Basic DPSSL analog help PLEASE....

I just got a 1000mw green DPSSL analog laser to play with (Mier light from ebay), and need some basic information I have not been able to find. Perhaps because it is so basic only someone as green as me would need to ask. With your indulgence, here goes;
I need to put 0-5 v into these two wires to make the thing work. I think that’s to regulate the output, is that right? So, why? Why not just have a dial on the box that supplies its own DC? Second, and more importantly, how do I feed this thing its 0-5 volts? Looks like there are some bench variable power supplies out there on ebay, and the 0-5 volt part is fairly obvious. But, what about the amperage settings? How do I not fry the thing with too much? Ideally, I’d love to buy some simple power supply that has a dial adjustment, but don’t know where to find one.
So, being as impressed as I am with the laser geniuses I see on this forum, I’ve come hat in hand asking for advice and instruction. I have safety equipment, and have been playing with simpler 200mv laser pointers. Now I’d like to be pointed at the basics for these more complex units.

Thanks so much for your time.

What's the model of the laser? Depending on the configuration, you may be able to feed it 5V from it's own power supply. Otherwise any 5V source will work, even a 5VDC wall wart adapter if you have one. The analog input is voltage sensitive, so very little current need be supplied.

With these kinds of lasers, the output is proportional to the voltage on the analog input up to 5V. This means you can feed it different voltages for different output power levels.

lower the voltage and you lower the output power. Do not exceed 5V, you can kill the laser doing that. Find the threshold where the laser starts to lase with a variable power supply and this can be handy to line up experiments without a totally blinding spot to worry about (altho a 1 watter will probably put out around 300-400mw at threshold, so I'd still be wary).

The laser should have come with some directions on which wire is + and which is -. You can use an LM7805 to power the analog input from a higher DC voltage source as the current drain will be tiny - in the milliamps range at most.

I'd be weary using a linear regulator for something with a current draw as low as this, most of them have a minimum draw to maintain stability. Even a simple resistive divider would be sufficient.

Some lasers do have a dial built onto the power supply, however most of them are designed to be built into a lasershow or some other application where computer control of the laser is required.

Thanks for the help. For the short term; got a 5v radio shack wall wart and a POT to wire into the output line. Will also put a safety switch on the project box I'm using. Long term, where do I buy a real control, and what is the poper term for them?

The driver wires are red and black, pretty easy to figgure out. Next question: I see ebay has beam widners. This would be cool, as the laser is being used as a "Phaser" in a light show built into an art car. I'm assuming I have to rig something like a bench mount to hold it into position, or can they be screwed onto the threads around the apature port? I know this stuff probably seems silly to serious laser folks, but having a good time playing with it. If you would like to see what the laser is being fit into, go here, ePlaya ? View topic - "Chaffee" new shuttle build.

:thanks:

That vehicle is looking great... Still don't understand the part of the laser since a phaser should be the portable gun in star treck correct? Make a research here in the forum, there has been many phasers made.... you would be amazed.

The ships main weapons were phasers as well. Already made a 200mw green hand phaser, this is the "ship" version.

Phasers are the main "dogfight" weapon in star trek, just like missiles they also have photon torpedoes, for that long distance attack.

There are also Phaser rifles which are more powerful than hand phasers (the assualt rifle of star trek); these are featured quite a few times in Voyager, and of course the hand phaser or just "phaser" both of which can be set to stun or kill. In Voyager the phasers have a variable power setting (indicated by a row of 8 or 10 orange/yellow leds on the rear of the phaser). A blast from the stun setting will knock out most opponents except for a borg who has adapted to the phased energy beam. Same goes for the kill setting. A trick to stun or kill borg is to set the phaser on a rotating modulation.

Isnt it funny we also use a lot of these terms (modulation, phaser (ok laser)) here in the forums; and us scanner guys can set our "phasers" to stun or kill using analog modulation