Blue-green Lasers

Most recent answer: 02/01/2013

Q:
Can there be a laser color turquoise/Teal, because I have seen green, blue, red but not that mix of green blue, so can it be created and if so how?
- Franz (age 24)
Guanajuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
A:
I don't know of any currently available laser that operates at 500 nm, which sounds like about what you're looking for. In principle it should be possible to make a diode laser at that wavelength, but I don't think any are available yet.

 I'm not sure exactly what name is used for this color, but one of the lines from an argon laser is at 488 nm, which is a slightly greenish blue.  The other really strong argon line, at 514 nm, is a beautiful green. A mixture of these lines might look like just the color you want.

Mike W.

(published on 02/01/2013)