Lasers are becoming more and more widespread in today’s world. The laser pointer has become a powerful tool for presentations and a valuable gadget for home use.
Lasers come in various colors: red, green, blue, and even violet. Each color laser has its unique properties and strength that you can use to your advantage.
In this article, we will be looking at the most common types of laser diodes and what kind of applications they are typically used for so that you can make an informed decision about which type is right for your needs.
What Color Laser Is The Strongest?
Green lasers are the most substantial laser pointers in the world. Green lasers can be much more potent than red or blue lasers, and they have many applications, including tools used in the medical industry and scientific instruments.
Aside from their higher power, the human eye is sensitive to the green wavelength at around 520 nanometers. What does this mean? Our eyes can see green light more quickly than any other color of light. So if you’re looking for a laser that stands out, go with green.
What Is A Laser?
Laser is a word used in modern times to refer to a device that emits light through the amplification of electromagnetic radiation, particularly waves in the infrared and visible range.
Lasers transmit energy in a coherent, narrow, and intense light line. The laser’s light passes through a series of mirrors and lenses, which focus the different colored lights onto one spot so that only one color emerges from the end.
1960 was the year that produced the first working laser. Since then, laser technology has become widespread, to the point where rampant use of lasers is in many applications: in CD and DVD players, barcode scanners, laser pointers, and even hair removal treatments.
Lasers are of great importance to industry, science, and medicine. For example, the most popular laser cutting machine is the CO2 laser, widely used in industry.
Classes Of Lasers
There are two systems of laser classifications:
- The Old System has Classes I, II, IIa, IIb, IIIa, IIIb, and IV.
Class IIIa is the strongest, and its everyday use is for laser hair removal. The class determines the number of milliwatts that the machine can emit; Class IIIa lasers can emit up to 1,500 milliwatts.
- The Revised System comes with seven classes.
Applications Of Lasers
Laser is one of the most fundamental and vital discoveries of the 20th century.
A laser is one of the most amazing inventions, and its use is in everything from medicine to military operations. A laser can do almost anything, from increasing accuracy during surgery to blasting missiles from outer space.
Here are some applications of laser that you might not be aware of:
Lasik eye surgery
The lasers reshape the cornea, which is the clear outer surface of the eye. The procedure helps in improving vision and reduces dependency on glasses and contact lenses. An ophthalmologist performs the procedure.
They are also used to treat eye diseases, repair eye damage, remove cataracts and perform cosmetic surgery.
Other Laser Surgery
Lasers are often used during surgeries because they increase accuracy and speed. The laser only hits the precise area in need of treatment, which reduces the risk of damaging other areas.
This technology also removes the need for scalpel blades, resulting in less blood loss and fewer complications.
Laser Cutting
Laser cutting is one of the most popular applications of lasers. It cuts through various materials, including plastics, ceramics, and metals.
Laser Hair removal
In this procedure, laser light destroys hair follicles with heat energy. The goal is to destroy the root of the hair so that it will not grow back.
Tattoo removal
Lasers can now be used to remove tattoos. This allows tattoo artists to remove old or unwanted tattoos for their clients without damaging the skin.
Military Operations
Lasers are used extensively in the military. Military lasers are used to shoot down missiles, mark targets, and differentiate friendlies from enemies, especially at night for aircraft. They are also used in gunsights to aim firearms.
- Drilling holes and welding
- Lectures and visual presentations
- In construction(leveling) and in decorating
- In astronomy (aligning telescopes with a specific star)
- To detect and measure distance and velocity.
- In training robots
- In scientific research such as photonics
- In entertainment joints such as clubs, parties, and outdoor concerts
The beam from high-powered lasers can project colorful images onto smoke-filled air, creating a unique visual experience for the audience.
- Props for magicians
- Used as rescue signals
- Useful for hiking and camping in scaring away wild animals
- Playthings for pets such as cats
- Barcode scanners
What Are The Different Colors Of Lasers?
In the past, lasers have been available in the visible light spectrum. This is because the wavelengths of light that a laser can produce are limited to red, green, and blue.
However, several new lasers are now in use for various applications. These new lasers are often considered ultra-violet (UV) or violet lasers.
These new lasers work by producing shorter wavelengths of light than the three traditional colors produced by a laser. UV and violet lasers are the most common types of lasers in the world today.
The color of a laser depends on what atoms or molecules are in the lasing medium. Different lasing media emit different colors.
Lasers come in different colors, with each color having its characteristics. Most lasers produce red light in the US and Europe, but some produce infrared or blue light.
Green Lasers
Green lasers are a laser that uses a beam with a wavelength of about 532 nanometers, so it is at the end of the green spectrum.
The laser light is created by pumping energy into a crystal made from neodymium. The crystals are excited by electricity and then release light that can be used to create green laser pointers.
Lasers fall into two categories: gas lasers and solid-state lasers. Gas lasers are more common, but solid-state lasers are smaller and more efficient. Green lasers can be found in either category, depending on what is needed for the application.
Organizations use green lasers for many things, including communication, research, surgery, and entertainment. The military also uses green lasers for targeting and guiding weapons systems.
Red Lasers
Red lasers have comparatively low power output and lower energy per photon, so their use is limited compared to the other colors. They come in 638 nm, 650 nm, and 670 nm.
Red lasers are a type of laser that is mainly used for entertainment purposes, such as in rock concerts and laser light shows. Red lasers are less likely to injure someone’s eyes than green or blue lasers because they have lower power levels.
Blue Lasers
Blue laser diodes are the most common type of lasers used in industry. They have the shortest wavelength (450 nm, 473nm, 488 nm). Hence they produce the highest energy and peak power emission.
They have the highest energy per photon and are thus powerful. The widespread use of blue lasers is in information technology, medical science, military, and meteorology.
Blue lasers are more widely used than other colors because they have a higher frequency and carry more information than red or green lasers. For example, Blu-ray disc players use blue laser diodes rather than red to carry more data at a higher rate.
Hazards And Risks
However, the use of lasers is not without hazards and risks.
Since the invention of lasers, there has been a growing need to educate the public about the hazards associated with laser pointers. According to various reports, there has been an increase in laser pointer incidents in recent years.
We know that exposure to direct laser beams can cause injury. This is why it is so important to use laser safety goggles when working with lasers. Lasers can be potent and dangerous;
- They can cause serious eye injuries.
For example, optical radiation from lasers is the cause of nearly 30% of eye injuries suffered by military personnel.
For laser beams to be safe for both military use and medical use, there must be strict regulations on the power of laser beams.
They can damage the human eye and skin and burn wood, paper, plastic, and other materials. Because of this danger, many local laws and international treaties have been enacted to control the use of lasers.
Conclusion
Lasers are used in the medical field, military, food and beverage processing, construction, and laser tag. So, what color laser pointer is the strongest? Green laser pointers are the strongest, followed closely by blue.
Red lasers seem weaker, while violet lasers can be as intense as red, but they are scarce. We hope this guide has helped determine which laser pointer is right for you!
