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==High-Power Class IV==
==High-Power Class IV==
Above 0.5W, even indirect viewing is immediately blinding. Extremely dangerous, must be used with safety glasses and/or other shields. Use is generally restricted to HacDC members with safety training.
Above 0.5W, even indirect viewing is immediately blinding. Extremely dangerous, must be used with safety glasses and/or other shields. Use is generally restricted to members or trusted guests with safety training.


Despite the risks, high-power lasers are often necessary and justified for cutting, sintering, photoexposure, LIDAR, ICF, etc.
Despite the risks, high-power lasers are often necessary and justified for cutting, sintering, photoexposure, LIDAR, ICF, etc.

Revision as of 15:28, 16 July 2014


Lasers

Highly Safe (1mW)

Under some unusual conditions (eg. microscope viewing), extremely low optical power is appropriate to minimize risk.

Safe (5mW)

Low power lasers (<5mW) are eye-safe, useful for manual alignment, HUD prototypes, etc.

Moderate (~200mW)

Medium power lasers emit a beam powerful enough to cause severe permanent retinal damage if directly viewed. However, at substantially less than Class IV power, indirect viewing (ie. spot on wall, specular reflections, etc) is relatively safe. This compromise can be useful to illuminate large areas, project a near-daylight visible green beam under standard atmospheric conditions, and burn some darkly colored objects.

High-Power Class IV

Above 0.5W, even indirect viewing is immediately blinding. Extremely dangerous, must be used with safety glasses and/or other shields. Use is generally restricted to members or trusted guests with safety training.

Despite the risks, high-power lasers are often necessary and justified for cutting, sintering, photoexposure, LIDAR, ICF, etc.

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