808nm 12W Diode

[Dvorhagen]

For my most ambitious (stupid?) project to date, I just bought a 12W IR diode from ebay:
http://www.coherent.com/downloads/FAP800series_DSFinal.pdf

It looks like it's a fiber-coupled array of 808nm diodes.

I want to make something very burny, maybe stick a 4x beam expander in front of it...

The problem is, except for the basic specs, I know nothing about this thing - I've never built a near-IR laser, or any laser operating above 1W or so. Has anyone seen or used a diode like this? What about optics - how would I go about collimating the beam from this monster? I'm assuming 808nm isn't too long for standard lenses, but I'm not sure..

Also, can anyone recommend a good power supply? I'm sure an array of Li-ion cells could give me at least 10A, but that seems expensive.

Anyway, I'd appreciate any input you guys could give me.

 

[Hemlock_Mike]

I use an MPJA PS 15950 PS which is a 0-30 VDC , 20 Amp regulated supply. It powers mt FAP 800 nicely. That fiber cluster output is a trick to get ahold of and I have tried different lenses with limited success at distance. It will light up a green crystal stack easily !!

HMike

 

[Dvorhagen]

Actually, HMike, your Star Wars CO2 build was my inspiration! I was hoping to construct something along those lines. But, like you said, the more I read about it, the more difficult it's looking to focus the output (which, I'm sure, is painfully multimodal).

Kenom mentioned (http://laserpointerforums.com/f49/optics-fap800-module-46537.html) having built a housing for adapting a standard AIXIZ lens nut to an FAP-800's nose, so I PMd him about it.

Do you think it's feasible to use a battery stack to power this? From the spec sheet, I gather that the array's threshold current is 10-11A, so I guess I'll need something pretty hefty. I'm also trying to figure out what I should use as a voltage regulator, since anything over 2A is going to make the little LM317s I'm used to using go *snap*...

 

[Hemlock_Mike]

1: I modified an Aixiz module too. I can make almost anything burn at 10" :-(
I need to try a real colluminator at FEET!!!

2: Look at a TI PTH08T250W module for this -- you may fall in love! 4.5 to 14 Volt input and .7 to 3.6 Volt output. They say 50 Amps but I don't like to think of this tiny module doing that.....

HMike

My FAP800 runs 1.8 Volts @ 10 Amps.

 

[Hemlock_Mike]

I also have a 20 Watt FAP800 @808 nM but about 1/3 of the diodes are dark. I use this for testing and keep max current to about 2/3 rating to save what's left!

HMike

 

[Toaster]

I wanna see this burning, make sure to video it (The burning) when you (if you) get it working

 

[Dvorhagen]

HM -- 10"!? Well, it'll still be a rush to get multiple watts of IR out of anything, even if It's close-up. It's all about experimentation, right? I'll probably eventually have to invest in a CO2 tube and some fancy optics if I really want to do something long-range..

That power module looks ideal, thanks! I didn't realize that Texas Instruments still made anything other than graphing calculators !

Incidentally, how can you tell how many of the diodes in a bar are dead -- do you just infer from its output power?
-D