UV Laser Characteristics And Safety

Ultraviolet laser is obtained by triple frequency or frequency doubling of infrared light. In recent years, ultraviolet laser has developed rapidly, with an annual growth rate of more than 15%. At present, the main ultraviolet laser wavelengths are 266nm and 355nm, and now the 355nm laser in the domestic industrial field has developed very maturely in nanosecond ultraviolet lasers, and the power can reach more than 10 watts.

Ultraviolet laser has many advantages, such as short wavelength, high photon energy concentration, easy absorption by materials, narrow pulse width, high resolution, fast speed of light, and especially has the property of "cold processing" (no external heating of the processed parts). Therefore, it is widely used in the processing of flexible materials and in laser medicine.

But at the same time, it is precisely because of the short wavelength and high photon energy of ultraviolet light that ultraviolet light also has certain hazards. The hazards are mainly chronic damage to the cornea and skin:

1. Exposure to ultraviolet light for a long time or exposure to high-energy ultraviolet light for a period of time, the more common eye disease is electro-optic ophthalmia, the main manifestations are redness and swelling of the eyes, tearing, dryness and photophobia, the principle behind it is Corneal epithelial cells and conjunctiva absorb a large amount of strong ultraviolet light, resulting in diffuse punctate waves on the corneal epithelium of the eye, which will cause myopia, cataract and glaucoma in the long run;

2. Damage to the skin is also very common in daily life, such as skin pigmentation (skin darkening), skin thickening and roughening, skin photoaging caused by long-term skin exposure to severe ultraviolet rays, and severe cases may even lead to lesions, skin cancer etc.

Therefore, the safety protection of ultraviolet laser is more important. Because ultraviolet laser has both the characteristics of laser and ultraviolet light, the energy is higher and more concentrated than ordinary ultraviolet light, and the radiation damage to skin and eyes is also greater. Therefore, in the working environment of strong ultraviolet light and ultraviolet laser, professional ultraviolet laser protective glasses must be worn.