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Optics & Photonics Talk

1550 nm Laser Safety for "eyesafe lasers&...
Nicholas Croglio
Has anyone performed the AEL or class 1 maximum power limit analysis for 1550 nm lasers? If so, what is the limit for 1550 nm? What standard did you follow?
Nicholas Croglio
Since I cannot delete this question, I will at least provide the numbers that I got from ANSI Z.136.1-2000. The newer standard is more difficult to read, but appears to give the same result. Feel free to delete or correct.

Based upon the Old ANSI Z136.1-2000 standard, the class 1 limit for 1550 nm is 9.6 mW. This is given in table 1 on page 41 of that standard.

AEL for Class 1 laser = MPE * Aperture
MPE @1550 = 0.1W/cm2
Limiting Aperture = 3.5 mm diameter; area = .096
AEL = .096 cm2*.1W/cm2 = 9.6 mW
Robert Cartland
You analysis looks OK.

Our laser safety office uses ANSI software to do these calculations.

-Bob

Robert F. Cartland
2009 - 2010 President
Optical Society of Southern California
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