Optical Tubes

Has anyone used these products to successfully construct a beam expander ?

tubes Search Newport

and

tubes Search Newport

More products follow on page 4

ThorLabs has similar products.

That's kinda pricey. What's wrong with PVC drain pipe? Works great for Mr. Hemlock Mike.

I'll show this one again. This is a 4.5x expander made for the CO2 laser. That's why you see a lens that's kinda orange.
The body and mounts are made from machined PVC pipe.

HMike

Hemlock_Mike said:

I'll show this one again. This is a 4.5x expander made for the CO2 laser. That's why you see a lens that's kinda orange.
The body and mounts are made from machined PVC pipe.

HMike

Click to expand...

The body and mounts are made from machined PVC pipe.

Click to expand...

Machined that's the problem.

instead of buying or self-mading a beam expander, i had the idea to construct a "laser tube" with a laser module from which collimating lenses are removed.
the divergence of the beam in exit of KTP crystal is ~10 or 15 mRad according to sam's FAQ. so put the half module in one side of the tube and a single lens in the other et voilà...
(i did not calculate the required tube size)

i imagine a transparent tube and a naked composite crystal, this would be great