Our HeNe galvanometer setup (4x1200x900 pictures)

Hi people of LPF, today my brother and i dug around and found our HeNe laser that he set up with some galvanometers.

It uses a 15 watt stereo amplifier that my dad used to manufacture for one of his products to drive them. Response frequencies are 0-~300hz. It would go higher with a more powerful amplifier behind it.

According to my brother its 635nm? looks a LOT more pink than a standard red pointer does. It also has a relatively large splash that we trimmed down by shooting the laser through a washer then a little rubber grommet. Sorry that i dont have any pictures of it running with the galvanometers, we were using a frequency generator with phase shifting and such on my phone, so i couldnt take a picture.

The last picture is more for color, (ignore the dot profile) if your monitor can display it properly. It looks pretty accurate on my screen so....

I had loads of fun messing with it for an hour today.

Incoming pictures

Pretty neat somewhat older tube. They're 632.8nm give or take about a 10th of a nanometer usually. I think the tube you have there is rated >1.5mW when it's new. So it's probably 1.5-2mW likely, but I'm not a Siemens expert. I mostly deal with Melles Griot and Spectra physics tubes.

Do you have any idea how old this laser might be?

Usually they say on the tube when they were produced unless they're an OEM part. Honestly doesn't really matter how old it is if it's healthy, which that one looks quite happy.

haha, thats good i guess. I didnt see any dates on it, but it said it was made in w germany. is that really west germany....? so 1961-1989?

Jeez.

Anyone got a better estimate?

Probably 80s maybe 90s. I'd wager mid 90s

Cool, ill ask my dad if he knows any more about it. I have no idea why he had it or why he would ever need it!

I think he just realized that we could do more with it than he could.