dangerous yet notorious. And its fluorescence is a nice feature.

 

[CurtisOliver]

I experimented with making corundum today with a co2 laser.
I was pleasantly surprised to get some results. Present are ruby and at least two varieties of sapphire.



The ruby’s are fluorescent. I have made more since and will try to get better images.

 

[kecked]

Radiation from lasers is posssible for governments. There are terawatt lasers that can actually do nu,clear reactions but not likely coming to your basement. I think one article involved soliton waves? And not the startrek variety.

 

[paul1598419]

Thanks, the lapis lazuli sounds interesting, I'd like to see that!

Is vaseline glass essentially the same as uranium glass? The listings I'm watching on Ebay say they're both but don't mention their vintage.
It is said both glow under UV though and has pictures glowing.

I don't recall ever hearing about a Lapis crystal. They are a semiprecious stone, though.