Common Laser Wavelengths And Their Uses

Before we dive in, let’s rewind to the height of summer. You’re driving on a beautiful drive on a sunny summer day, and you catch yourself wondering: Can I get a sunburn through my car window?

It turns out that car windows are pretty effective at blocking UVB (280-315 nm) rays, which are of a shorter wavelength than visible light (approx. 380-750 nm). Those same car windows are of course nearly 100% transparent to visible light.

You’ll see that choosing the right wavelength for the right material is half the battle when it comes to lasers. Let’s illustrate that by looking at 3 real-world applications of lasers: telecommunications, laser welding, and eye surgery.