445nm Lens Comparisons!

[jayrob]

Re: 445nm A130 Lens Comparisons!

That may be the scientific best approach...

But it sure is easier to just swap lenses out of the laser and measure the output...

We're looking at more than output power anyway...

We also want to see what the beam profile and dot looks like...

 

[LASER66]

Re: 445nm A130 Lens Comparisons!

15% is a huge difference, but I have a feeling it is due to just the coating...

This is just based on the output of the beam and dot pattern.

But also, I have seen huge differences in other lenses that I know are the exact same lens, but with a different coating.

For instance, if you tried to use a normal AixiZ glass lens with blu-ray instead of red, it will be a huge difference...

Anyway Will, I got your package and I will be testing these lenses. But what is that large lens in the large nut?

I want to get a tap so that I can make a module for it to thread into. Do you know the thread size?

Please tell me more about this lens!

Jay:

M11X 0.5

maybe hold off on the tap, if you have a way to hold a diode in a heat sink and get the lens to it. Otherwise 0.5mm wall thickness to work with while threading- Yuck!

also the coating plots will show, ( see myother post on coatings), that using the wrong coating can not explain 10% to 15% variation in output.

Will

 

[LASER66]

Re: 445nm A130 Lens Comparisons!

It is a 36-0001. It is rated for 10W. However, the ratings are with the beam covering the whole thermopile. They are not designed to have "focused" laser light on them. I did not intentionally have it focused at the distance to the thermopile. That was unintended. The main info to take away from that is that the beam spreads out very fast. One cannot just give the lens a twist, and hope that it will all still be on the thermopile. One must check it visually

I have both 4-inch and 8-inch thermopiles here if I need to spread the beam even more

Peace,
dave

Yeah, it's amazing what power densities we can reach with even a slightly focused beam but at 1/2 to 1 watt !

W

 

[jayrob]

Re: 445nm A130 Lens Comparisons!

Update!

Hey I tested the 405-G-1 with my custom 'small aperture sleeve/retainer' and it is better than the AixiZ 405 glass lens... (IMHO) Edit: After further testing, I still like the AixiZ 405 glass lens better for this diode...

Here's some initial pictures and results. I'll do some more comparison's later in the dark.

But it also seems to burn better at close distance with you focus it as best as possible.

More testers needed!

Here's what it looked like on the same wall and photo without the custom small aperture sleeve/retainer:

See first post for all the dot comparison pictures together...


P.S. I tested it with blu-ray and it cleans up the dot amaizinly! It is about 10% less power that without the custom small aperture sleeve, but it is a very much improved dot. Pretty much as good as I could have hoped for...

For blu-ray, it would still be about 16% more power vs AixiZ acrylic. (back opened)

The custom 'small aperture sleeve/retainer' for the 405-G-1 cleans up the splash a lot, but in my honest opinion, I still like the look of the AixiZ 405 glass lens better with this 445 diode...

 

[kevinmassey]

Re: 445nm A130 Lens Comparisons!

Good to hear! to bad it cuts the power increase in half. Probably still worth it though.

 

[jayrob]

Re: 445nm A130 Lens Comparisons!

Not in half! About 1/3...

I can pretty much guarantee that you will not be disappointed...

More testers needed! You up for it Dave?

Edit: At close distance, it is very nice and a super burner, but at distance, you can tell that the 405-G-1 shows more of the 'line' that the diode produces.

For some reason, this 'line' is shortened with the AixiZ 405 glass lens. So it's a tough call which lens I like better with this diode...

Edit 2: I see what you mean... You mean 1/2 the power between AixiZ 405 vs 405-G-1...

When I said 1/3, I was talking about 1/3 less power of the increase form an AixiZ acrylic. (which is not really a consideration for this 445 diode, but is a basis for most of my lens comparisons)

 

[daguin]

Re: 445nm A130 Lens Comparisons!

Not in half! About 1/3...

I can pretty much guarantee that you will not be disappointed...

More testers needed! You up for it Dave?

Absofrickenlutely! Great idea.

Peace,
dave

 

[Pontiacg5]

Re: 445nm A130 Lens Comparisons!

Try painting it black so it doesn't reflect as much light, that might clean it up a little bit. The silver might be reflecting the light and making the halo around the dot a bit more pronounced.

Well, if the laser doesn't melt the paint that is

 

[daguin]

Re: 445nm A130 Lens Comparisons!

Try painting it black so it doesn't reflect as much light, that might clean it up a little bit. The silver might be reflecting the light and making the halo around the dot a bit more pronounced.

Well, if the laser doesn't melt the paint that is

High-temp, BBQ black?

Peace,
dave

 

[jayrob]

Re: 445nm A130 Lens Comparisons!

More comparisons:

At close distance, it is very nice and a super burner, but at distance, you can tell that the 405-G-1 shows more of the 'line' that the diode produces.

For some reason, this 'line' is shortened with the AixiZ 405 glass lens. So it's a tough call which lens I like better with this diode...

* AixiZ 405 glass lens - cleaner dot at distance.
* 405-G-1 'small aperture' - 7% more power. Still nice dot. But a little longer 'line' at distance. (noticeable at 40')

The custom 'small aperture sleeve/retainer' for the 405-G-1 cleans up the splash a lot, but in my honest opinion, I still like the look of the AixiZ 405 glass lens better with this diode...

 

[LASER66]

Re: 445nm A130 Lens Comparisons!

That may be the scientific best approach...

But it sure is easier to just swap lenses out of the laser and measure the output...

We're looking at more than output power anyway...

We also want to see what the beam profile and dot looks like...

are you back from the post office that fast? !

The tests does not replace the swap test.
It's just a way to verify coatings with more than "it's red" or "it's a different coating" since it's orange looking, not bluish (coating color).

also I have a 6.7um X 6.7um resolution beam profiler, so we can always get a nice profile.



Will

 

[LASER66]

Re: 445nm A130 Lens Comparisons!

that was a lte post by me, originally going to be sent at about 5PM (about post office).

anyway, I still think the aperture shoule be at the rear, and the "length" of the hole should be very short (like a washer) if in the front like yours.

Also, look at your original beam shot... It has a rectangular shape to the side scatter. That's not from a lens. As I told you in my email, check the beam right out of the diode. With the high NA of the 405-G-1, or 405-G-2, the lens catches all that light. I'll bet the NA of the AixiZ 405glass is less than 0.5
A simple scientific test again, can tell us a lot about the NA of that AixiZ lens.

Good test Jay !

Will

 

[jayrob]

Re: 445nm A130 Lens Comparisons!

Yep Will, we know the rectangular splash is not from the lens, but from the diode...

Anyway, I like my little modification. And it still gives 7% or more power than AixiZ 405 with this 445nm diode...

However... Although this custom 'small aperture sleeve/retainer' for the 405-G-1 cleans up the splash a lot, in my honest opinion, I still like the look of the AixiZ 405 glass lens better with this diode...

Absofrickenlutely! Great idea.

Peace,
dave

I'll send you one of the little small aperture sleeves tomorrow Dave so you can install it into one of your lenses to see what you think!

 

[jbtm]

Re: 445nm A130 Lens Comparisons!

I'm glad to say I'll have mine hopefully tomorrow. I have a heatsink for the laser to run happily at its first test, 386mA. I dont have many diodes so I cant really help with this stuff, I only have the acrylic lens and your red G1 lens

Good luck, however.

 

[HIMNL9]

Re: 445nm A130 Lens Comparisons!

It will be nice to see how my AR coated Acrylic (ebay LASERS4U) will do against the un-coated AixiZ of the same design

Sorry, what one ?

If your lens have an AR coating that looks blue/violet, don't use it for blue diodes .... that coating is for red/IR band, and used with blue light, it just cause more loss .....

Hey I tested the 405-G-1 with my custom 'small aperture sleeve/retainer' and it is better than the AixiZ 405 glass lens... (IMHO)

..... it's called "diaphragm", in photography :na: ..... sorry, no offense, just can't resist

Also, i'm second suggesting you to paint the inside with matte black ..... both the "high temp BBQ" suggested from Dave, or the high temp motor paint can be ok .....

also the coating plots will show, ( see myother post on coatings), that using the wrong coating can not explain 10% to 15% variation in output.

I think here, LarryDFW is right ..... also with the same coating, the triplet have 3 lenses, not just one, so some of the loss is probably simply due to the more lenses to pass ..... ah, well .....

 

[jaycey]

Re: 445nm A130 Lens Comparisons!

My entry into the 445 arena, with the lens & diode mount from a Plasmon UDO Drive.
Mounted in a small project box, with a DDL driver set at 600mah running off a 7.4v LiPo.

This is a picture of my dot at 10metres, its around 2,5 cm so I am pretty happy with it.

Heres a beam shot in broad daylight:drool:

I did have a little giggle when I connected the battery for the first time there was instant smoke, I quickly disconected the battery thinking one of the driver components was burning...then realised it was the beam, unfocused, shining onto my little project box about 12 inches away