Inevitably, whenever we hear the term “laser,” we think of science fiction, ray guns, blasters, and so forth-if you’re at all like me, the very first thing that comes to mind is “Han shot first!” Regardless, it’s worth noting what, precisely, a laser is. A really elementary comprehension of lasers, particularly laser diodes, will present you with a greater appreciation for just how important lasers are to day-to-day living today.
Laser is an acronym that is short for "Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation." If this sounds elaborate, that's because it is! Both the recent green laser pointers and their more common red counterparts are the most common examples of lasers, known as laser diodes. In an effort to stick to the basics and keep this discussion on how lasers work from getting scientific and lengthy, I'll instead focus on the roles laser diodes play in our daily lives and what makes them so vital.
In 2004, more than 733 million laser diodes were sold, which is 5,595 times more than all the other types of lasers put together. The main reason for such an amazing amount is because laser diodes are pretty much everywhere. You see them any time you go to the store in the form of barcode readers, and they are also found in rangefinders. Because they are so easily modulated, laser diodes are used extensively in telecommunications applications as the light sources for fiber optics communications. Your home printer and scanner use high and low power lasers as light sources, just as their high resolution counterparts. CD players, CD ROMs, and DVD players all make full use of infrared laser diodes. Gaming systems of more recent years, as well as Blu-ray players, use violet laser diodes. And finally, ultraviolet lasers are used regularly in cosmetic dental work and the manufacturing of circuit boards. If you have ever had your teeth whitened in a dentist's office, that was a UV laser they used on your teeth.
More accessible laser diodes include gun sights and the common laser pointers. The power output of any laser pointer's laser driver in the USA is capped at 5 mW or less. In recent times, however, infrared laser modules have been made available for an affordable price which will output up to 1000 mW. Handheld laser diodes that produce a level of light strong enough to disturb airline pilots during the night are on
the market, but have been disallowed in many countries around the world, including the United States.
Within the next few decades, laser diodes will more than likely lose their popularity to the much more effective and high-output fiber laser. Fiber lasers are so powerful and compact that they can theoretically be used in our favorite handheld, directed-energy weapons from science fiction. At the moment, however, fiber lasers remain technologically unviable. To put it differently, laser diodes are here to stay, at least for the forseeable future.
Laser is an acronym that is short for "Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation." If this sounds elaborate, that's because it is! Both the recent green laser pointers and their more common red counterparts are the most common examples of lasers, known as laser diodes. In an effort to stick to the basics and keep this discussion on how lasers work from getting scientific and lengthy, I'll instead focus on the roles laser diodes play in our daily lives and what makes them so vital.
In 2004, more than 733 million laser diodes were sold, which is 5,595 times more than all the other types of lasers put together. The main reason for such an amazing amount is because laser diodes are pretty much everywhere. You see them any time you go to the store in the form of barcode readers, and they are also found in rangefinders. Because they are so easily modulated, laser diodes are used extensively in telecommunications applications as the light sources for fiber optics communications. Your home printer and scanner use high and low power lasers as light sources, just as their high resolution counterparts. CD players, CD ROMs, and DVD players all make full use of infrared laser diodes. Gaming systems of more recent years, as well as Blu-ray players, use violet laser diodes. And finally, ultraviolet lasers are used regularly in cosmetic dental work and the manufacturing of circuit boards. If you have ever had your teeth whitened in a dentist's office, that was a UV laser they used on your teeth.
More accessible laser diodes include gun sights and the common laser pointers. The power output of any laser pointer's laser driver in the USA is capped at 5 mW or less. In recent times, however, infrared laser modules have been made available for an affordable price which will output up to 1000 mW. Handheld laser diodes that produce a level of light strong enough to disturb airline pilots during the night are on
the market, but have been disallowed in many countries around the world, including the United States.
Within the next few decades, laser diodes will more than likely lose their popularity to the much more effective and high-output fiber laser. Fiber lasers are so powerful and compact that they can theoretically be used in our favorite handheld, directed-energy weapons from science fiction. At the moment, however, fiber lasers remain technologically unviable. To put it differently, laser diodes are here to stay, at least for the forseeable future.
