I have come across a project which used this Chinese laser module. Apparently from someone who worked with the mentioned laser, it emits IR light (noise) even though it's a green laser. While I was browsing for alternatives on Digikey, I have a hard time finding an alternative that has an IR filter built in to get rid of the noise. Here are my questions.
- From your experiences working with the laser modules ordered from Digikey, have you encountered any issues with IR noise?
- Should I be looking at lasers with similar wattage to ensure similar brightness?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Best Answer
Chemistry dictates that lasers often produce light in the infrared spectrum. Popular neodymium-doped lasers produce light at 1064 nm, which is well into the infrared range. To get around this, frequency doublers are employed, which halve the wavelength to 532 nm, which is a green light.
For this reason, it's unsurprising that your laser emits IR light. The frequency doublers aren't perfect; a significant amount of IR gets through. Good lasers will filter this out, cheap ones won't bother. If this is important to you, use a reputable manufacturer (like the ones on Digikey) and verify that they at least claim to use IR filters.