470nm diode

[Ablaze]

I work with smaller diodes at lower power. My Chinese supplier has just told me that he has just gotten the technology to make me a 470nm at 10mw that is just larger than a AA battery. It's a bit spendy at the moment, but i'm hoping the price will drop soon.

I am wondering if anyone knows what the history is behind this compact light blue diode. I haven't yet seen any (edit:consumer end) laser pens in blue, but perhaps this means they will be breaking in to the market this year?

 

[ZRaffleticket]

If your supplier has, that would be AMAZING! (though I'd be a bit sad considering I spent $620 on a 150 mW 473 last thursday)
Also, a diode about as big as a battery? go new tech! the size should go down... hopefully.
So far the max output is 10 mW right? hopefully it goes into the hundreds range, that shade of blue is absolutely amazing at higher powers.
*setting hopes way too high* If these ever reach the class 4 range i'm starting DIYs.

As far as I know diode companies are trying for green and may have stumbled on 470nm a while back, but there's nothing I can find on a 470nm diode specifically.

 

[ShortyInCanada]

"a 470nm at 10mw that is just larger than a AA battery."

Sounds like a DPSS type of unit.
That would also help explain the lower power output AND the higher cost for the unit.
So what combination of numbers results in a DPSS of 470nm ?
Hmmmm.
:thinking:

 

[ZRaffleticket]

maybe instead of a 946nm IR it'd be a 940nm? That would mean a different crystal or distance... there IS a 940nm IR diode, skipping one frequency change in DPSS? (473 uses 808->946->473 right?)

 

[rhd]

Come on guys, you're missing the obvious.
"I haven't yet seen any (edit:consumer end) laser pens in blue"

This guy hasn't seen blue laser pens before, and yet you're buying the fact that he understands the significance of 470 vs 445 vs 473, etc etc etc.
Before we start putting any stock in this, lets wait for some response, some specs, SOMETHING from the OP.

 

[ZRaffleticket]

You're probably right, it may just be a 473nm that was mistaken for 470nm, and we'd be getting our hopes high for nothing... I'm gonna keep an eye on this thread though if he's right.

 

[Ablaze]

Well, ZRaffleticket, it may be actually 473nm. I haven't bought the device, and I certainly wouldn't put it past the salesman to approximate by 3nm. His quote was for 470nm at 10mw. I do not know if it could be made brighter, but he he has offered me units in the past at any output I like up to 50mw.

There is a bit of a language barrier between me and him, but he quoted me 100 units for $$$ each. They would fit into the same housing as the DPSS greens I have been getting.

(here's a pic of the greens I've been getting)

If I were to ask him whether they were direct drive or DPSS or where they had come from I don't think I would get a direct answer, which is why I was asking here if there might be any history behind it. I'm going to go ahead and assume that this isn't entirely new news, since I am not a high end scientist.

I don't want to get anyone's hopes up about something entirely new, I think these are probably 473nm diodes that have dropped down into my price horizon. I am just trying to determine what development may have made them drop in price.

 

[rhd]

Here's what's out there:

400 to ~450nm DIODE lasers.
- Cheap, around $50, common

473nm and 488nm DIODE lasers.
- Expensive, over $4,000, very very uncommon (but real)

473nm DPSS lasers
- Reasonable prices, but still generally above $200


So, your guy could have a number of different things:
1) If he has a ~450nm DIODE laser that he's calling 470nm, at $100 it's nothing to bother with
2) If he has a 473nm DIODE laser that he's calling 470nm, at $100 it's really f'ing amazing.
3) If he has a 473nm DPSS laser that he's calling 470nm, at $100 it's still pretty darn good, but within the realm of believability (though I'd still be cautiously skeptical)

Long story short, whether this is worth anything, depends almost entirely on finding out:
A) What is the actual wavelength and WILL HE GUARANTEE the wavelength?
B) What type of laser is it? Diode or DPSS ?

 

[Wolfman29]

Yeah... do you know the difference between a diode and a DPSS system? Because green lasers right now are NOT diodes - they are DPSS systems... and diodes are usually extraordinarily small. A diode would NEVER be the same size as a DPSS system because it just doesn't need all that volume to produce the same amount of light.

But, my guess is that you stumbled upon a great deal of 10mW 473nm DPSS systems... which would certainly be worth purchasing. You could sell them here easily for $150+ each, probably, if you proved that your product is quality.

 

[Ablaze]

Thank you for the constructive input, rhd. I'll send him an email. With the time difference being what it is I don't expect a response until very late tonight at the earliest.

I will let you know what he says.

----
Edit to respond to Wolfman:
Yes, I understand the difference between direct drive and DPSS. I have been trying to build laser gloves, which require extreme durability, so I ask for all the lasers in the same 16x60mm housing (whether they are DD or DPSS type) which is very durable.

 

[ShortyInCanada]

You think that maybe all the latest research and production of pico projectors might be causing a bit more of a market for the 473nm units.
I can see where the tolerances for acceptable units for inclusion into projectors would cause a fair number of the products made to be available for "other" sales. Even if it was only 5% rejected with the numbers being or about to be ordered for pico projectors to be mass produced the quantity of those rejects could represent a substantial investment by the suppliers that they might be willing to part with at a lower cost.
It would be better than taking them back and trying to recycle or trash at a complete loss.
Just my thoughts on it.

 

[rhd]

You think that maybe all the latest research and production of pico projectors might be causing a bit more of a market for the 473nm units.
I can see where the tolerances for acceptable units for inclusion into projectors would cause a fair number of the products made to be available for "other" sales. Even if it was only 5% rejected with the numbers being or about to be ordered for pico projectors to be mass produced the quantity of those rejects could represent a substantial investment by the suppliers that they might be willing to part with at a lower cost.
It would be better than taking them back and trying to recycle or trash at a complete loss.
Just my thoughts on it.

I think 445 is the optimal blue for colour combination. Coupled with the fact that 473 is actually a harder diode to produce, I don't see any reason why picos would be influencing the market for 473nm diodes.

In practice, I think the small 3.8mm single mode blue diodes do skew a bit higher in wavelength than multimode 445s, but nowhere near the 473nm mark. Further, I don't think that's an intentional target they're trying to hit.

 

[ShortyInCanada]

True enough.
Just exploring the possibilities.
Trying to figure out why a bunch of 473nm would be produced and then made available at a reduced rate.
Something else requires that wavelength...

 

[rhd]

I'll bet a 445 diode on the fact that this is just a typo.

Chinese manufacturers, not paying close enough attention, writing 470 instead of 450.

 

[Ablaze]

I am quite sure this is not 445nm. I was asking for that wavelength when he mentioned this one. Here is a quote:

"we have 445nm &473nm ,but the laser diote power is more than 1W .

we have a new model 470nm 10mw ...

if you like it , please let me know ."

 

[ZRaffleticket]

Hm, now that's interesting. How much do one of those cost? I'm almost interested enough to buy it