Blue laser diodes

Anyone know if there are any blue laser diodes available commercially? I'm talking about blue and not (blu-ray)violet diodes. GaN based and not DPSS modules.

I'm quite sure Nichia makes these blue diodes but are there any other major manufacturers or distributors? Or is this technology still in the R&D/pre-commercial sector. Would be nice to be able to get our hands on some blue diodes but I can't seem to find any leads on google skim through.

*edit*

Of course I wasn't into lasers then and didn't think a big deal of it since the results were so crappy. Or maybe I contributed to destroying quite a few of those diode due to poor ESD practices. Really does give a perspective into all that technology that goes into a simple laser diode.

If you are able to source these...PLEASE REMEMBER ME!!!!

I SO WANT A 473nm Blue!!!

The 405nm Bluray will do for now...but the 473nm is where the BLUE Lives!!!!

LarryQ

I think there has been some 440nm laser diodes manufactured before, but I can't really think of a use for blue diodes. When there is a big use for diodes it drives the prices down, like blu-ray diodes, they used to be extremely expensive but now we have them down to $30 in our group buy. So the prices for 440nm diodes will stay horribly expensive unless a new product needs 440nm laser diodes.

styropyro said:

I think there has been some 440nm laser diodes manufactured before, but I can't really think of a use for blue diodes. When there is a big use for diodes it drives the prices down, like blu-ray diodes, they used to be extremely expensive but now we have them down to $30 in our group buy. So the prices for 440nm diodes will stay horribly expensive unless a new product needs 440nm laser diodes.

Click to expand...

440nm diodes were being produced for new laser display technologies such as the rumored "laser TV" and laser projectors. However, they are far from the reach of the average hobbyist at the moment. I highly doubt we would be able to find a source to buy them from, and if we did, the prices in such a low quantity would make an arm and a leg seem cheap.

eventually if laser tv's take off i imagine red blue and green diodes would flood the market. so maybe an RGB laser would be possible..... that would BE AWSOME!!

also http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYbKMKeRzfA&mode=related&search= at the end they talk about how many things they want to put laser projection technology into.... this could make our hobby VERY VERY affordable.