'Best' crystal sets for supersizing 532nm?

I'm wondering if there is a specific commercially-available green laser that would be useful for taking apart to build a higher-powered green, for instance using Stonetek's 200mW 808nm diodes?

I can and do machine my own heatsinks, and I've got TECs I can incorporate into the design. Basically I'm wondering if anybody has taken apart more than one kind of green and been impressed with the crystals in one of them.

I'm also wondering about something I read in articles about driving them transversally vs longitudinally. Is it possible to pump Nd:YAG or Nd:YVO[sub]4[/sub] from more than one side, using more than one diode? Assuming heat dispersal is more than adequately taken care of, with a very custom 'module' and heatsink with TEC cooling (so melting the crystal isn't a problem), are there special things that need to be done with mirrors to accomplish this, or are there issues such as requiring the two diodes to be in phase? Has anyone ever taken apart a system that was pumped by more than one diode?

I suppose one way to do this would be to buy crystals direct and do this from scratch, but my guess is that like a lot of things this might be easier if I find a suitable sacrificial laser and borgify it to get what I want.

Well, YAG rods can be side pumped by diode bars, so basically more than one diode.I don't think i've heard of side pumping YVO[sub]4[/sub], or using more than one diode, since aligmnent is so critical. :-/

And as far as I know the really powerfull DPSS systems use YAG for that reason , eventhough YVO[sub]4[/sub] is supposed to be more efficient.

Anyway, I don't know of any handhelds that use YAG for 1064nm, so your best bet might just be to order the crystals separately like you said.

edit:

About the coolest project ever is the laserscope mod, or making it from scratch with laserscope (or similar) YAG and KTP. That's some serious green.

If you are building from scratch Onyx makes some really high quality crystal sets. You can find them here: http://www.onyxoptics.com/index.php.

If you want to just try to build a system and just looking to get some green out of it I'd go with a yag rod and separate KTP. Side pump the rod with a laser diode bar(s). Your KTP is not intracavity but it gives you the most options for testing and playing plus you can get the pumps pretty cheap and with patience, a rod and mirrors pretty cheap. KTPs are always on eBay.

plus senkat's 200mw pump diodes don't really cut the mustard for much of anything besides maybe a 5-10mw green, if you want a decent green output you're gonna be dealing in watts of pump power

Per the above comments, are you planning on driving a YAG rod or pumping a 1 -2 mm crystal set? There's worlds of difference in power here. The SenKat diode is OK for pointers and might push a crystal set to 50 mW with the right lenses. For HIGH POWER, you need a big rod and crystals. Allignment is tricky.

Mike

Everyone is always after the "Big rods and crystals". I keep saying size doesn't matter :'(

GooeyGus said:

Everyone is always after the "Big rods and crystals". I keep saying size doesn't matter  :'(

Click to expand...

But POWER DOES!!!!

get a laserscope ktp and a nice big doped yag for flashpump..
MMMMM multiple watt pulsed green

tomcat said:

get a laserscope ktp and a nice big doped yag for flashpump..
MMMMM multiple watt pulsed green

Click to expand...

Idk, I'd see it cooler CW.I mean what's the point in it being green if you can't see it's brightness for more than a fraction of a second? :-/

well if you're pulsing it a few times a second it's almost CW anyway

Or you could just get a badass 808 pump diode array for the yag rod.

i only opened one green module so far.
the crystal is 2x2x5mm big, it seems to be the lasing crystal only, then the doubler would be at the other side of the copper disc, and 2x2x1mm approx. at least i cant see any glueing at the larger crystal, must be a single one.
the module is finger-sized, has a c-mount diode, no driver.
from what i read its a fairly large crystal, i dont know the original outputpower though.
i would suggest to get an old module, broken or working, and replace the diode and perhaps build a new casing with TEC. sure, you get the crystals elsewere, but how about the optics? more expensive than the whole module, and these are known to work.

what do you guys think would be reasonable for my crystal? if its 2x2x5mm lasingmedium and outside its cavity (i am sure!) a 2x2x1mm doubler, how about 2watts pump? i would TEC-cool the module (diode), have to read about the preferred temperature of both crystals though..

manuel