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FrozenGate by Avery

488nm diodes price

Realistically the diode has to come down to maybe the $700 range. So far the most expensive diode I can remember getting tested like this was the NDG7475.
If 10 people put in $100 it could be tested to near death. If it survived there could be a drawing for the diode.
I think 100 dollars is a lot to ask though.
 





They're cheap because they're not wavelength guarenteed. :) they're only suitable for certain things, which is why most are still OPSL or DPSS. Diode ones aren't of the same quality, but are a cheaper alternative for certain applications like distributed florecense or ultra compact sources, and stuff that doesn't need a tiny perfect beam and needs to be energy efficient. They seem to range from 1-3K depending on where they're coming from. Thorlabs has them for 2300. I'd love to test a newer one through. The old ES I had was quite nasty some years ago. Only like 10 or 20mW, and had a pretty icky profile. Boy time flies. Now they have weak 473, and 504 is in prototype too.
 
Doesn't Nichia have some ' Sky Blue 'Diodes ?

1) Are any of the 468 to 488 diodes inexpensive like $100 to $150 ?

Will they lase at 5 milliwatts like the 515 ?
 
Bump ! Anyone know the cheapest available source for these ? PM me if you want to keep it private. Time to add a new pen pointer to the collection ;)
 
Hello everyone!
I am sorry to wake up this sleeping thread, but I want to ask people here (rather than creating a separated thread) -- does anyone know any place with 488nm diodes with a prices near $1500 or below? I have done with some research, but only one thing I got (except Thorlabs, which is the first link in the search result) is this.
This link leads to the page with diode PLT5 488 with the price at $1000. Moreover, they are going to lower down the price for one diode to $850 in the case of quantity going over 25 items, but I am not sure that there is this big amount of people willing to get these for this price (though I am ready to get into the deal).
But, there is a "but" -- for the first sight they seem to be not going to sell them to an individuals, maybe I got something wrong ...
So, if anyone has something to share -- please, I would appreciate that!
 
Ivansuper said:
Hello everyone!
I am sorry to wake up this sleeping thread, but I want to ask people here (rather than creating a separated thread) -- does anyone know any place with 488nm diodes with a prices near $1500 or below? I have done with some research, but only one thing I got (except Thorlabs, which is the first link in the search result) is this.
This link leads to the page with diode PLT5 488 with the price at $1000. Moreover, they are going to lower down the price for one diode to $850 in the case of quantity going over 25 items, but I am not sure that there is this big amount of people willing to get these for this price (though I am ready to get into the deal).
But, there is a "but" -- for the first sight they seem to be not going to sell them to an individuals, maybe I got something wrong ...
So, if anyone has something to share -- please, I would appreciate that!
Click to expand...
I'd only pay >$700 for 488nm if it came in the form of a professional finished laser pointer. Just for a diode? Nope. At the current rate, I doubt I'll ever have this wavelength in my collection baring a dramatic reduction in diode prices.
 
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Yeah, doesn't seem like we are going to be seeing affordable 488nm in the near future unfortunately.

-Alex
 
Agreed to your messages here. But it seems that these are not going to be in a big use around the world. A big amount of time did go away already, and the price is not going down. Though, for some people are ready to build something this expensive.
PS A few days ago I was asking CNI about these, even that they only provide complete lab modules, they are starting in price from near $7000. This is insane comparing to the price I wrote. So, for now, I think it is a pretty way to build a pointer.
 
Razako said:
Yeah, I used to have an argon and I loved the color. What I didn't love was the inconvenience and hassle of the argon laser.
Click to expand...

Ah, I see you do have one in a form of gas laser. This explains why you are not going to spend a lot on this laser in a form of little pointer.
 
This is pretty much it. Realistically I don't really see 488 becoming very cheap diode wise and the foreseeable future... many other alternatives exist now that are far superior to plain diodes. Are primarily only used for biomedical and scientific uses, not casual/entertainment use so the market demands precision far more than anything else, which generally just can't be had from a diode only. Then being made in the high numbers for an every day consumer item and the price will not drop any lower. Technically even diodes in our common day stuff were once originally thousands of dollars too. The reason they're cheap now is because they're manufactured in huge huge quantities. Diode lasers are actually extremely expensive to make from a manufacturer standpoint. Even a standard 808 nm diode can actually be very expensive on a custom submount.

I have owned a large variety of 488 nm lasers...and they run at a very competitive $6-8K range for about 20mW new.
 
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True words. But I want to get this done. I was thinking a lot about it, and one thing which was stopping me is the price on Thorlabs. Technically, I can create a handful of great builds with the common wavelengths using this amout of money, yes. This achievement about 488nm in a pocket is very hard to get, but after some time of thinking I finally decided to go forth. The only thing -- I really need your help here. Because since I found it for near $1000 pev 1 diode I am sure now that there is another places which are able to cooperate with individuals for the prices near $1500 or even below. I am not forcing to initiate a groupbuy or something :) I just want to build it, put it on a cloth on my table and every day remember the fact how it is great to have the most exotic wavelength here, like a diamond, in my hand, without huge PSU, with a great design, built with the help of LPF members and my hands ......
Sorry, it seems that I went too far with my emotions.
As for Thorlabs ... Okay, I can get it from there, but due to the customs limitations I would pay a far more huge price (diode + tax) for breaking the monthly limit. It would be around $2800 in total I think, and this is insane, yes ...
 
Ivansuper said:
True words. But I want to get this done. I was thinking a lot about it, and one thing which was stopping me is the price on Thorlabs. Technically, I can create a handful of great builds with the common wavelengths using this amout of money, yes. This achievement about 488nm in a pocket is very hard to get, but after some time of thinking I finally decided to go forth. The only thing -- I really need your help here. Because since I found it for near $1000 pev 1 diode I am sure now that there is another places which are able to cooperate with individuals for the prices near $1500 or even below. I am not forcing to initiate a groupbuy or something :) I just want to build it, put it on a cloth on my table and every day remember the fact how it is great to have the most exotic wavelength here, like a diamond, in my hand, without huge PSU, with a great design, built with the help of LPF members and my hands ......
Sorry, it seems that I went too far with my emotions.
As for Thorlabs ... Okay, I can get it from there, but due to the customs limitations I would pay a far more huge price (diode + tax) for breaking the monthly limit. It would be around $2800 in total I think, and this is insane, yes ...
Click to expand...

Try Prophotonix: OEM Laser Diodes Distributor and Manufacturer of Machine Vision Lighting Solutions and Laser Diode Modules, I got mine from them at $1000 plus shipping.
 
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