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ArcticMyst Security by Avery

newbie not having success

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Feb 17, 2013
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Hey after attempting to make 4 different types of lasers:
1,Rohm High Power Red Laser Diode 240mW Pulse 100mW+ con.
2,(1000-1500mW) infrared (808nm) TO-5 9mm laser diode
3,808nm 300mW High Power Burning IR Laser Diode DIY Lab
4,100mw 808nm

i ran them all at their specified voltages and currents, double checking with my multimeter and found the optical output to be rubbish.
For example the:

1,rohm red 100mw is barely visible,
2,the 1-1.5W 808nm shows as a faint red dot no heat felt at all
3,the 300mw 808nm i cant see at all
4,this 100mw came free with the 1-1.5W 808nm wasnt expecting much but just seemed a even dimmer version of the 1-1.5W version

note that i know I-R is out of visible spectrum but youtube videos show this range burning paper ect and seem to be a visible violet colour.
all were run with constant voltages and current and with appropriate heat sinking.oh and also i was careful not to destroy them with static

Has anyone got any advice on how to fix this?
only thing i can think of is boosting the voltages or currents more but i dont want to exceed the max ratings and destroy the diodes :s
Many thanks to any one who replys, oh and if anyone can recommend any cheap high powered laser diodes do tell! :))
 





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Bear in mind, digital (CCD) cameras pick up IR way better than our eyes do. What we see in videos depicting 808nm light does not look the way it did to human eyes at the time of recording.

Unfocussed light, will not burn as well or feel the same as the same power light focused into a tiny dot. IR is really hard to focus, because it's so hard to see. If you think you should be getting 1000mW, and it does not burn, it could be due to a wide beam. It's hard to say, really.
 
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ah yeah forgot to say, the beams are focused. the heatsinks are the aixiz laser module thingies with the lenses
just youtube shows burning wood/paper ect and i cant even feel it :/
 
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I wouldn't consider the Aixiz module as a heatsink. More of a diode holder that needs to be put into a heatsink.
 

DrSid

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Total newbie you say ? And you start with 1W IR ? You sir a begging for disaster ..
 
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I have a 120mw red laser pen and it is barley visable in the day light. Why don't you try to make a blue or green laser, something you can see :) I hope you have laser glasses rated for 808nm.
 
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Referring to post #3... Your skin isn't going to absorb a long wavelength such as 808nm, at least not at these outputs.... even a 1 watt 638nm won't burn the skin but cuts down anything dark colored.
IR was a bad idea.
 
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IR was a bad idea.

I disagree. But IR is harder and usually tackled as a more advanced project. This is how we learn, people. By doing. Failures teach us a lot! In fact, they aren't failures. They are test runs.
 

IsaacT

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Only downside is that for our hobby, test runs are expensive and lessons are learned at high cost.
 

DrSid

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I disagree. But IR is harder and usually tackled as a more advanced project. This is how we learn, people. By doing. Failures teach us a lot! In fact, they aren't failures. They are test runs.

What does ruined sight teach us ? Maybe I could start with some safer laser ?
This guy clearly has no idea what he's doing.
 
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okay dont wanna get into a pissing match dr sid i have done electronic courses and im doing physics at university, just never tried laser diode before so wanted peoples experience as everything i know if from textbooks,data sheets and humble youtube :)

just wanted to know how to get my current diodes working properly if im missing something before i spend more money on other diodes
 

DrSid

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okay dont wanna get into a pissing match dr sid i have done electronic courses and im doing physics at university, just never tried laser diode before so wanted peoples experience as everything i know if from textbooks,data sheets and humble youtube :)

just wanted to know how to get my current diodes working properly if im missing something before i spend more money on other diodes

It's simple .. start with visible wavelength, lower power. Red 200mW should be scary enough for first timer. Electronic course will be useless, unless IR lasers were part of it, which I doubt. Do you have protection goggles for 1W IR ?
 

IsaacT

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Lol, unfortunately not. And it has taken me a while to get more money that I dont have to spend on the whole "cost of living" shenanigans, but I have a new 9mm diode and 2.1A driver en route now. DTR was able to assist me a bit in establishing a case connection since I had so much trouble last time so this time should work well. Seriously that guy is the best!
 
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yeah if i get another diode it'l deffinately be either green or red, just dissapointed as i expected soo much more from my I-R's and thought 100mw of red was a bloody lot simply because here in uk anything above 5mw is banned and i cant seem to get anything as bright as that with the 100mw :/
but yeah thanks for all they advice guys :) most likely i got dodgy diodes :( , il have to have a good look around for the next cheapish diode :')
 
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^^^^ you can get green diodes and your holding out on us? :tinfoil:
 




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