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A while back I received a couple 570 nm laser modules from TinkerTavern.
This thread is dedicated to a review of the module and showcasing some details of the build.
The Module
I didn't select one of my two modules for this build with any prior knowledge of how it performs. Both were tested briefly for function, both passed, and I took one to use for this build with no other information.
The module is 18 mm diameter, 30 mm long. The construction is robust and the lens appears to be AR coated glass (much nicer than plastic lenses that scratch easily and collect dust quickly) but I haven't confirmed this.
I measured the output power with a partially depleted 18650 battery, a 16340 battery, and a fresh CR123A battery. For all battery types, the average output power after a brief warm-up is around 17 mW. With the current setup, the laser can run continuously for several minutes while maintaining this output. It does warm up a bit but the large heat-dissipating mass the module is installed in allows for good passive cooling.
I'll update these numbers once I get around to testing for IR leakage.
I measured the output spectrum with my DIY spectrometer, running Les Wright's PySpectrometer software, calibrated with 7 peaks from a fluorescent lamp. I measured the peak wavelength at 572 nm. For reference, I included a diode laser that should be centered around 502 nm. I intended to use my CNI 589 nm laser for reference, but the battery died while setting up the spectrometer, so I'll update this section as well, once I have a reliable DPSS laser to use as a reference (my 532 nm laser is currently disassembled pending a new host). However, it's worth noting that for a brief time during setup, the spectrometer recorded the 589 nm laser at 589 nm.
Given these measurements, I think this module is producing a peak wavelength near 572 nm.
Beam quality (profile, divergence, stability) will be addressed in updates.
The beam is not a perfect TEM00 but is decent enough. Divergence seems to be typical for a small format DPSS laser (estimated by eye around 1.2 mRad) with a beam diamter at aperture close to 4 mm.
The Build
Currently, I've only machined the base plate (brass), the heatsink (aluminum) and the mounting brackets for the electronics (machined from acetal). The driver is wired up to an Adafruit momentary switch on/switch off circuit.
This thread is dedicated to a review of the module and showcasing some details of the build.
The Module
I didn't select one of my two modules for this build with any prior knowledge of how it performs. Both were tested briefly for function, both passed, and I took one to use for this build with no other information.
The module is 18 mm diameter, 30 mm long. The construction is robust and the lens appears to be AR coated glass (much nicer than plastic lenses that scratch easily and collect dust quickly) but I haven't confirmed this.
I measured the output power with a partially depleted 18650 battery, a 16340 battery, and a fresh CR123A battery. For all battery types, the average output power after a brief warm-up is around 17 mW. With the current setup, the laser can run continuously for several minutes while maintaining this output. It does warm up a bit but the large heat-dissipating mass the module is installed in allows for good passive cooling.
I'll update these numbers once I get around to testing for IR leakage.
I measured the output spectrum with my DIY spectrometer, running Les Wright's PySpectrometer software, calibrated with 7 peaks from a fluorescent lamp. I measured the peak wavelength at 572 nm. For reference, I included a diode laser that should be centered around 502 nm. I intended to use my CNI 589 nm laser for reference, but the battery died while setting up the spectrometer, so I'll update this section as well, once I have a reliable DPSS laser to use as a reference (my 532 nm laser is currently disassembled pending a new host). However, it's worth noting that for a brief time during setup, the spectrometer recorded the 589 nm laser at 589 nm.
Given these measurements, I think this module is producing a peak wavelength near 572 nm.
Beam quality (profile, divergence, stability) will be addressed in updates.
The beam is not a perfect TEM00 but is decent enough. Divergence seems to be typical for a small format DPSS laser (estimated by eye around 1.2 mRad) with a beam diamter at aperture close to 4 mm.
The Build
Currently, I've only machined the base plate (brass), the heatsink (aluminum) and the mounting brackets for the electronics (machined from acetal). The driver is wired up to an Adafruit momentary switch on/switch off circuit.