What have I missed in LASER technology in the last year?

[laser83]

I used be a frequent poster I was around before the forum change here in fact. The past year for me has had busy with my job and many personal issues. I've had no real time for lasers so I had mark them off the hobby list. I have time again and I notice the technology has jumped very quickly! 445nm diodes 1500mW portable lasers!? I can recall when the first 500mW blu-ray laser was considered extremely powerful. What's new in LASER technology aside from these new wave of 445nm diodes? I'm curious to know what I've been developed since I've been away.

 

[RA_pierce]

Portable DPSS blue in 473nm is available in powers exceeding 80mW.
One member had a 473nm pen outputting ~69mW.

500mW 638nm diodes are available. Similar beam characteristics to the 445 diodes.

Class IIIb DPSS yellow is available in 589nm (up to and beyond 100mW in some portables).

Green diodes are being developed.

 

[DJNY]

671nm and 561nm are "availbale" in portables.

 

[laser83]

Ah, so the green diode is still in development. The variety of new wavelengths available in laser tech is indeed interesting. I'm wondering what the next stage of development will bring. There is no "white wavelength" but around nm 500-480 looks fairly close. As I recall a member here created a laser that appeared white by combing diodes though I may mistaken.