50-60 mW is a big ass amount of power, compared to normal read lasers,
or even laser pointers which go up to 5mw.

50mw laser from a DVD recorder:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ayphotohosting

50mw OEM Solid State laser:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=5712444 465

Torrance

Unspecified User wrote:
Adam Aglionby wrote:


1/6 of surface sounds a bit big are to melt for a wee laser even the
30 odd
mW (? IRC) of a CDRW. Wnoder if its heat related otherwise?
A few drives used to have a small fan mounted at back, guess laser
diode and
supply run a bit toasty.

Adam


It's all heat related.

50-60mW power at 780 nM (near infrared) (depending upon CD-R vs CD-RW)

under normal use, heats to between 200-700 degrees celsius (also
depending upon CD-R or CD-RW).

Thermal dissipation through the CD, with insufficient dissipation out of
the drive itself, and the cd material (polycarbonate) melts at what
temperature?