Pioneer BDR 203 & 205 SmOC Harvesting tips.

The SmOC is a Small Open Can diode that lives in BDR 203 & 205. Not much is known about this diode when it comes to how hard you can push it and for how long but it is special in it's own right.

some basic information can be found here:

http://laserpointerforums.com/f50/test-3-6mm-diode-pioneer-203-205-drives-45258.html#post606123

Here are the pros and cons I summarized from Dave's Thread.

Pro's:
1 There is no "line" going through the spot/beam like the LCC's and LOC's diodes have.

2 More efficient than LCC's or LOC's.

3 Stays cooler than LCC's or LOC's.


Con's
1 Open can so dirt can get into it.

2 Smaller than usual diode (3.8mm dia.) so specially machined heat sinks modules or adapters need to be made for them.


Edit: Corrected the 3.6mm dia to be 3.8mm after remeasuring the diode. 3.6mm is the size of hole I machine to make a press fit heat sink for these little guys.



Harvesting Tips.


Harvesting the diode is actually quite easy once you know how.

Step 1. Remove the circuit board off the diode like you would any other.
Step 2. Quickly swipe some solder across the leads to jumper them for static protection. Alternatively you can also attach the leads right away and solder them together for ESD protection.
Step 3. Cover the exit aperture with a small piece of tape.
Step 4. Blow off all the gray heat sink putty with compressed air.

Diode should look like this at this point.



Step 5. Use a set of small wire cutters to grab and peal away the sides of the stock heat sink.


Note: At this point I like to test the diode with 60mA to make sure I didn't kill it yet . It also means I will have some leads attached to hang on to for the next step.

Step 6. Use a razor and work it under the lip of the diode to pry it out of the stock heat sink.




That's it! Another diode liberated from a life of data servitude.

Awsome tutorial, a lot of people will use this, since it is smaller and therefore much more difficult to harvest.

I can already see that some 3.6mm modules on aixiz and o-like and similar sites will soon be on pricelists.

Nice pictures, except first and last one is the same... why would you post it twice?

Also, you mentioned that their limits are yet to be found, but, how about reccomending a 'tried and true' currents?

Anyhow, +rep! :beer:

I removed the first pic. It was just a headline pic is all I had it there a for.


427mA is the max current that was tried in Dave's test but only time will tell how long it will live. We would need to torture one to know more and I haven't heard of anyone doing that. My guess is that it is a safe enough current.

Dave is using a normal LOC in his personal red laser, set to 0.5 A
And it still lives I think. It is in a kryton host so it is heatsinked pretty well.

If this one is more efficient, we should definetly consider 0.5 A 'safe' current.
And pushing is is anything above that.

Too bad they are only found in 200$ burners, maybe you know if one could purchase those somewhere?

Eudaimonium said:

Dave is using a normal LOC in his personal red laser, set to 0.5 A
And it still lives I think. It is in a kryton host so it is heatsinked pretty well.

If this one is more efficient, we should definetly consider 0.5 A 'safe' current.
And pushing is is anything above that.

Too bad they are only found in 200$ burners, maybe you know if one could purchase those somewhere?

Click to expand...

The diode in my Kryton (@500mA) is a LCC. Still going strong.

The SmOC's I tested are eventually going into my White Fusion builds. I only had three of them, so I didn't push them all the way to their knee. I stopped at ~427mA simply because that's where the Rkcstr driver I had it hooked to max'd out. In the White Fusion builds, I will not even be taking them up to 427mA so there was no reason to push them harder. At 427mA I had not yet observed a knee.

Peace,
dave

daguin said:

The diode in my Kryton (@500mA) is a LCC. Still going strong.

The SmOC's I tested are eventually going into my White Fusion builds. I only had three of them, so I didn't push them all the way to their knee. I stopped at ~427mA simply because that's where the Rkcstr driver I had it hooked to max'd out. In the White Fusion builds, I will not even be taking them up to 427mA so there was no reason to push them harder. At 427mA I had not yet observed a knee.

Peace,
dave

Click to expand...

Ah yeah, LCC... well basically LCC and LOC have exactly the same emitter type and specs so no difference there, except some minor improvement in heatsinking the emitter in LOC, because of exposure to air and larger diode base, right?

So, knee is even above 430 mA. Pushing them up to a knee would be very interesting. Plan on doing so in near future?

Eudaimonium said:

Ah yeah, LCC... well basically LCC and LOC have exactly the same emitter type and specs so no difference there, except some minor improvement in heatsinking the emitter in LOC, because of exposure to air and larger diode base, right?

So, knee is even above 430 mA. Pushing them up to a knee would be very interesting. Plan on doing so in near future?

Click to expand...

No plans for it now. I don't have any extras sitting around. I sent my last SmOC to another member a week or so ago. Maybe after the 12X GB comes in. I'm picking up two 12X's in the GB.

I should build a handheld with one.

Peace,
dave

daguin said:

No plans for it now. I don't have any extras sitting around. I sent my last SmOC to another member a week or so ago. Maybe after the 12X GB comes in. I'm picking up two 12X's in the GB.

I should build a handheld with one.

Peace,
dave

Click to expand...

Jeez you do spend a lot on this hobby. Even it is a GB, you won't have it less than what, 300$ for both?

Anyhow, looking forward to that. In your opinion, are they capable of holding their guts in class IV?
Would rock if they are.

Eudaimonium said:

Jeez you do spend a lot on this hobby. Even it is a GB, you won't have it less than what, 300$ for both?

Anyhow, looking forward to that. In your opinion, are they capable of holding their guts in class IV?
Would rock if they are.

Click to expand...

LOL!! You have no idea

It is looking like it will be closer to $400 for the two writers :cryyy:

Having NOT seen a knee at 427mA, I have no idea how much more they are capable of. The knee could show up at 430mA or <500mA for all I know. :thinking:

Peace,
dave

daguin said:

LOL!! You have no idea

It is looking like it will be closer to $400 for the two writers :cryyy:

Having NOT seen a knee at 427mA, I have no idea how much more they are capable of. The knee could show up at 430mA or <500mA for all I know. :thinking:

Peace,
dave

Click to expand...

Well what is the point of group buy when 200$ is a price of normal 205 on ebay?

Anyhow, maybe you should consider updating your signature, you have that 12 x diodes 'on it's way' for like 2 months now

Eudaimonium said:

Well what is the point of group buy when 200$ is a price of normal 205 on ebay?

Anyhow, maybe you should consider updating your signature, you have that 12 x diodes 'on it's way' for like 2 months now

Click to expand...

I live in CA. ALL of the darned dealers with 12X's are located in CA. That means I have to pay ~10% state sales tax on top of the price. The GB is going to save me at least $20 a drive

I forgot all about the sig. Thanks. I'll get right on it.

Peace,
dave

If anyone needs such a custom module for one of these diodes, I personally recommend sightfx for the job. He's done work for me in the past, and is working on another build for me as I type this. He does very good work and the prices are very reasonable! +1 to you Ryan!

an aixiz "head" made for these would be great.

Im thinking of selling one of my pocket mini 8x's @ 640mw to pay for a couple 12x drives.

Anyone interested?

sorry for the thread jack , ill get a thread in the b/s/t going if anyone shows interest. Ill have it sent to a veteran if need be.

I posted elswhere that I had harvested 2 SmOC diodes. I machined inserts for large and small modules. At 427 mA, my diodes with "basic" lenses give ~260 mW.
My two diodes from a BDR 203 &205 show the same curve showing a knee.
I pushed mine to 500 mA for a short test hoping for 300 mW --- Maybe Jayrob's lenses will do it for me.

HMike

Thanks Mike,

So does the knee start at around 240mA? Am I seeing that right? What would you say the best max current for a decent life would be?

"Decent Life" depends on your use of the laser. If you run long duty cycles, maybe 370 mA. I don't run for more than 10 seconds and I'm set at 400 mA but this is in the mini module having some sinking.
Remember, that this is with the diodes I got recently.
As with new diodes, I recommend ramping up the power and graph your particular diode using PO vs mA.
HMike