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FrozenGate by Avery

why are blue lasers so expensive?

I didn't bother reading all of the replies, so forgive me if my response has been covered already...

The reason why blue and yellow are more expensive than others:

1. Different technology: Blue (473nm), Yellow (589nm and 593.5nm), and Green (532nm) are DPSS (Diode Pumped Solid State). The more common reds and violets are diode lasers. DPSS is more complicated technology and is therefore more expensive.
The reason green is so cheap these days is because it is one of the most efficient DPSS laser types. Blue and Yellow are much more inefficient and require a lot of pump power for little output. Blue diodes exist but are very expensive since they are new technology. They also have very few applications compared to some of the more common wavelengths.

2. Supply and demand: There are many applications for Violet, Red, and Green lasers these days, (as well as Infrared) but Yellow and Blue are very uncommon outside of the physics and medical professions.
If the need for these wavelengths was greater, the supply would be greater. And competition would help bring the price down.
 





Meatball said:
KTP is not much less in price than a nice chunk of LBO. Ebay is evidence of that, justr seeing how widely available the stuff really is.

The thing is, is that now you usually buy your KTP already fused to the Nd:YAG. That's cheating in my opinion, but it does make green assemblies cheaper to produce.

Where do you get those 640nm diodes? Are those in 5.6mm packages?
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I guess the price of DPSS blue comes from the pump diode too. Getting 100mW of 473 compared to 100mW of green is gonna take a whole lot more power, and as far as I know, c-mounts are only available up to 5W, which won't get you a whole heap of blue.

I believe the 640nm diodes are 5.6mm, but I haven't opened up my module to check.

There is a website you can buy them from, I'll see if I can find it.
 
one of the reasons i stick to red and green is blu is too expensive but one day one day they shall be cheap. probably when they will run on something toxic :(
 
I've never seen a red 640nm diode that strong, and if it is single mode then I bet it is 5.6mm.

I'm interested in that link if you have it :D
 
holy crap $470 wow id love one ofthose but what do u do if u accidently screw the circuit. i would be so pissed.
p.s guys pls check out my first laser build thread and tell me what you think
 
.... well a link to your first laser build would help a bit. :D

The price on those 445nm diodes will come down in time.
 
$180 for 150mW of 635? If they can be had for that then I must have one :D

Seems sketchy though, I haven't seen any builds, do you have some links?
 
Last edited:
oikos said:
is there a science/physic limitation behind why the mass production jump from 635nm to 532nm and then to 405nm while the 473nm, 593nm, 589nm remain uncommon and expensive? :tired: thanx :)
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Girls....

It's based off of the market. Red diodes were in CD/DVD burners. Violets in BlueRay Burners. The Green lasers have just been around long enough.

Soon though we will have diodes from those laser tvs. Now that would be nice.
 
laa laser tv! is that like an led tv with lasers
???
it would be a fortune to get one., but if one breaks it would be awesome heheh
 
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