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Blinking Laser

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SargeMX5

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Dec 28, 2007
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Subject says it all. Is there a way to build a circuit which will "pulse" the power to the diode so to speak and as suck the output will be a blinking laser which POSSIBLY could be controlled(ie the speed it blinks at) with a potentiometer?

Anyone have any useful links or guides which can help me achieve this task?
 





FireMyLaser

FireMyLaser

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The 555-timer is very good for this, but I don't know how to calculate the cap. and resistor value.
 
laser_freak

laser_freak

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I've done this before with the methodes mentioned above, but I wasn't too happy with it. It didn't seem to burn as well, although the laser was brighter. Something interesting to try with it though is to put the pulsed laser into a spirograph. Since it's not a continuous beam, it looks kind of neat! :cool:
 
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clwatkins10

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dude, that would look pretty cool, like connect the dots(or lines, depending on speed of motors or pulse)
 
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danq

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Sep 18, 2007
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Been done - check out this post of my blu-ray with control circuit... gives you touch on/off, dimming up/down, blinking at 3 rates, s.o.s (morse code)

here's a link to a rather crummy video of an older incarnation.

As a short-cut it uses the chip out of this flashlight, which will set you back $20.

It's really just using that chip to turn on/off a simple current regulator. If you make changes, be careful how you load that $20 chip... in its original host it relies on the battery to sag so it won't overload. But the circuit as shown is safe for it.

:)
DanQ
 
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SargeMX5

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I want to get a pretty fast, but noticable blink which i can reduce and increase. I will work on the circuit and have cut off switch so that i can switch this circuit on and off and run the laser in different modes. Yes this is going to go into a spirograph i want to build.

Ive bought some of the 555's and watched a couple more videos. Just want to clarify, the chips i bought push 200mA. Is this good enough or will i have to reduce it or build a different circuit? Also what does the input voltage need to be(assuming a green or red 5v laser)>
 
FireMyLaser

FireMyLaser

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I think that the if you put in 5v, you get 5v out.
If you want more then 200ma, I think some sort of signal transistor should work...
 
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danq

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Ahh... I see now, you want to see the different "speeds" so my solution above won't do it.

if you want extra power, just run the output of your timer circuit into a power FET. But you'd better have curent regulation on whatever you make - so either put simple current regulation behind that FET (as I did) or find a way to otherwise modulate a current regulation circuit.

For more information on regulator circuits (and why you need them) and voltages and such, best to read up more on the site here.

DanQ
 
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