I am building a RGV laser system and I need as many mW as i can get out of a 405nm diode these are both relatively the same price but I was wondering if one of them is better than the other in terms of diode life, output power, etc.
Use a 50$ 12x BLU-RAY diode. aka the BDR-205 and others... they are quite the blasting power. You can get one off of modwerx... or other people on LPF. your preference. Modwerx tends to ship their diodes in a really secure box. LPF Members tend to ship them in layer after layer of bubble wrap.
If you have great heatsinking, you can go up to 800mW, and if its handled properly, tweezers, gloves, etc. You don't want a damaged substrate.
In my Experience the BDR-S06J is the Superior sled.
THe SF-BW512L/B/A Whatever are Much more Fragile. One Wrong Move and Its toast. You over Drive it and It doesn't Dim it Just LED's. Run it Slightly Warm Hot and Most Likely its going to LED. As Well as a Little Bump while the Laser is On and its dead.
This is all the experience Ive had with those Sleds.
They Also Seem to put out Less mW to mA in Power then the S06J.
Ive had 2 SF-BW512L/B/A crap out on me at 450mA after only a few months.
NOT one S06J Has been Lost and Most of them Are Doing >700mW with a 405-G-1 lens.
I'm also a fan of the S06J. However, I think the BW512L is underrated. I'm driving one of mine at 612.5 mA, and it's quite the impressive hearty diode.
They're also infinitely cheaper. They're not quite, but getting close to half the price of a S06J.