Choosing the Right Laser Safety Window
What do you need to consider when choosing the right laser safety window? It's an important question. What material is it made of, and how does it actually work?
Material and Function
Our laser safety windows are manufactured from PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate, also known as acrylic) and PC (polycarbonate). A safety window functions as a filter. The filter can work in two ways: through a thin surface coating, or through absorption. Our filters use the latter; that is, they absorb light within a specific wavelength.
What are Lasers and Light?
To understand what light is, we need some technical background. Light is a form of radiation, and the light-sensitive receptors in the eye perceive light radiation within the range of 380 nanometers (nm) to approximately 800 nanometers. What we perceive as colors are, in fact, radiation with different frequencies. Violet or blue color has a short wavelength, while red has a long wavelength. Radiation with a shorter wavelength than the eye can perceive is called ultraviolet light, UV. On the other hand, with a long wavelength outside the eye's receptors, we have infrared light, IR.
Technical Data for Windows
The safety windows also have a so-called OD curve, which shows the protection and light transmission. OD stands for Optical Density, and is a measure of how effective a filter is at a certain wavelength. OD2 provides low protection, while OD10 provides very high protection. If you contact us about safety windows, we will ask about two things: What wavelength does the laser operate at? What protection class is required?
Important Considerations
Getting a material to absorb light at a specific wavelength, and having it tested and approved according to extensive requirements, is a challenge. It's not just "a small piece of plastic" that works. The material must meet high international standards. Therefore, be vigilant when looking for this type of product. Be critical of sources, request documentation on how the material is tested and by which certifying body. Working with lasers can cause serious and permanent damage!
We've moved our safety windows directly under the "Material" category, in "Laser Windows." Feel free to look there and see if we have the safety window you need.
Choosing the Right Laser Safety Window