2 Watt 445nm build

[scuba4u]

Nothing particularly fancy here, but fun nonetheless! I bought a 2W M140 diode with driver and 405-g-2 lens from DTR and a lovely little Skyray laser host off of ebay. I have quite a few pictures but images of the beam are hard to get since I only have a cell phone camera. Here are a few of the host and some action shots.

Now, the real problem I'm having is that the beam quality is extremely poor. I understand the multimode output, and I suppose at some point i could attempt to insert a cylindrical lens to correct for the fast axis, but the real problem is an additional image of the laser on the side. I've tried to take a picture here with my phone but the camera doesn't like the 2+ Watts (2.2 Watts when I measured with a power meter)

It helps to see it if you tilt your monitor screen (reduce the contrast). What I'm not sure about is whether the side image is from the laser, or the single lens. Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions? I would appreciate any help I could get.

 

[jander6442]

Looks to me as if the lens is not sitting perfectly flush in the lens barrel... Or the diode is crooked in the module like an alignment issue?

 

[scuba4u]

That's what I was thinking, but not hoping. It's a shame, since I got the whole module right from DTR I hoped it would be pretty close to perfect already. I don't have any tools other than a soldering iron and some screwdrivers, so I'm not really sure what I could do about a serious alignment issue. What would I do about the lens not sitting properly?

 

[Zakkusus]

Nice build :beer:, I have the same one but with a 9mm 445nm diode. Regarding your issue you should send a PM over to DTR, he is always more than happy to help with any problems you may have.

 

[DTR]

Can't really tell much by your picture as it is so bright it is drowned out but it should not have an alignment problem as I would have noticed that. Are you referring to the box which is a reflection off the dye? If so that is how they are. This is pretty much how it should look.:beer:

Also you can get a pretty good picture using safety glasses as a filter for the camera.

 

[scuba4u]

So the rectangle on one side of my image is from the diode being recessed on the die, and a reflection off of the die? There is no way to clean that up without reducing the aperture before the lens and reducing the power?

 

[jander6442]

OK so we are talking about the backsplash on the G2 lens... DTR pic show that exactly how it appears.

 

[DTR]

You can go with a three element lens but that has splash of a different type and power loss. With a multimode diode it is very hard to get a beam that does not have some form of artifacts or another. It is one of the things we deal with for such a visibly bright beam.:beer: