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ArcticMyst Security by Avery

Help finding a DVD-RW burner drive with high power diode

Joined
Nov 2, 2023
Messages
28
Points
3
Hey guys. Im very interested in electrical engineering and have already racked up quite a bit of experience in high voltage, and somewhat basic circuits (the grind is real!).
And lately for my next project I want to build a new high power laser. Something under a watt for my first project and since i live in a place where it is incredibly hard to find lasers and laser diodes, because of the outrageous laws here, i have turned to more crude methods. Such as extracting laser diodes from places where they would be used in ordinary technology and ive found that DVD-RW drives contain generally very high power diodes. I have done some research in what KIND of power we are talking about and it seems to be 250-400mw!!!

Now then the part that i actually need help in. I have found that 24x dvd rw drives have a 400mw 650 red laser diode within. However the more I look the more mixed answers i get in the power output. I have multiple sources saying that this is the general power, but all the manufactorers say otherwise. Im not sure who to trust and i cant trust myself to spend 30-40 bucks on a low power laser diode that isnt useful to me.


Could someone please help me find a good dvd rw drive that i can trust has a 400mw laser diode inside?
Incase 400mw is a huge overestimation on the real power of the laser diodes within these the next most powerful thing works too
I have high OD goggles against this wavelength and others too so dont worry too much.
Thanks in advance
 





Joined
Sep 20, 2013
Messages
17,462
Points
113
The last 650 nm laser diode I used to get to 400 mW was an LPC840. These are still single mode direct diodes and max out around 400 mW. You might get one that does a bit less, but it should be close.
 




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