Australian Scientists Developed New Diamond Laser Pen

Laser designator, also known as laser pen, refers to the pen type transmitters that make the visible laser designed to be portable laser module (light emitting diode) with hand grip. Common laser designators can be red (λ=650～660nm, 635nm), green (λ=515-520nm, 532nm), blue (λ=445～450nm) and blue-violet (λ=405nm), etc.

Recently, scientists from Australia's Macquarie photonics research center and the German Fraunhofer institute jointly developed diamond laser pen of 380 watts, which is about 20 times than traditional laser pointer power. And its core technology is the synthetic diamond lens produced by two research institutions. The equipment power of traditional laser pen is only about 20 watts, and the new type of diamond laser pen is as high as 380 watts.

Based on the technology of synthetic diamond laser can have long distance transmission of energy and is not susceptible to interference of external factors. Its manufacturing equipments have wide and important applications in the field of laser, space communications and military weapon. The diamond laser of 380 watts can easily go through the steel body, so some scientists suggest that this destructive power energy can also be used to clean up space trash and space debris.

The wavelength of this new type diamond laser is about 1240nm, which is longer than the wavelength of traditional red laser. The longer wavelength means that the it is not easily affected by other factors in the process of space transmission, and has little adverse impact on the human body.

The diamond used for new type laser is not natural diamond, but laboratory synthetic diamond. With manufacturing technology being mature gradually, scientists can make synthetic diamond tuned to a wider range of wavelength.