Why Are Green Lasers so Much Brighter Than Other Colors?

Laser technology has come a long way, and for now, the nuances of lasers and physics are looking at the quantum realm, a relatively new field of science with much to discover.

Take the visible light laser as an example, which is commonly used for speech, scientific experiments, and astronomical observation. We can all see the actual laser dots, but why are some colors easier to see than others? What makes green lasers better than red, blue, and purple in- visibility?

1. On visible spectrum

Both visible and invisible light are part of the electromagnetic spectrum, which is a very small part of what we can see with our naked eyes. Visible color Outlines such as green grass, blue sky, red apple, rainbow or prism. The wavelengths that humans can normally see range from 380nm to 700nm, and our eyes have evolved to be calibrated receivers for receiving and interpreting this narrow band of light, with certain wavelengths in the visible spectrum appearing brighter or more powerful than other colors.

2. light beam color and visibility

In general, a particular laser brightness depends on several different factors:

(1) Sensitivity of eyes. Because the sensitivity of our eyes peaks near the wavelength of green light, a green laser at 532nm is 5-7x brighter than any other color laser at the same power, and a 500mW green laser will be brighter than a 500mW 445nm blue, 650nm red or 405nm purple laser. Therefore, a green laser is an ideal light source for outdoor use during daytime when the power exceeds 300mW.

(2) The scattering of light affects the beam. Scattering light allows us to see a sharper beam, while a green laser scatters more in the atmosphere, making it more suitable for astronomy and pointing out constellations in the night sky. There are other beam colors we can use in astronomy, but generally green is better for visual effects.

Beam color and laser burning ability

Color doesn't matter when considering the burning power of a laser. Intensity is the only important factor affecting the burning ability of beam. Therefore, any color laser is good at higher power. Most blue lasers range from 1000mW to 5000mW, requiring 300mW combustion capacity. A 3000MW blue laser is 10 times more powerful than a 300mW one, so it is 10 times better in combustion experiments.