I noticed that my 8x diode in my custom host was getting a larger splash then usual. So i went to clean the lens. I noticed that the light coming out of the diode looks different than normal. So I compared this diode (with 1 hour of use) to my other 8x diode (with ~1 minute of use) . Here are two photos of the 8x light with no lens. There is a dark oval in the light of diode that has been used for an hour. Is this diode degradation? I can't test the power output to see if its outputing less power but I would assume it is if there is a dark oval.
To me, that just looks tiny dust particles on your diode window....
They create interference rings around the particle there.
I usually clean them with a lint-free swab, and ACS grade acetone, while pure ethanol (99.5%) would also work...
But the solvent HAS to be pure! Analysis grade would be best!
Otherwise, diode degradation is NOT something that would be visible to the naked eye (takes special equipment)... It's just tiny microscopic hot-spots (points on the mirror that stop reflecting and absorbing the light instead) puting pressure on the area around them, killing the diode in the end.... It happens on a microscopic level.. All you see is the power on the meter dropping over time....
EDIT: Oh, i misunderstood something AGAIN... :angel:
It's about the gaps in the light around the middle! I've seen some horrible disfigurement of beam profile with badly degraded PHRs, but never anything like that! :thinking:
Where are you from, MISTERWILLING?
Can you have someone measure this laser of yours?
EDIT2: I saw a 6x diode do that exact thing while playing with it over the weekend! But no matter how hard i try now, i can't get it to do it again! Not that i want it to, but.... :undecided: