473nm DIY Help Please

Alright...my plan is to use a maglight host with something like 2w(+) 808nm and a ND:YAG and LBO set for 473nm Blue laser w/ Lense to make a Very powerful heanheld blue.. Here is the link.... http://cgi.ebay.com/ND-YAG-and-LBO-...|66:4|65:12|39:1|240:1318|301:1|293:1|294:200

I don't have too much experience with a project like this :-/ and I am wondering what I am missing.....anybody have any Ideas or suggestions? What about aligning the crystals? Focusing? IR Leakage? Battery type? Power Loss in crystals? 808nm Power? A better place than ebay to buy? A better host?

Any Help is appreciated.


Thanks,
-Brooks

KGB_Productions said:

Alright...my plan is to use a maglight host with something like 2w(+) 808nm and a ND:YAG and LBO set for 473nm Blue laser w/ Lense to make a Very powerful heanheld blue.. Here is the link.... http://cgi.ebay.com/ND-YAG-and-LBO-...|66:4|65:12|39:1|240:1318|301:1|293:1|294:200

[highlight]I don't have too much experience with a project like this :-/ and I am wondering what I am missing[/highlight].....anybody have any Ideas or suggestions? What about aligning the crystals? Focusing? IR Leakage? Battery type? Power Loss in crystals? 808nm Power? A better place than ebay to buy? A better host?

Any Help is appreciated.


Thanks,
-Brooks

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Not to discourage you or discount the knowledge you already have, but a blue DPSS laser is one of the hardest to construct. Without either a degree relating to lasers or a lot of previous experience building DPSS systems this will be nearly impossible to DIY. I recommend reading this section of Sam's Laser FAQ:  
http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasercds.htm#cdstoc

This will help give you an idea of what you're up against. Once you've read this, I recommend attempting to build a green system using hybrid crystals. Once you've successfully built a green using hybrid crystals, then you can build one using discreet (separate) crystals. Once you've successfully done this, then you will be ready to begin thinking about blue..

Thanks...I had a feeling that this was the case :'(
Im reading on sams now but was wondering what the hardest part of this would be.
My plan was to use a module something like http://cgi.ebay.com/808nm-1200mW-la...ptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116
and the crystals from my post above. Not starting from "scratch"

This whole idea came when i saw a video of somebody shining a 808nm through a crystal from o-like and making a green beam and I thought..." I wonder if you can do that with blue" It looked very easy with the green...just shine a 808pointer through it...no aligning or anything.....it looked amazing so I had to ask.

Thanks

It is very much simpler with green. This is in part due to the fact that the Nd:YAG or Nd:YVO[sub]4[/sub] (vanadate) crystals are used differently for green than blue. In a green system the YAG or vanadate crystal converts the 808nm pump light into 1064nm light which in turn is frequency doubled using KTP to 532nm green light. This is nice and simple.

With blue, the crystal needs to convert the 808nm pump light into 946nm light which is then frequency doubled using BiBO to 473nm. The problem is that the 1064nm line in YAG or vanadate is MUCH easier to get (and much stronger) than the 946nm line. The engineering required to get this line and isolate it so that the BiBO can double it is daunting to say the least.. Hope this helps..

thanks ElektroFreak.....im going to look into the green for now but there is nothing "special" about a green  :-/ so its only a matter of time until i try this

Thanks,
-Brooks

Do you have any links for the hybrid crystals or discreet crystals. I googled it but i want to be sure and get the correct ones

This link is to some hybrids from ebay seller snoctony. They come premounted in a small heatsink, and are capable of producing 50-100mW of 532nm output:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Nd-yvo4-Ktp-Glu...53141QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262

Start with a green, if it works out, build a blue. Aligning the crystals is a pain in the ass, but what you really need to worry about is aligning the output coupler, and then get enough gain on the 946 line to be able to get some 473. Check the general section in a post called 'looking for TEC supplier' or something like that, I posted everything you need in that thread.

This post:
http://www.laserpointerforums.com/forums/YaBB.pl?num=1227322610/0

Does anyone have a pic of an 808nm shining through a set of these crystals..i would love to see it.

KGB_Productions said:

Does anyone have a pic of an 808nm shining through a set of these crystals..i would love to see it.

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I don't have a pic of a 473nm laser, but I to have one of a green laser I repaired a while ago


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