Looking for small laser modules

Hi,

I am experimenting with small lasers modules I took out of laser pointers to make a little light sculpture. Instead of taking apart laser pointers I now want to simply buy a quality laser module with built-in spot optic. I assume I have to limit the amperage with a current limiting resistor otherwise the laser would simply die, correct? If I use the blue 445nm diode from Aixiz http://www.aixiz.com/store/product_i...roducts_id/416 with 3.2 VDC and 90mA operating current the required resistor would be 3.2 VDC divided by 0.09 A = 35.555 Ohm. Do I need anything else to properly drive the laser? Any other US companies that sell small laser modules?

Thank you for your help!

Erwin

I would suggest using an actual laser driver instead of just a resistor. Resistors work on a ratio and don't account for surges that batteries/power supplies produce when going from no load to load/starup and varying voltage during the battery cycle so you may get current surges and the current will decrease as the battery drops form the fully charged state leading you to be charging them excessively. Also if it is a battery not a power supply you also would have to figure the resistor for the fully charged state of the battery not the stated nominal voltage.

A laser driver is constant current and as long as the voltage from the power source is in the acceptable range for the driver the current will always stay fixed even as the batteries drain and good ones have slow ramp up to protect the diode from surging.:beer:

See these links.
Laser driver - It can be done
http://laserpointerforums.com/f67/how-laser-diode-drivers-work-explanatory-thread-71513.html
http://laserpointerforums.com/f67/driver-specifications-compendium-78942.html