Measuring laser output temperature

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on estimating the output temperature of the S3 Spyder III Arctic portable 1W laser, which operates at an average of 900mW and a wavelength of 445nm. Users suggest that while 1 watt is not substantial for heating, concentrating the laser on a small area could potentially cause local scorching. It is noted that non-contact thermometers may not provide accurate readings due to averaging effects. Safety precautions, including the use of goggles, are emphasized due to the laser's potential to cause eye damage.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of laser specifications (e.g., power output in mW, wavelength in nm)
  • Basic principles of heat transfer and specific heat capacity
  • Familiarity with non-contact thermometers and their limitations
  • Knowledge of laser safety protocols and protective equipment
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  • Research methods for calculating heat concentration from laser power
  • Explore the use of non-contact thermometers for precise temperature measurements
  • Learn about laser safety standards and protective gear
  • Investigate materials' specific heat capacities for better temperature estimation
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Laser hobbyists, photographers using lasers for creative projects, and individuals interested in laser safety and temperature measurement techniques.

phaelin
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Hi,

This is my first post on this forum, just joined. I recently purched the S3 Spyder III Arctic portable 1W laser from wickedlasers. I bought it to try and make some cool photographs and photoshop them. After testing the device (glad I bought safety goggles with it) I was wondering how hot the laserdot actually gets. Short of buying an expensive thermometer is there any way to guestimate this? I've tried to set fire to a match (used one) and a candle wick that also has burned before. I'm not sure but I guess a catalyst like an actual flame is necessary to ignite those materials no matter how hot you get them to be.
Does anyone have an easy way to determine what temperatures could be reached with this laser? It operates on an average of 900mW and at a wavelength of 445nm.

I'm not versed at all in physics, save from the little I remember from high school so I'm sorry if it's a stupid question.
 
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No, it isn't a stupid question, but it is not an easy one to answer.

1 watt isn't much power and even if you assumed it was all heat, it couldn't do much heating.

If you concentrated all the power into a very small dot and shone this on a poor heat conductor, you might get some local scorching.

If the spot was 1 square mm and the depth of heating was 0.1 mm and you knew the specific heat of the target material, you might be able to estimate the heating with 1 watt.

I can't see you cutting up razor blades with it.
I saw a video of someone cutting the metal blade of a tomahawk with a laser, but that was a serious laser.

It might have enough power to pop a balloon. Maybe enough to light a match.

Plenty of power to ruin your retina, though, so keep those goggles on. Even with the goggles, don't look directly at the laser.

You can get non-contact thermometers, but they take an average of everything in their field of view, so the hot spot from the laser would get averaged with a lot of stuff at room temperature.
 

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