On these new mirrors what side do you use? Gold tinted or the side that looks like a regular silver mirror.

Question:

Quick Answer:

The laser needs to reflect off the gold side.

Complete Answer:

The premium mirrors have a silicon substrate. This silicon looks like silver and has a very low weight. It should feel like holding a piece of plastic. The silver silicon is actually "clear" (mostly transparent) to the CO2 light wavelength. The laser should be reflecting off of the GOLD side. The laser should hit the gold coating and reflect away. The laser light should not contact the silver silicon. Note: The gold coated silicon mirrors reflect a higher percentage of laser light than the typical Molybdenum coated mirrors. Be careful with the gold coated silicon mirrors. The gold coating tends to scratch easier. The gold coating is also much more susceptible to acidic fumes. Acidic fumes, such as PVC and PETG, can destroy the gold coating and leave little more than a gold-glitter coated silicon wafer.

FAQ item was submitted: 6/13/2014 By: Raymond L. Scott

Contact: Raymond L. Scott ... Owner Engineer, ray@rabbitlaserusa.com, (513) 217-5707

Related Topics: gold mirror, silicon mirror, install mirrors