Go Greener Tips

A green laser pointer produces a far brighter visible beam than any other color of laser. This is not necessarily because the lasers are modded to such high powers, but instead because green is the brightest color in the visible light spectrum to the human eye.

This is why the lower power 5mw green laser beam is clearly visible under the cover of night or a little bit of smoke. Still it seems this is not enough for most laser enthusiasts out there, they feel a need to modify their laser pointer to increase the strength of the beam, with little regard to the obvious safety hazards.

A green pointer with a simple on/off push button switch is not legally allowed to be sold above an output of 5mW in the united states and many other countries. This makes getting your hands on high power green lasers a little bit more tricky. If you know where to look, you can easily pick up high quality hand held and industrial laser goods right from the web through reliable retailers with no hesitation. But, if this is out of your budget and you’re looking to buy green laser pointers cheap you may consider modding your pointer.

The 532nm green laser crystal can be a bit less complicated to work with than that of a red laser pointer, which is yet another reason why green lazer pointers are so popular for laser modification. A simple sottering kit will be needed to complete this task, oh and of course your laser. Now, if you have a high power green laser, there is no sense in toying with it because there is always the possibility for complete failure or permanent damage to your laser pen.

So, unscrew your lasers end-cap and carefully remove the batteries or power source. You may be able to see the green diode and even remove it if you have a real cheap laser, but most likely this won’t be the case. A lot of laser manufacturers have made getting at the diode rather difficult, not so we can’t mod them, but so the laser stays in its solid state and remains durable. These are high precision crystal diodes and one variation can lead to a dispersed beam.

If the diode is removable you are in luck, if not, i’d let the professionals handle your lasers. Spend the money, you will not be disappointed. But for all of you cheapskates that want the cheapest green laser pointer possible, and I feel where you are coming from, we need to remove the diode and locate the green laser crystal. You will notice it is round, maybe the size of the flat end of a pin, and looks like a cd or dvd laser eye. You will need to heat up your sottering kit and put on some safety goggles.

Now we very carefully heat the diode until the crystal has been visibly changed, its great to have a few diodes laying around to get the hang of which way the green crystal needs to be heated for proper beam propulsion, but make do with what you can. After you have heated and molded the crystal, from a round shape to an oval shape preferably, replace the diode into the laser casing. Return the pointers batteries and end-cap, then turn your green pointer on. Has the beams output power been increased? You will be able to tell immediately if you have drastically increased the output of your green laser, but if the change is slight or you have ruined your laser we may be out of luck.

I’m suggesting if you want a perfectly collimated long lasting green laser pointer, you purchase the higher output powers. These high tech gadgets come with warranties and there is no risk in losing your pointer entirely. But for everyone on a budget who really needs a 50mW green pointer or higher, you can always try (I want to stress the word TRY) to mod your green beam at home. Either way, be careful with all lasers.

James has been a laser hobbyist since he purchased his first green laser pointer and has modded hundreds of them since. He prefers professional laser tools, but enjoys the occasional “home made” laser. His professionally certified Green Laser Pointers come from http://www.ThinkLasers.com

Author: Jim Bradley
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Digital Camera News