subject: Why Blue Laser Pointers Are Much More Expensive Than Green Laser Pointers [print this page] One of the clearest differences amid a blue laser pointer and a green laser pointer is value. A 10mW blue laser pointer price $700 compared to the value of the equal 15mW green laser pointer that price $100.
It is not only blue laser pointers that are further pricey. Blue laser modules, OEM lasers and lab lasers are also extremely pricey than their green counterparts. The cause for such a huge value differences are the processes exercised to make the laser beam, the components used that the manufacturing volumes.
Beam generation process
Both blue and green laser pointers have a pump diode that supplies infrared 808nm light that is exercised to pump the similar kind of crystals. The pumped crystals in turn supply light in the far infrared spectrum. The dissimilarity amid blue and green lasers is the optical coatings on the pumped crystals and the kind of far infrared light made by these crystals.
The pumped crystals in a green laser pointer contain an optical coating that reason the crystals to supply mostly 1064nm infrared light that is frequency twofold by one more crystal to green 532nm light. The pumped crystals in a blue laser pointer contain a dissimilar coating that causes the crystals to supply mostly 946nm infrared light that is also frequency twofold by one more crystal to 473nm light.
The components
The procedure of making 1064nm light is extremely efficient than creating 946nm light so blue laser pointers demand a great pump diode to make the similar power. The greater pump diode produces blue laser pointers additional costly. The frequency doubling crystals in blue laser pointers are rarer and further costly than those in green laser pointers.
Manufacturing volumes
Green laser pointers contain improved visibility than blue laser pointers and have fewer temperature troubles at higher power levels. This signifies that green lasers are exercised for a greater number of different functions for example astronomy, pointing, burning and signaling and are make in extremely high volumes. Blue laser pointers conversely are much limited in their function and are making in extremely lower volumes. Like any product, the lesser the volume generated, the further costly the product is.