white 'n tight

[20x]

Can a white light source be solid state like a diode, or would it have to be incandescent?

While not forgetting the heat an incandescent system would generate, could its white light even be focused into a sustaining cylindrical beam, a beam with no more divergence, scattering, speckling or whatever, than my favorite laser?

[marconi]

Well while there are High-Powered LED's available....That is the only Solid state device I am aware of...
However...I dont think It could be matched in power to a combined RED, BLUE, GREEN - White light laser system...
You can Probably focus the light on any other kind of light source but they wont match the light power of a laser!!!

[liteglow]

if i use a white luxeon diode .. and not a IR diode !
How many mW output will that be !?

[marconi]

Good question Liteglow...never tried to measure one b4

Hey..I just measured a 3w Luxeon ..and on the Power meter set at 30mw scale
for 514nm light was able to get about 15mw ...!!!
This was from a Nitestar flashlight focused tight.

Hey 20x ...welcome aboard

[20x]

Thanks, marconi.

Having broached the topic of white light, I totally forgot about all the white LED flashlights I have around the house for power-outs, camping gear etc.

Since I have never seen white light focused like a laser, I assumed it was technically impossible. I thought this inability to corral white light might be due the presense of photons of multiple wavelengths elbowing each other as they go down-range.

[boone]

focusing the light from a led is possible, but the beam quality and power wont be as good

[liteglow]

focusing the light from a led is possible, but the beam quality and power wont be as good

So why do a laser stay at sooo long distance......?

We talk about Focuse a led (like a laser)
But will it be possible to UNfocuse a laser and use it like a LED?

like a Laser-flash-light "laser bulb"

[marconi]

I defocus mine all the time...makes a great dazzler when pulsed..
Talk about making you sick to your stomach ...try pulsing one at 5 tor 10 hertz
and use a lens on the front...ask K_car...!!!

[boone]

focusing the light from a led is possible, but the beam quality and power wont be as good

So why do a laser stay at sooo long distance......?

We talk about Focuse a led (like a laser)
But will it be possible to UNfocuse a laser and use it like a LED?

like a Laser-flash-light "laser bulb"

1. the laser starts out with light that is traveling in the same direction, so it is easier to focus,
2.yes

[20x]

Cannot the white light of one of those powerful, fancy Lux / Star thingy diodes be forward-focused with quality-engineered parabolic surfaces, and further refined by traveling a length of highly polished narrow tube or fiberoptic, along with baffles, before it finally is lens-focused into the atmosphere?

It sure seems like a diode’s white light could somehow be sent in the same direction.

Even if a 1w white diode lost 75% power through light-transmission and heat-loss inefficiencies, you’re still left with 250mw output (?)

I’m guessing the above has ignorant amateur written all over it. That’s ok, I can take it.

If this focused light will not then 'keep its act together', would it not be because of the multiple wavelengths finding it hard to work side by side?