Hi all, I've build a 337,1 nm laser. It's a "TEA laser"
I think it is the most easiest Laser to build, and the cheapest one.

The power supply have to be a high voltage power supply, at least 5kV.
I am using my zero voltage switching flyback driver. The voltage ist about 7kV. It isn't build well enough to surviver more than 7kV ^^.

The laser itself is build out of aluminium foil, plastic foil, edged aluminium rails and easiest acrylic glass. I am using lead for a better connection of the electrodes.

All in all it maybe cost me about 15€.
9€: for the flyback driver
6€: for the laser materials.

The input is about 200W.
The output is quite small. Maybe 0,1 up to 1mW for about 0,7 seconds



UPDATE: Because you can't see the laser in action well on the video, i've uploadet just two pics

Congratulations on your TEA build! It's great to actually "Make" one's own laser.

Can't seem to see the video or pictures that you were trying to post......looking forward though.

Thanks, yeah it's my first one ^^.
Now you should be able to look the video i've posted.
I was a bit in troubble with youtube

Is the spot visible on objects in which it doesn't flouresce?

Yes it is. For example white paper or wood. But not very well. I used in the video this color to make it better visible.

These lasers facinate me, would it be possible to replace the flyback and driver with say, a stun gun? It would still provide multiple HV arcs is rapid succession, unless theres more to these lasers than i know.

Pretty interesting
+1

Jim

Thanks

I'm not shure if you could replace the flyback with a stun gun. The stun gun puts out pulses, so I don't know if the capacitors load up.
Edit: if you would directly connect the stun gun to the rails, the inductance would be much to high.

I got a couple dozen 15kV caps left over from an old Marx generator i once put together, do you think putting a couple of those in parallel with the rails might help.

Yes, done that. It works quite well... however you need close the gap. Lower current.

Wish there was a way to do away with the spark gaps... I hate the noise level. :/

What are you using for your capacitive insulator? Kitchen plastic wrap, or something more?

If I can find a cheap NST and some aluminum angle I may build one finally...

Actually there is a way of taking out the spark gaps, however it used
SIDAC's. They are being used by high end Tesla coilers, though it's a much more complex set up.

Link here. Have a look.

Solid State

900V per string.

This would eliminate the noise factor some what.

The other way of "cheaply" decreasing the noise would be to encase the spark gap in a pipe.
It works well too. The shockwave created by the gap would be essentially contained. I'd also think about running a fan to blow the O3 and Nitrogen Oxides out of the spark gap. Otherwise you'll start seeing severe oxidation of your gap. 3/4" WoZr cutting rods are well worth getting for the trigger gap.

I am not shure about the name of this foil, but it is used for overhead projectors.
It is sized like a normal sheet of paper, so it is optimal for a TEA laser. I hope you understand what I mean. Kitchen plastic wrap will be to thin. I am using two layers of foil.
It is important to weight everything well, or it won't work. The thick plastic plates of the laser itself does their job really well couse the are heavy.

A NST would be an excellent power supply. My zvs is a bit to strong. In my case the output would be quite better if the input wouldn't be so high ^^

ZVS has nowhere near the power output (unless your running 1.5KW "BIG MOSFETS") compared to that of an NST. In terms of Voltage, I'd be running 35Kvdc maximum.
As for your capacitors, I'd be looking into building an MMC array. MultiMini capacitor bank.
A bank of 22 x CDI 1600VDC 350nF capacitors will do nicely for a laser N2 laser.

Overhead Projector transparency sheets.

I succeeded in making one with a MOT too. Somehow I didn't die either.

The overhead sheets are made of PE (Polyethylene) and have a very high dielectric strength. In the long run it will be cheaper to go the MMC route. I have made my own caps before. It can get rather messy.

nice! i'm pretty sure if i tried something like this I would end up electrocuting myself.

Well, if you are unsure around high voltage, good idea to play it safe. When you're using capacitors you have the potential for high current discharges. Those quite often can be LETHAL.

Whatcha talking about? A ZVS driver can easily push a good 1 kW of power. The only issue is getting a decent enough power supply to actually do it.

Also, yeah, I forgot about SIDAC's. Another method is to use an SCR with a zener diode sort of gate driving style. Once a certain voltage is reached, zener starts conducting, causing the SCR to turn on. Problem is getting the SCR to turn back off, but since it's oscillating, the voltage would go negative ANYWAY; turning it back off.

I may want to try this.

I know that a ZVS "can" push 1KW of power. I have seen them push even harder than that. 5KW's for a SSTC supply! You need decent MOSFETS to do it. Generally people don't run them that high for a starter application such as N2 laser. BIG EXPENSIVE HEAT SINKS. Power supplies get expensive when you're talking about this power too.
I don't know how crazy an N2 laser Mr.McChicken wants to build. I don't want him to turn into as his title suggests.