Need help removing diode

Hey guys, tl;dr version: I need help removing my laser's diode from the housing. I'm not sure if it's threaded in, but I cannot manage to unscrew it or push it out from inside using force. I've tried using vice grips and twisting with no luck. Do some assemblies require cutting the housing to remove the diode, or is it just stuck?

See pictures: When I twisted with vice grips a cap came off of the diode, revealing what you see in the second photo.

Note: I've had little experience with lasers, but I bought this guy overseas a while back. It's green, and labeled 532nm, 1000mW. I need to remove the diode to troubleshoot the driver board (laser only turns on when you lean on the pushbutton a certain way, so i figured something is loose).

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

I don't see any pictures, you either didn't post them or did it wrong. Anyway forget about removing the diode from a 532nm, that laser is DPSS, it uses a 808nm IR pump diode and has a more complex design than a regular diode laser, usually if something goes wrong you have to replace the complete module if it's even fixable at all. Anyway it sounds like yours is just a problem with the push button switch, is this on the side? Or in the tail cap? Be very careful trying to take it apart, they break easy, it's quite possible the module is glued in place and not removable, if it's a pen laser that runs on two AAA batteries it is even more likely the module can't be removed without breaking it.

I can't advise you on how to repair a 532nm or any DPSS laser, even with pictures, because I avoid them like the plague. Next time you want a green laser get a 520nm. If you can post detailed photos, someone will likely be familiar with your laser and can tell you if it can be fixed or not. If it's something cheap like a 301/303 then just buy a new one.

Alan

Thanks for the quick response, Alan.

Hopefully the pics attached correctly this time. My thought was the pb switch as well, but I can hear the *click* sound every time I push the button, so then I figured a loose connection somewhere. The pb is on the side, btw.


Sorry for the shitty quality, but the pixel req's for attachments are crazy small.

Shame I bought a DPSS, but that's what I get for buying off the streets of Thailand with no experience. I'll likely either buy or build something after I do some research, but this was fairly expensive (~$75USD), so I'd like to do what I can to salvage it.

If the module is glued in place would a heat gun help me pop it out?

The part you pulled off the front has the crystals and optics, the square thing is a C mount IR diode. A heat gun might work, it depends on the glue or thermal adhesive. I am already having doubts but it's worth a try.

Alan