Why non-green dpss lasers are so expensive?

[Rafa]

I wonder why a 532nm green <30mW costs about $15 and a 20mW 473nm blue costs about $400.

 

[photonaholic]

Because green being the most visible, quickly making the most popular worldwide, causing demand for the product to skyrocket quickly, forcing manufacturers to produce many units quickly, and it's the oldest technology.

supply, demand & age. (the Chinese have perfected cheap mass production of a product that sells quickly)

Blue is a far more recent discovery, in a few years the price will drop tremendously.

 

[photonaholic]

Because green being the most visible, quickly making the most popular worldwide, causing demand for the product to skyrocket quickly, forcing manufacturers to produce many units quickly, and it's the oldest technology.

supply, demand & age. (the Chinese have perfected cheap mass production of a product that sells quickly)

Blue is a far more recent discovery, in a few years the price will drop tremendously.

 

[Rafa]

Ok thanks

 

[Flaminpyro]

Everone duck the server is about to self distruct :gun:

 

[TeLight]

Because green being the most visible, quickly making the most popular worldwide, causing demand for the product to skyrocket quickly, forcing manufacturers to produce many units quickly, and it's the oldest technology.

supply, demand & age. (the Chinese have perfected cheap mass production of a product that sells quickly)

Blue is a far more recent discovery, in a few years the price will drop tremendously.

I've always though it was because 473 DPSS was much more inefficient then 532 DPSS. Thereby, requiring more powerful pump diodes, drivers, and of course more expensive crystals.

Please correct me if I am wrong, but just off the top off my head 473nm DPSS is about 3-4% effecient, while 532nm DPSS is 20-25%.

 

[Jaseth]

@ TeLight
This is also true. However, I think we are all hoping that efficiency is increased and cost of production is reduced as the technology reaches a wider audience.
For the reason you mentioned, 473nm DPSS will most likely always be quite a lot more expensive than 532nm DPSS, even when the cost of producing the crystals drops significantly, but as long as it reaches a more "fair" cost, where most laser enthusiasts can afford at least a lower powered unit, I think we will be happy

Seb

 

[Rafa]

@ TeLight
This is also true. However, I think we are all hoping that efficiency is increased and cost of production is reduced as the technology reaches a wider audience.
For the reason you mentioned, 473nm DPSS will most likely always be quite a lot more expensive than 532nm DPSS, even when the cost of producing the crystals drops significantly, but as long as it reaches a more "fair" cost, where most laser enthusiasts can afford at least a lower powered unit, I think we will be happy

Seb

Anyway, can't a diode with less wavelenght be used with the same crystals as the green DPSS?

 

[ElektroFreak]

Anyway, can't a diode with less wavelenght be used with the same crystals as the green DPSS?

No. The physics involved in most common DPSS lasers will only work with 808nm pump diodes, and only specific crystals with just the right coatings will produce other colors. To properly answer your question will take considerable time, as it is complex. To get a better idea of what is involved in DPSS, read this section of Sam's Laser FAQ: Sam's Laser FAQ - Solid State Lasers

 

[photonaholic]

Just a few years ago, a nice cell phone cost hundreds, now they give them away with an airtime plan.

Flat panel TV hit the market at a very high number, last Christmas Wal mart had some for under $200.

just a few years ago a 300mhz computer was a couple grand to get, now a 3000mhz (3ghz) with specs that make tha 300mhz laughable can be had for $400.

As with all new technology, pay now or wait it out.......

 

[Laser_Ben]

There is a difference between a consumer market that uses hundreds of millions of something and a hobbiest niche that uses tens of thousands. The reason that the parts for blue lasers are expensive is because there has been no demand to make them cheaper. If suddenly all computers had to have one, it would become very cheap.

 

[photonaholic]

I was thinking about that too Ben, aside from the "nifty" factor, there will have to be some sort of a widespread commercial need before the production lines will speed up.

 

[ndrew2505]

what about the laser tv's? that could cause blue and green diodes to come out in the near future.

 

[mfo]

what about the laser tv's? that could cause blue and green diodes to come out in the near future.

The 3d tv's they're working on use lasers right?

 

[Jaseth]

Yes, blue and green laser diodes will most likely take over before the DPSS technology becomes particularly cheap. They will obviously be different wavelengths from the DPSS blue and green we know, but close enough to take their place.
DPSS units have far lower limits on being modulated and that is just one of the reasons that I don't think they will be widely available for much longer.

Seb

 

[Rafa]

what about the laser tv's? that could cause blue and green diodes to come out in the near future.

They use diodes, not dpss.
Anyway sounds cool, laser 3D tv