Discoveries with a tiny 5mW Red Laser
With how ubiquitous lasers have become, especially when they peaked a few decades ago, it feels a little strange that I hadn’t actually owned a module until very recently.
This little Nokia’s battery serves well as a makeshift power supply.
The lens inside the module shapes the laser into a thin line, an entirely unnatural phenomenon to witness when you’re conditioned to expect it to behave like every other light source.
In an unexpected surprise, the FR4 substrate of a circuit board makes for an ideal diffusing material.
The red is mesmerizing, especially when there’s no visible rays between the source and target.
And so comes the realization why popular culture was so obsessed with this technology for the longest time.
At this point the diffusing characteristic is borderline gratuitous.