building a green laser from scratch

O-like sells green ''laser crystals'' that convert the nm of 808 to 532nm. Has anyone on this site ever sucsessfully done that..that is to build your own high power 532nm from scratch using a 808nm diode say above 1 watt or so, and if so, please tell me the parts needed and the sequence to building a custom laser like this.

I believe several members here have done it although I have not. It is a fair deal more complicated than "Glue the crystals in front of an IR diode" though. You need rather precise alignment and should know what you are doing.

There is years worth of reading material in the laser bible http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasersam.htm . There is a section on building dpss lasers should you wish to give it a shot.

If you're planning on trying to build a green laser for the first time, you'll want to use these crystals instead of the o-like sets: http://cgi.ebay.com/Nd-yvo4-Ktp-Glu...53141QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262

These consist of Nd:YVO[sub]4[/sub] and KTP together in one small crystal complete with all necessary coatings, mounted in a small heatsink. They are MUCH easier to use than separate discrete crystals, which will save you a lot of frustration just starting out. Once you've read the link that 691175002 posted above and completed a laser using glued crystals, then you could try your hand with the discrete crystals.

You need safety eyewear that covers all three wavelengths. And better to have the goggles before you have all the parts for the laser, or you might be tempted......


--John