8x CD burner diode

[mfo]

I'm ripping apart an old 8x CD burner from Acer that I found while cleaning up my room. I want to harvest the diode. I know it's not going to burn stuff, but I want to hook it up anyway. Any one know the pin configuration for these diodes? Also what current should I drive this diode, and how much do you think the output will be? Thanks!

 

[billg519]

You will not get a red diode here. This will be a weak near IR diode that is of little to no use. Examine the diode with a magnifier or loupe. One lead will have bonding wires going to the laser die. This will be negative. The case will likely be the positive, you can confirm this by examination. This will probably be 780nm, a very dim dull red, but an eye hazard none the less. Basically this diode is an eye hazard that is not much fun to play with, if you want to experiment with one of these, use a vidcam to view the emission.

I'm not sure on the drive current for an 8x CD diode. Try to use a variable current regulator, use the vidcam to find lasing threshold as you ramp up the current from zero in increments of 5 mA or so.

 

[mfo]

You will not get a red diode here. This will be a weak near IR diode that is of little to no use. Examine the diode with a magnifier or loupe. One lead will have bonding wires going to the laser die. This will be negative. The case will likely be the positive, you can confirm this by examination. This will probably be 780nm, a very dim dull red, but an eye hazard none the less. Basically this diode is an eye hazard that is not much fun to play with, if you want to experiment with one of these, use a vidcam to view the emission.

I'm not sure on the drive current for an 8x CD diode. Try to use a variable current regulator, use the vidcam to find lasing threshold as you ramp up the current from zero in increments of 5 mA or so.

I think I messed it up, I think I yanked the negative pin out of the diode itself lol. Oh well.

 

[billg519]

Oh, well. Maybe you'll come across another drive. If you collect optics, there might be a couple of things in the sled ...

 

[mfo]

I did indeed notice a few optics in there. I think I saw one of those 90 degree crystals in there. Like it looked like a small cube with a line going through it. I scratched it up bad though. I'll test it out with a weak 5mW tomorrow to make sure I don't burn my retina out lol.

 

[roddenberry]

(...) I scratched it up bad though. (...).

When I retrieve optics from a sled, I try to use either small plastic tubing, toothpics or wooden chopsticks. It prevents from shattering the lenses and prisms when prying them out of the glue/bonding agent that holds them in place.

Mmm... now I feel like sushi.
Robert