hourglass shaped dot

[rileyscool101]

Okay so I put together my first laser today, using an a140 diode and an aixiz 3 element lens, and while the beam and power look phenomenal, my dot sucks. It looks like this: |>.<| horrible representation but my phone is currently dead so I have no camera... It doesn't go away until I unfocus the dot to the point where it takes up all the space that the hourglass would extend to... Any ideas? I already tried using a camera lens cleaner, and nothing has changed..

 

[Things]

Sounds like the beam might be hitting something shiny inside the module. Did you press the diode yourself? Is it pressed in straight?

 

[DTR]

Have you tried the lens in the other way. Sounds like it is backwards.:beer:

 

[rileyscool101]

Have you tried the lens in the other way. Sounds like it is backwards.:beer:

i feel like an idiot, i assumed the side with the inner notches faced outwards, but I switched it and it's infinitely better. There is now however a very faint "box" above the dot, but it's my understanding that is normal. Thank you for this!

 

[Things]

I would have thought the notches faced outwards too, usually they're so you can adjust the lens. Weird.

 

[rileyscool101]

I would have thought the notches faced outwards too, usually they're so you can adjust the lens. Weird.

I realized there's 2 sets of notches, one set holding the glass in place. I assumed these would be the notches to face outward, as I thought it would cause reflection into the diode if it faced inwards. However after reading this I realized why the other set of notches were there, and now I'm feeling even stupider. Rookie mistake I guess haha

 

[danefex]

hourglass = backwards lens, everytime.

Glad its fixed :beer:

 

[jcranmer]

hourglass = backwards lens, everytime.

Glad its fixed :beer:

Yep! You guys beat me to this thread. I was going to suggest turning the lens around too. :beer:

 

[HitShane]

i feel like an idiot, i assumed the side with the inner notches faced outwards, but I switched it and it's infinitely better. There is now however a very faint "box" above the dot, but it's my understanding that is normal. Thank you for this!

The "box" is normal. From what I understand it is an internal reflection from the laser die itself...
-Shane