Pink / Magenta Laser

Okay I have been doing a LOT of reading on the forums and there are some questions I still have regarding creating the perfect Pink/Magenta laser.

1. Is it better to use 405nm or 445nm for the V/B? I have seen people using both. My concerns are that if I use 445nm I will not have enough power as I am sticking to single mode.

2. What is the best ratio for the prettiest pink color? I want this laser to be a true dazzling work of awesomeness and the last thing I want to do is run them at the wrong currents. One ratio I have heard is 2 parts red for every 1 part blue/violet. Then again I have also heard 1:1 ratios used.

3. I am planning to use a dichro for combining the beams as I believe you get fewer losses. The PBS cubes in builds I read up on had HIGH 445nm losses. Are there any easy way to mount the dichro? I have the ones from the projectors you get out of the sleds DTR sells. Will I need to cut them?

4. For the red I plan to use 660nm as I want to say that will be the best magenta/pink creator. I feel like 638nm is too orange for this project.

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So. My plan is to use:

LPC-640 @ 750mA for about 500mW of Single Mode fun.
12X 405nm @ 500mA for about 300mW of Single Mode fun.
Pass Blue/Reflect Red Dichro from Optics Sled a la DTR.
Custom Host of my own Design, fabricated by Ehgemus if he doesn't kill me after my current project.
A Single 26650 Lithium Ion battery for INSANE runtimes on this build.
405nm will be driven Microboost Driver
660nm will be driven Flexdrive....if they go that high?


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Does anyone see any problems with this plan of action? I already have most of the parts, will just need the 12X module, a flexdrive for the diode, and the host built.

Please give me your über honest opinions on 405nm vs 445nm.

Thanks,
Isaac

Why not use one of the single mode 450 osram diodes? IIRC they can hit at least 200mw. I would think 150mw 450 and 400-500mw 650 would be about the right combination.

You could also use homemade linear drivers with a pot to adjust current (you do the circuit math), so you can better adjust color balance- or even cooler yet, use those slider pots, similar to the sliders on audio equipment (but not as long). I know sparkfun carries them.

But thats all assuming this will go in a little box like the other guy that made one.

What for mount are you using? Thay o-like mount? If so, just do the math, and dremel a small cut into it at 45 degrees, then epoxy your dichro into said cut.

Edit: since I definitely know how to read, I see that you are indeed using a custom host. So basically nvm to every single thing i just said!

But still, I would use 450 over 405. Also remember if you use 405, the 405 (and not the red) will fluoresce on some surfaces, throwing your color balance off.

So for combining inside a host...hmm...2 diodes facing same way, one hits a dichro and passes, the other hits a 45 degree mirror or a prism and is bounced to dichro and reflected. Or you have ehgemus fabricate you some kind of mount similar to the o-like mount, 2 diodes perpendicular to eachother. Then you have really got to worry about space, since you are confined to a host (which im assuming wont be enormous). Keep in mind through all of this electric isolation and whatnot. Cant have everything shorting out.

I leave me first chunk of text in case it gives you or anyone else ideas.

This will be a handheld system in a custom host I will beg Ehgemus to take on after he finishes the one I am having done now. Already working on the design. So unfortunately I don't think there is enough space for homemade linear drivers. But I may do a practice one with a PHR and an LPC to get the ratios right.

the practice with lpc and phr is the best idea, i had a set up like that and it looked pretty sweet. IMHO The pink(fusia) that you get from the 0pnext sm 638 and the 0$ram sm 450 is my favorite mix. for a pink/magenta I use my sinner host builds together ALL the time to see that sweet pink. The problem with using 405 is that you get that kind of ghost dot effect around the red and it never really looks truly blended. Not to mention the florescence of the 405 on different mediums throws off the color balance.

http://laserpointerforums.com/f40/magenta-laser-25129.html This was an interesting read. Hope it helps!

The fluorescence is a VERY good point Mr. Green! I will have to consider that. +Rep when I am allowed.

crazyspaz said:

But still, I would use 450 over 405. Also remember if you use 405, the 405 (and not the red) will fluoresce on some surfaces, throwing your color balance off.

Click to expand...

bdgreenb said:

Not to mention the florescence of the 405 on different mediums throws off the color balance.

Click to expand...

IsaacT said:

The fluorescence is a VERY good point Mr. Green! I will have to consider that. +Rep when I am allowed.

Click to expand...

>.>
<.<

I guess I missed that somehow lol. Rep for you too!

IsaacT said:

This will be a handheld system in a custom host I will beg Ehgemus to take on after he finishes the one I am having done now. Already working on the design. So unfortunately I don't think there is enough space for homemade linear drivers. But I may do a practice one with a PHR and an LPC to get the ratios right.

Click to expand...

I am also sourcing ehgemus for 2 dual diode hosts. To build an RB and a GB combo.

Care to share your design?

bloompyle said:

I am also sourcing ehgemus for 2 dual diode hosts. To build an RB and a GB combo.

Care to share your design?

Click to expand...

I haven't finished my design yet. Still at the drawing board. First I need to finish my 6W 445 project.

IsaacT said:

I haven't finished my design yet. Still at the drawing board. First I need to finish my 6W 445 project.

Click to expand...

Two 9mm 445nm's combined? or Pushing the 3.5W diode to 6W?
Either way, I would enjoy seeing that build thread:eg:

Pushing the 3.5W to 6W. I am excited. Just have to get a host that is deserving of the diode. Everything else is at my desk.

Nice:beer: I really liked your last build when you designed the host yourself. It definitely added to the originality of the laser and made many others envious I think you should go the Ehgemus route again:beer:

Every host I have made now is done by Ehgemus. No one else

I'd get the 445nm and combine it with a 638nm. The reason is that you'll have a lot more visible light to play with and control. 405nm has really low brightness, and the fluorescence is definitely a huge factor that can throw off your color. 445nm also about as far as you can go into the blue to get deep blue, for a wider gamut.

Do note, however, that it can be a pain to control some of these diodes without some sort of feedback mechanism. They seem to go from dull to bright within a very short range. Many of the drivers people sell are mostly for extracting as much power as you can from the laser, not precise control near the lower power levels where you see the greatest brightness differences.

Still, there might be other things you can try, for example, if you don't intend on modulating your light, you can you can use dichros at different angles to reflect away some of the light. For setups employing PBSes, such as this, you can rotate the diodes axially which will affect the polarization of the light entering the cube, and therefore how much actually gets reflected or passed through. Then set up a beam dump near the other end to prevent any reflections from affecting the output.