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5mW VIOLET LASER MODULE
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Somebody set up us the bomb.

5mW Violet Laser Module, retail $10.88
Manufactured by: (Unknown)
Last updated 09-21-10

(In reference to the padded envelope I received from an Ebay seller at 5:02pm PDT on 07-16-10):
{sung like the Foreigner song "Feels Like the First Time"}

The 5mw Violet Laser Module is a violet-emitting, directly-injected laser. That is, it produces violet laser radiation directly, without the need for messy, fragile nonlinear crystals like those green laser pointers and the amberish-yellow and blue ones as well. It uses two AAA cells -- the same power source used in most other "pen-style" laser pointers and laser modules.

It is advertised to output 5mW of laser radiation at ~405nm.
It actually measures a whopping 61.470mW at 408.19nm!!!

It comes in a handsome brass body with a black finish and chrome colored bezel, tailcap, and pocket clip.

SIZE

To get the laser to turn on, first be certain that there are a pair of AAA cells installed. If there isn't, then install them (see directly below), and THEN you can go irradiate something.

Aim the laser well-away from your face first.

Press & hold down the button on the barrel for as long as you want or need the laser spot, and release pressure on the button to turn the laser back off.

To change the batteries in this violet laser , unscrew the laser near the center, throw the upper portion into the dustbin (garbage can), tie off the bin liner (plastic garbage bag), carry it to outdoor wheelie bin (wheeled garbage can), throw it in, slam the lid down, and wait patiently for garbage day so that the dustman (garbage man) empties the wheelie bin into his dust lorry (garbage truck)...O WAIT!!! THAT'S THE GOOD PART!!! So just set it aside instead.

Tip the two used AAA cells out of the barrel and into your hand, and dispose of, recycle, or recharge them as you see fit.

Insert two new AAA cells into the barrel, flat-end (-) negative first. This is the opposite of how batteries are installed in most flashlights, so please pay attention to polarity here.

Screw the front portion of the tube back on, and be done with it.
Aren't you glad that you didn't huck that tube into the dustbin (garbage can) now?

Unable to measure current use due to how this laser was constructed.

This is a self-contained laser , and not a flashlight meant to be carried around, thrashed, trashed, and abused - so I won't try to drown it in the toliet tank, bash it against a steel rod or against a concrete porch, let my mother's big dog's ghost or my sister's kitty cats piddle (uranate) on it, run over it with a 450lb Celebrity motorised wheelchair, stomp on it, use a small or medium ball peen hammer in order to bash it open to check it for candiosity, fire it from the cannoñata, drop it down the top of Mt. Erupto (I guess I've been watching the TV program "Viva Piñata" too much again

- candiosity is usually checked with a laser-type device on a platform with a large readout (located at Piñata Central {aka. "Party Central"}), with a handheld wand that Langston Lickatoad uses, or with a pack-of-cards-sized device that Fergy Fudgehog uses; the cannoñata (also located at Piñata Central) is only used to shoot piñatas to piñata parties away from picturesque Piñata Island, and Mt. Erupto is an active volcano on Piñata Island), send it to the Daystrom Institute for additional analysis, or perform other indecencies on it that a flashlight might have to have performed on it. So this section of the web page will be ***SIGNIFICANTLY*** more bare than this section of the web page on a page about a flashlight.

This is a directly-injected laser though, who's active components are the inverter circuit, the laser diode, and the collimating lens. So it should withstand accidents better than a DPSS (diode pumped solid state) laser - the type of laser assembly found in yellow (593.5nm), green (532nm) and blue (473nm) laser pointers. These lasers have several additional components (crystals, filters, etc.) in the optical train, and you can knock them out of alignment by doing little more than looking at them the wrong way. And if any of these components are knocked out of whack, you'll no longer get your yellow, green, or blue laser beam.

Though you still do not want to intentionally drop your violet-emitting laser because it's a precision optical instrument.

***EXTREMELY IMPORTANT!!!***
This laser has a fair amount of {vulgar term for testicles} to it (measured at 61.470mW!), so you ***DEFINITELY*** do not want to shine it into your eyes, other people's eyes, pets' eyes, for that matter, the eyes of any person or animal you encounter.

Eye damage can occur faster than the blink reflex can protect them, regardless of what species' eyes you irradiate with this laser. So just don't do it.

And for Christ sakes (and for heaven sakes and for Pete sakes and for your sakes too) do not shine this laser at any vehicle, whether ground-based like a motorcycle, car, or truck, or air-based like a helicopter, airplane, or jet. And if you shoot it at a person in the dark and he turns out to be a police officer, he may think he's being targeted, unholster (whip out) his gun, and hose you down with it.

Does this evaluation look an awful lot like the one I made for this laser?
Thought you'd say so.
That's because they're functionally identical, differing only in the end cap (the other laser has a removeable holographic "lens" that this laser does not have), so I was able to use its web page as a template for this one.

Beam photograph of this unique laser on the test target at 12".
Beam image bloomed ***SIGNIFICANTLY***.
That white & blue color does not really exist; the spot appears to be a very deep royal purple to the eye.
Digital cameras have a tough time at these wavelengths.

And yes, I know that the colors purple and violet are two different critters, but the phrase "royal violet" would not make very much sense; however, most everybody knows what "royal purple" looks like.
Purple is a mixture of red & blue; violet is a spectral color, encompassing wavelengths of ~390nm to ~410nm.

Measures an incredible 61.470mW (!) on a laser power meter specifically designed for this purpose; using AAA cells of unknown prior usage.

Beam photograph on a wall at ~10'.
Again, that white & blue color does not really exist.

Those colored graphics toward the left are my "Viva Piñata" posters, and that clock on the right that looks like a gigantic wristwatch is my Infinity Optics Clock.
You may also be able to see one of my SpongeBob SquarePants plush (Squidward Tentacles) and a Digimon plush (Greymon). Normally, a Patrick Star plush (from SpongeBob) would be hanging next to Squidward, but he was down here at the spectrometer for a test of his own.

Spectrographic analysis of the Blu-ray laser diode in this product.
Wavelength appears to be ~407nm, which is within specification for the type of laser diode used in this laser.

Same as above; but spectrometer's response narrowed to a band between 405nm and 415nm.
This shows that the wavelength is in fact 408.19nm.

Spectrographic analysis of the fluorescence of a uranated* glass marble when irradiated with this laser.

Spectrographic analysis of the fluorescence of the 2009 NIA Commemorative Insulator in uranated* glass when irradiated with this laser.

*"Uranated" - infused with an oxide of uranium, *NOT* tinkled (urinated) on.
Commonly referred to as "Vaseline glass" because it has
a distinct pale yellow-green color when not being irradiated.

Note spelling: "urAnated", not "urEnated","urInated",
"urOnated", "urUnated", or sometimes "urYnated".

Spectrographic analysis of the fluorescence of the yellow tape measure from the Value Tool Set when irradiated with this laser.

Spectrographic analysis of the fluorescence of the white remote control unit for the Air Hogs Avenger V-Wing R/C Aircraft when irradiated with this laser.

Spectrographic analysis of the fluorescence of the Tritium Torch when irradiated with this laser.

Spectrographic analysis of the fluorescence of a piece of dark pink paper when irradiated with this laser.

Spectrographic analysis of the fluorescence of the phosphor cap of a Nichia NSPWR70CSS-K1 White High-Flux LED when when irradiated with this laser.

USB2000 spectrometer graciously donated by P.L.

ProMetric analysis

Beam cross-sectional analysis with beam widened (x-axis).

ProMetric analysis

Beam cross-sectional analysis with beam widened (y-axis).

These charts show the somewhat ovoid beam profile;
this is consistent with directly-injected diode lasers.

Images made using the ProMetric System by Radiant Imaging.

TEST NOTES:
Test unit was purchased on Ebay on 07-12-10 (or "12 Jul 2010" if you prefer), and was received at 5:02pm PDT on 07-16-10 ("16 Jul 2010").

I have decided to rate this wonderful little laser four stars!!!

If something happens down the road, I can always derate it if necessary.

UPDATE: 07-27-10
From somebody who knows their {vulgar term for poopoo; rhymes with "pit"} about lasers, comes this information:

More on 50-60 mW violet lasers: The spot is not safe to stare into from close distances. At 60 mW, assuming a perfectly diffuse-reflecting white wall and fully dilated pupil, the spot is at borderline between Class I and Class II at a little over 7 feet. This wavelength also has the extra ill effects of blue and a bit of the ill effects of UV.

Usually a yellowish dye that naturally exists in the lens of the eye significantly attenuates deep violet wavelengths. However, this is not completely reliable. You probably do not want to stare at the violet spot for more than a couple seconds from distances within a couple feet.

If the spot or your eyes keep moving, then things are OK.

UPDATE: 08-01-10
Measured its power output with known-good AAA cells: 67.60mW

UPDATE: 09-21-10
Measured power output with known-***NEW*** AAA cells: 53.30mW -- this tells me that slightly used AAA cells offer better performance.

PROS:
Color is very radiant & unusual for a handheld laser
Uses inexpensive and readily available batteries
Color is very radiant an unu...o wait, I said that already!!!

CONS:
Just the usual suspects for laser modules/pointers - nothing that affects rating...actually, there is one little thing: it is advertised as a 5mW laser, but outputs over 60mW of laser radiation!!!
That's what lopped that last star off.

MANUFACTURER: Unknown
PRODUCT TYPE: Violet-emitting laser
LAMP TYPE: Sony Blu-ray laser diode
No. OF LAMPS: 1
BEAM TYPE: Very narrow spot
SWITCH TYPE: Momentary on/off button on barrel
CASE MATERIAL: Brass
BEZEL: Metal; laser & lens recessed into its end
BATTERY: 2x AAA cells
CURRENT CONSUMPTION: Unknown/unable to measure
WATER- AND URANATION-RESISTANT: Light splatter-resistant at maximum
SUBMERSIBLE: For Christ sakes NO!!!
ACCESSORIES: None
COUNTRY OF MANUFACTURE: China
WARRANTY: Unknown/not stated

PRODUCT RATING:

5mW Violet Laser Module *

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