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Feb 3, 2008

Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting

1. I just received my laser and it doesn't work. Is it broken?

2. How do I know that my handheld laser is delivering it's full advertised power?

3. Can I test the divergence of my laser?

4. My laser starts bright, then dims and fluctuates like this for a few seconds.

5. My laser won't pop balloons.

6. My laser won't cut black electrical tape.

7. My laser won't light matches.

8. My laser lights matches within the first few seconds, but then no longer does so.

9. I have a question not mentioned above. Is there anyone I can speak with?

I just received my laser and it doesn't work. Is it broken?

Due to international shipping regulations, we are unable to ship batteries to various countries. In order to get your portable laser unit working, you must first insert 2 AAA batteries into the back end of your laser unit.

Unscrew the metal cap located on top of the pen clip.
For Green lasers, place 2 x AAA batteries (negative end first) into your laser unit.
For red Pulsars, place 2 x AAA batteries (positive end first) into your laser unit.
Screw the battery cap back on.
Press the button and enjoy your Warn Lasers unit.

How do I know that my handheld laser is delivering its full advertised power?

Measuring the output of a portable handheld laser is relatively easy. We use a Coherent LaserCheck Power meter, along with other laboratory equipment, to ensure that laser output is what we say it is. If you would like to check for yourself, you can obtain a Pocket Laser Power Meter from websites such as eBay. You can also visually compare our laser modules to a >5mW green laser pointer to see the dramatic difference

Can I test the divergence of my laser?

Always wear laser eye protection during this test.
Project the beam onto a matte black surface at 1m. A metal surface painted with flat black paint works well.
Measure the diameter of the beam in mm excluding the area where the brightness is less than 20%.
Measure the beam again at 11m for the aperture of the laser module, excluding the area where laser power is less than 20% of the beam centre.

Subtract the value measured at 1m from the value measured at 11m. Divide the result by 10. This is approximately the divergence in mRad (milliradians).

My laser starts bright, then dims and fluctuates like this for a few seconds.

All DPSS lasers have an initial spike of power, in some cases this is more visible then others. This fluctuation which may look like dimming and flickering is completely normal as long as it lasts for only a few seconds or so. If it keeps flickering for an extended period of time, then you may have a stability problem. Please contact Warn Lasers at master@warnlaser.com.

My laser won't pop balloons.

Please check the following:
1. Try marking a black spot on the side of the balloon with a sharpie or other black marker.
2. Try using a darker colored balloon.
3. Try blowing the balloon up further.

If it still does not work, free feel to contact Warn Lasers at master@warnlaser.com.

(Keep in mind, only green lasers 100mW are designed to pop balloons.)

My laser won't cut electrical tape.

Try putting some weight on it so that it stretches. The ability to cut tape varies with the different types of tape. You can also use an optical lens to further focus the power of your laser beam.

My laser won't light matches.

Try using a match that has either a red tip or colored black tip (using a sharpie or any permanent maker). Also, try aiming the laser at the crown of the match head, as this seems to help. Keep in mind, only green lasers 100mW lasers are designed to light matches.

You can also use an optical lens to further focus the power of your laser beam.

My laser lights matches within the first few seconds, but then no longer does so.

You are using the peak output to light the match, this is the initial high rise in output that is characteristic of DPSS lasers. Also, lasers known to light matches may not be able to once the laser gets too warm or hot. However, once you let it cool down, it should once again be able to light them. This occurs because heat causes the pump diode and crystals to become less efficient under normal room temperatures.

I have a question not mentioned above. Is there anyone I can speak with?

For all other questions and concerns, please contact master@warnlaser.com.

Lasers for Dummies

1. What is a laser?

2. What are lasers used for?

3. What is wavelength?

4. How does wavelength affect laser visibility?

5.      What do you mean by laser "radiation"? Does it cause cancer?
6.      Does laser radiation make things radioactive?
7.      What do the different classifications of lasers mean?
8.      What is output power and how does it affect laser visibility?

9. Why do more powerful handheld lasers cost more?

10. Why do green lasers cost more than red lasers?

11. Why are green lasers better than red lasers?

12. Why are lasers uniquely hazardous?

13. Safety

14. Using your laser

15. Maintenance

What is a laser?

Laser stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.
A laser is a device that projects a highly concentrated narrow beam of light which is amplified to great brightness using stimulated radiation.

What are lasers used for?

Lasers are used for a variety of purposes including pointing out objects during a presentation, aligning materials at construction sites and in the home, and by doctors for cosmetic and surgical procedures. Many items you encounter on a daily basis use lasers, including CD and DVD players; bar code scanners; dental drills; laser-guided tools, such as levels; and laser pointers

What is wavelength?

Our eyes are sensitive to light which lies in a very small region of the electromagnetic spectrum labeled "visible light". This visible light corresponds to a wavelength range of 400 - 700 nanometers (nm) and a color range of violet through red. The human eye is not capable of "seeing" radiation with wavelengths outside the visible spectrum. The visible colors from shortest to longest wavelength are: violet, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red. Ultraviolet radiation has a shorter wavelength than the visible violet light. Infrared radiation has a longer wavelength than visible red light. The white light is a mixture of the colors of the visible spectrum. Black is a total absence of light.

How does wavelength affect laser visibility?

In non-technical terms, lower wavelength values have a longer range, are brighter, and generally have a larger spot size than a higher wavelength value. For example, a 635nM laser product is brighter with greater range than a 650nM laser product when both have the same the output power (as defined below). Combined with the appropriate output power, wavelength is an important consideration when using a laser product outdoors or in brightly lit interior environments.

What do you mean by laser "radiation"? Does it go through the body or cause cancer?

Some lasers emit radiation in the form of light. Others emit radiation that is invisible to the eye, such as ultraviolet or infrared radiation. In general, laser radiation is not in itself harmful, and behaves much like ordinary light in its interaction with the body. Laser radiation should not be confused with radio waves, microwaves, or the ionizing x-rays or radiation from radioactive substances such as radium.

Does laser radiation make things radioactive?

The use of the term radiation has occasionally led to a misconception that lasers make things radioactive. Normal applications do not have powerful enough beams to exceed the energy threshold for this. Only a few large research lasers have the ability to potentially make target materials slightly radioactive. The term radiation is used because the beam radiates out from the laser.

What do the different classifications of lasers mean?

Four major hazard classes (I to IV), including two subclasses (IIIa and IIIb), of lasers--ranging from those that pose no known hazard to those that pose serious danger if used improperly. The higher the class, the more powerful the laser is.

Class	Laser Hazard	Product Examples
I	Laser usually contained within the product and considered non- hazardous.	Laser printers CD players DVD players
II IIa	Visible laser or laser system that cannot cause eye damage unless viewed directly for an extended period of time, or with magnifiers, binoculars, or telescopes.	Bar code scanners
IIIa IIIb	Laser that normally does not present a risk of injury if viewed momentarily with an unaided eye, but may present a greater risk if viewed using magnifiers, binoculars, or telescopes. Laser can cause eye damage if viewed directly	Laser pointers Laser light shows Industrial lasers Research lasers
IV	Laser may cause severe eye injury with short duration exposure to the direct or reflected beam. May also cause severe skin damage and present a fire hazard.	Laser light shows Industrial lasers Research lasers

What is output power and how does it affect laser visibility?

The technical definition of output power as it relates to laser products is the power level of the laser beam. This is expressed in 'less than milliwatts (

Why do more powerful handheld lasers cost more?

Not every laser we buy from our suppliers produces the same output level. The key is the KTP crystal (KTiOPO4). A crystal with good efficiency produces a more powerful beam than a less-efficient crystal using the same current. You can compare this with two gasoline engines, one more efficient than the other. Although they both burn the same amount of gas, the more efficient engine produces more horsepower and is therefore more valuable.

The more efficient KTP crystals are likewise more valuable so we must charge more for our lasers that use them.

Why do green lasers cost more than red lasers?

We use more efficient KTP crystals in our green lasers. Green lasers also have more components and better laser diodes. Therefore the green lasers cost more than red lasers.

Why are green lasers better than red lasers?

The human eye is far more sensitive to green than red. If you were to view a red and green laser of equal power side by side, the green laser would appear far brighter than the red one.

Why are lasers uniquely hazardous?

Two characteristics of laser light contribute to the hazard:

Laser light can be emitted in a tight beam that does not grow in size at a distance from the laser. This means that the same degree of hazard can be present both close to and far from the laser.
The eye can focus a laser beam to a very small, intense spot on its retina, which can result in a burn or blind spot.

Safety

· Avoid looking directly into the laser beam of your laser or pointing the beam at any other person or animals. Note that laser beam is not all visible to the naked human eye. Our Laser is design to illustrate inanimate objects ONLY.

· Do not point the laser beam at mirror-like surfaces. A reflected beam can act like a direct beam on your eye.

· Should you have trouble operating the laser properly and dummies does not work, contact master@warnlasers.com for support. Do not attempt to service or fix the device yourself at any time.

· Do not disassemble the laser (doing so will also void your warranty) and do not attempt to service it yourself or operate it under abnormal condition.

· Never view a laser beam using an optical instrument, such as binocular or a microscope.

· Our Class IIIb handheld lasers are not toys and should not be used without appropriate precautions.

· Class IIIb laser can produce a hazard if viewed directly.

· Any Laser used for entertainment, display, demonstrations or any related use intended for public viewing (indoor or outdoors) shall be operated in accordance with the laws of your country.

· Observe all safety precautions with the laser that you would observe with a loaded firearm. (http://www.laserdevices.com/faq.asp)

Caution: Class IIIb lasers produce sufficient amount of energy to cause personal injury and start fires. Certified laser safety eyewear required when using these products.

Using your laser

For the compact pen sized laser pointers, Warn Lasers recommends a 100 second on and 10 second off duty cycle. For the larger Spyder II Series the duty cycle is 100% constant on with no harm to the laser module.

Maintenance

· Clear lens of your laser with dry soft cloth. Click here

· Our laser contains no user serviceable parts. Opening the enclosure will void the warranty.

· Our laser is not design to be use in extreme temperature and environments.

· Laser should be turned off when not in immediate use.

yellow laser

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The spectrum of yellow laser light (amber) propagates between the wavelengths of 589nm ~ 594nm and manufacturers have long desired to efficiently reproduce these amazing colors. DPSS lasers ushered in a new era of possibilities for the laser beam by allowing multi-spectrum miniaturized lasers to become reality. This is done by pumping IR laser diodes into crystal and optical arrays to achieve a broader range of spectral lasing. Much like the way DPSS green lasers have been produced in the past, yellow lasers are now popularized by the same principles.

Yellow pointers appeared less than 5 years ago and with evolving new technologies and innovations, yellow lasing techniques have successfully migrated into the portable laser pointer format. Laser enthusiasts can now have exclusive ownership of ambers and yellows at an affordable price. Like the color of the sun, the 593nm yellow wavelength is a beautiful representation of what DPSS lasers and smaller laser pointer technology can bring to the laser industry. They have become one of the mainstream wavelengths of choice for manufacturers and enthusiasts who want to put more spectrums into their laser or laser pointer collection.

Lasing yellow laser beams and the process in which they are propagated is a milestone in achievement within the laser industry. Lasers are becoming more affordable with an increase in output and popularity. Currently, the industry is seeing a recent evolution in the development of the worlds first green laser diode. Likewise, yellow lasers will migrate from diode pumped crystal arrays to new technologies which will negate the need for MCA/MOA configurations. Effectively, all DPSS lasers will be replaced by solid state diode allowing for higher stability, increased output, and longer laser diode life. There is no doubt yellow laser pointers are here to stay and only time will tell when they will be as common as the key chain laser pointer.

Feb 2, 2008
UV Lasers from Warnlaser

Ultraviolet laser products have primarily been used in advanced research and development and industrial manufacturing. UV lasers and optical emitters are also used in biotechnology and medical markets that require sterilization and disinfectant devices that require light sources from within the wavelength of Ultraviolet. Lasers in the UV range, same as those emitted by the sun, have very destructive capabilities. Lasers that are developed using ultraviolet under DPSS circuitry contain crystals from Nd:YAG/Nd:YVO4 garnet and are excellent choices in micro-machining applications and are often used in the manufacturing of printed circuit boards and consumer electronics.

UV Lasers are highly suitable for scientific and industrial uses as well as OEM applications and other projects that require micro-precision machining. Ultraviolet lasers are also used in cosmetic dentistry mainly to facilitate chemical bonding and bleaching of organic enamels and other procedures. Performing experiments in atomic and molecular spectroscopy and chemical dynamics are just a few examples of what UV lasers are capable of. Ultraviolet lasers emit shorter wavelengths than blue lasers which is capable of producing a data capacity 20 times as dense as the current Blu-ray lasers. Japanese computer hardware manufacturers are hard at work putting UV lasers and ultraviolet diode emitters into computer data storage disk technology, therefore, drastically increasing data storage capabilities.

Ultraviolet laser technology will spawn a new generation of applications in nanotechnology, material sciences, biology, chemistry, plasma physics and a myriad of other uses of UV. Lasers are becoming the building blocks of various industries and even humanity with lasers controlling just about every aspect of our lives. From UV lasers to red laser pointers and beyond, photonics will always be a fundamental achievement of mankind as Ultraviolet lasers are becoming as common as the rising sun.

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