What all can a laser lase and make "radioactive"?

[Hemlock_Mike]

Ha, I was just going along with the sub-forum title! lol

That is pretty interesting, thanks for sharing!

I've got a couple small bits of uranium glass on my Ebay watchlist at 0 bids. If no one bids I'll swoop in, but would like to get some various small bits for lasing. And showing off of course....

You need a Ur marble?

 

[Hemlock_Mike]

You need a Ur marble?

It glows yellow with a 405 nM but no Geiger counter clicks.
HM

 

[Thorsteenster]

You need a Ur marble?

Well, not really but that doesn't mean I'm not interested!

The uranium/vaseline glass I was watching evidently is more popular than I imagined, it went from 0 bids up to 20+ in the last couple hours.
I'd like to get a few small trinkets fun to lase.

 

[emma.bright]

m DPSS LASER peak 65 mW
632.8nm P210 New Laser Tube 0.57mW Melles Griot 05-LMP-827-037 PS
632.8nm Spectra- Physics He- Ne #102-2 4mW heads X2 and #236 power supply
632.8nm PMS He-Ne # 201P/ LPS-115 2

 

[Guitarship1]

Interesting and timely topic as I was just about to post about UV lasers, a real UV laser not a cheap 405nm laser pointer. On one of the uranium glass boards another member is talking about using a UV laser when he goes looking for Uranium glass. I was kind of skeptical that a "UV" laser pointer would fluoresce as good as a regular 365/395 UV light. I think you would have more reflection from the visible spectrum of the laser than any actually UV emission. I've had a couple of the 405nm lasers pointers before and they were "underwhelming" in visible light at least. I had never tried to fluoresce anything with them, and I ended up scrapping them for parts.

I just ordered a new one off Ebay and want to try it out on some of my Uranium glass and few of my fluorescent rocks and minerals I have. I have my doubts it will work anywhere close to what my actual UV lights will. I have probably 10 UV lights ranging from a small AAA x2 powered penlight to a 18650 X4 light with over 2 watts radiant intensity. I cant see a UV laser pointer competing with that, or even any of my smaller ones.

 

[Guitarship1]

I don't recall ever hearing about a Lapis crystal. They are a semiprecious stone, though.

I experimented with making corundum today with a co2 laser.
I was pleasantly surprised to get some results. Present are ruby and at least two varieties of sapphire.
View attachment 75164
View attachment 75165

The ruby’s are fluorescent. I have made more since and will try to get better images.

Do you have a 365nm light source? What wavelength was used in that picture?

 

[Guitarship1]

It glows yellow with a 405 nM but no Geiger counter clicks.
HM

Could be manganese