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ArcticMyst Security by Avery

My most recent build (445nm 'labby')

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Jul 24, 2010
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Hello fellow laser junkies. I finished building this 'labby' a couple weeks ago; figured I'd show it to people that can properly appreciate a bunch of coherent photons and the difficulties involved in producing them (if you're like me, everyone you know thinks you're a just a little too obsessed with lasers... they may be right).
5984-445nm-build-08-2011.jpg

5985-445nm-build-08-2011.jpg
5986-445nm-build-08-2011.jpg

The diode is pressed into the cylindrical heatsink and then another large heatsink is bolted to the back of that; it is a 1/4" thick bar of aluminum the same size as the front panel it is mounted behind. All these parts were lapped and then assembled using a TIM.
The driver is temporarily a ddl based lm350t constant current set for 1250mA. This will be replaced by a Flexmod P3 and a temperature monitoring circuit to keep it living for a long time.

Now for a couple of action shots!
5987-445nm-build-08-2011.jpg

These next ones I decided to set up a quick-and-dirty as it gets interferometer (not a real good laser for the task, but I was bored) Power was reduced to about 250 or 300 mA if IIRC. The laser was defocused a bit, and quite a bit so in the last photo to make for some really big fringes.
5988-445nm-build-08-2011.jpg
5989-445nm-build-08-2011.jpg

Thanks for looking and feel free to leave feedback, the most I get from anyone locally is "Gee... That's neat... What's it for?" Total lack of understanding!:banghead:
 





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Jun 19, 2010
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Very nice and clean build you have there.:beer:
Welcome to the forums!.....looking forward to seeing more of your builds here.
 
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Mar 1, 2011
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Wow. That's a heck of a promising introduction !
Simple clean lines. Prominent but not in-your-face.
Very nice indeed.

And unlike your aquaintances with their "What's it for ?" I will go the other direction and ask "What's next ?"
You looking to maybe build some matching units in other colors ?
Could make for an impressive "Set" !
:D
 
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Jul 24, 2010
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Thank you all, I appreciate the good words :yh: While my interest in lasers has little to do with impressing others, I'll admit that it is nice to have ones work appreciated.

And unlike your aquaintances with their "What's it for ?" I will go the other direction and ask "What's next ?"
You looking to maybe build some matching units in other colors ?
Could make for an impressive "Set" !

I hadn't thought about making a matching set, but I like the idea quite a bit, now that you mention it. Unfortunately, a couple things will probably prevent me from going that route, at least for now. One reason is that I can be very ADD when it comes to projects. I'll already be planning/starting the next, before I am done with the current one (too many things I want to do!). Hence one of the reasons for the temporary ddl driver; It'll get done, but it may take a few weeks. The other is money... err, lack thereof. The next/current project is already causing me to consider Raman noodles again for the first time in 10 or 15 years.:scowl: The project I am referring to is a 3 x 445nm build with TEC and corrective optics all sealed in a very industrial enclosure. About halfway done now.

What is the supply voltage? What will you be modulating it with?

The supply voltage is anywhere from about 8.3V to more than 20V DC, but since it is a ddl driver housed within the same enclosure, it should really be as close to 8.3V as possible for efficiency and thermal reasons. Modulation is not really implemented just yet, but the flexmod I am upgrading it to supports analog/ttl. For the hacked together interferometer, I just reduced the supply voltage to the laser in order to reduce the output to reasonable levels. Not really modulating it, more like starving it.
 
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I mean... What will be providing the signal to the flexmod, and why does it require modulation?
 
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Aug 14, 2011
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Love it!

What did you use for the body? I'd love to put a labby together like that.
 
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Apr 14, 2011
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awesome work man. Keep it up. I wish i could find cool hosts, shells like that. Sigh...... I've been using the black radioshack project boxes for labby hosts. not too terrible, but i feel like a goober using plastic. lol. =) Good stuff!
 
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Jul 24, 2010
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Cyparagon: No plans for what to modulate it with. I just wanted to add some versatility to it - for example, projector usage (or maybe long distance laser communication perhaps?). Besides, analog or even ttl modulation is so much more svelte and robust than just varying the supply current, I'm sure you'd agree. I really didn't make this particular laser for any other reason than the box was just asking to be made into one.

What did you use for the body? I'd love to put a labby together like that.
I found the enclosure, and most of the other parts too at www.mpja.com.

TexMexExciplex: Radio Shack is less and less useful these days (and more and more expensive). To find the 'good stuff' at a fraction of the cost of RS, check out online and local industrial/electronic/scientific surplus dealers. I get ideas every time I look through their ever changing inventories. eBay's business and industrial category is also great. If you want, I could post up links to some of my personal favorites.

what kind of lens do you have? doesnt quite look like a typical aixiz..
It is just an Aixiz coated for blue. I have it wrapped in teflon tape so that probably accounts for the odd look. I will actually be replacing that lens with an o-like blue lens once they finally arrive in the mail; I prefer them to all other lenses I have tried. I never seem to order enough of them, so if anyone in the USA has any for sale, let me know. (haven't even received these ones and I am already in need of more)
 
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May 29, 2011
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there are many people one the forum that have them :p i have two if you want them :D
or you could order them where i got them - yobresal.
 
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Jul 24, 2010
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there are many people one the forum that have them i have two if you want them
or you could order them where i got them - yobresal.
:thanks:
If you're sure you won't be needing them (else, I'll try yobresal like you suggested). That'd be great! Just to make sure, you're talking about the half-threaded lens coated for blue sold by o-like? Let me know how much you want for them.
 
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Jul 24, 2010
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that one of the sexiest labby's ive seen !
Thanks! Labby's do tend to receive a bit less attention to aesthetics than do handhelds, though I have been seeing some really nice ones here on the forums lately.
 
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Aug 28, 2012
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Hey Erik, could i please see the plans for that lm350 driver, i feel that i just want to build a driver that's been tested and i know is a working design.
 




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