Laser Pointers That Burn

Green laser pointers

The Green Laser pointer appeared on the market in the year 2000, and are the most common type of lasers. They are more complicated than standard red laser pointers, because laser diodes are not commonly available in this wavelength range.

The green light is generated in an indirect process, beginning with a high-power (typically 100-400 mW) infrared AlGaAs laser diode operating around 808 nm.

These are the simplest pointers, as laser diodes are available in these wavelengths. The pointer is no more than a battery-powered laser diode. The first red laser pointers released in the early 1980s were large, unwieldy devices that sold for hundreds of dollars.

Today, they are much smaller and generally cost very little. In recent years, diode-pumped solid-state (DPSS) red laser pointers emitting at 671 nm became available. Although this wavelength can be obtained directly with an inexpensive laser diode, higher beam quality and narrower spectral bandwidth are achieved through DPSS.