Barcode Scanner
Barcode scanners are essential tools in retail, logistics, and healthcare, enabling quick and accurate reading of
product information. But have you ever wondered how the science of atomic excitation and photon emission
connects to how these devices work?
How Barcode Scanners Work
Barcode scanners use a light source-usually a laser or LED-to illuminate the barcode.
The black and white bars reflect light differently. Black bars absorb more light, while white spaces
reflect more.
The scanner detects the reflected light using sensors such as photodiodes or CCDs, converting it into
electrical signals that are decoded into numbers or data.
Atomic Excitation and Photon Emission: The Science
Atomic excitation happens when atoms absorb energy (like from an electric current), causing electrons
to move to higher energy levels.
When these electrons return to their original state, they release energy as photons-particles of light.
This process is called photon emission.
In barcode scanners, this principle is used in the light sources. For example, laser barcode scanners
often use helium-neon (HeNe) lasers, where atomic excitation and photon emission produce the
coherent red laser light used to scan barcodes.
Connection in Barcode Scanners
The laser or LED inside the scanner emits light thanks to atomic excitation and photon emission within
its atoms.
When you scan a barcode, the emitted photons interact with the barcode, and the reflected light is
captured by the sensor.
The process of generating the scanning light is fundamentally based on atomic excitation and photon
emission, making quantum physics an invisible but crucial part of everyday barcode scanning.
Applications
Barcode scanners are used in supermarkets, warehouses, hospitals, and libraries for tracking products,
managing inventory, and ensuring efficient operations.
Summary
In short, barcode scanners rely on the principles of atomic excitation and photon emission to generate the light
used for scanning. This light interacts with barcodes, and the reflected photons are detected and decoded,
enabling fast and reliable data capture in countless industries
References:
echTarget: What is a barcode reader (POS scanner, barcode scanner, price
scanner)https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/barcode-reader-POS-scanner-bar-code-reader-price-
scanner
FindLight: Barcode Scanners and the Underlying Technology
https://www.findlight.net/blog/technology-behind-barcode-scanners/
Denso Wave: Mechanism of barcode
scanninghttps://www.denso-wave.com/en/adcd/fundamental/barcode/scan/index.html
University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Barcode Technology and its Application in Libraries
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=6896&context=libphilprac
