Orange HeNe :)

I picked up an old collection of Hene's and some electronic gear last week. Most of it was junk (as usual) but for the price I paid, it wasn't a problem. However, in the mix of damaged tubes, corroded electronics, and dead lasers was a jewel. How many of you have ever seen an orange (611.9nm) Helium/Neon laser?

Here it is

The lower spot is a ghost

What? You're not impressed? You should be . . . .

How about now?

611.9nm -- 632nm -- 635nm -- 660nm

I know. My camera doesn't pick up the difference for crap.

Let's try this one

611.9nm vs. 660nm

Still not impressed, eh? I wish my camera could pick up the true color.

Here is one that was a "mistake", but ended up actually showing the difference the best. Here is 611.9nm vs. 632nm

Here you can "see" the orange vs, the red

One final attempt


The difference in person is very striking.

I also got one of the strangest lasers I've ever seen in this batch. It is probably an artifact of too little voltage and/or current (or its death throes), but one of the HeNe's in this batch is very strange. It is TEM01 which is strange to begin with, but it also slowly cycles back and forth between green and yellow! I have a higher voltage power source on the way. We'll see if that forces it to settle down

Peace,
dave

daguin said:

The lower spot is a ghost

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sweet!! Were you the one that bought the 'laser show parts' that came with like 10 different HeNe tubes and some old junk laser show stuff??

GooeyGus said:

sweet!! Were you the one that bought the 'laser show parts' that came with like 10 different HeNe tubes and some old junk laser show stuff??

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Yep. This is from that collection of crap. It appeared that the stuff was stored in a "salty" environment. There was also a green in the mix. It looks like I'll end up with three good reds as well out of the batch. I am still working on getting two other ones to lase. Wouldn't it be cool if the one that is cycling settled down to a stable 594nm!

Peace,
dave

well I think the guy said in the auction that there was a yellow in there!! I'm REALLY after a yellow HeNe right now...

the 611.9 is hene right.

jamilm9 said:

the 611.9 is hene right.

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Yes. So is the 632nm.

Peace,
dave

DUDE. Dude. Dude? Dude!

I NEED pictures of this with your Xerex and a 632/5.

I'm so jealous Dave, you have all the colors I want. I'm about to start trying to get my HeNe's, but I have no clue where to find them. Where do you find em? All I ever see on eBay for HeNe's cost like $300+ for rare colors.

That is SOOO awesomely cooltastic Dave. Seriously.

Hey Dave, how did you figure out the frequency was 611.9nm ?

laserguys said:

Hey Dave, how did you figure out the frequency was 611.9nm ?

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That is just the "standard" frequency of the orange color line in the helium/neon spectrum. It is +- based on environmental factors.

Here is a link to a .zip file of a picture of the laser spectra

http://www.skywise711.com/lasers/files/spectrumchartv10.ZIP

You will see the 611.9 as well as the other helium/neon lines (and the other laser spectra as well)

If you don't already have this on your computer, you should. It is worth the download.

Peace,
dave.

Is jealous beyond belief! :

Another score, not suprised actually you always score... How many mW is it?

VW said:

Another score, not suprised actually you always score...  How many mW is it?

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After warming up (5 min.) I get a full 4mW of bright orange light

The final "score" for this "pile of crap" is one orange, one green, one that "cycles" between green and yellow (probably dieing), and two reds; some old electronics and a three nice "project boxes."

Peace,
dave

Wow, I can't wait to see it!

Perhaps if you took a picture of the "spots" at a distance, it would reduce the saturation and your camera would render the colors more accurately.

It looks really neat.
I'm jealous.

RA_pierce said:

Perhaps if you took a picture of the "spots" at a distance, it would reduce the saturation and your camera would render the colors more accurately.

It looks really neat.
I'm jealous.

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I tried that.  I just suck at photography.  The beam is very pretty and bright in person.  Ace82 got to see it yesterday.  Maybe he will chime in with a better description.  However, I am still stoked.

BTW, the one that was "cycling" between green and yellow quit yesterday.  All it would do was buzz trying to start.  Oh well, still a great deal!

Peace,
dave