Building a Blue (HD DVD) Laser

[Kukumber]

Hi...I'm new here and new to laser buiding in general, and I want to build a blue laser.
I heard that the diodes of HD DVD drives are "really" blue, unlike blu-ray diodes, and that some do have a very high output (around 200mW?)

I've seen a couple of guides on how to build a driver and so on, and I was wondering if there is a certain Brand you can recommend. Also I'm looking for places to buy from, and because I'm in europe I woulld prefer shops in europe due to shipping cost and times.

I don't know how to figure out how many ohm's the resistor and potentiometer need to have and all that...

I'd be very grateful if anyone can help me out

 

[diachi]

HD DVDs are not blue, they are violet, same as Blu-Ray .

You can buy a PHR-803T diode from the BST section on this forum You can also buy a driver there to.

-Adam

 

[Kukumber]

Oh. So are there any cheap diodes that are actually blue?

Also is such a 100-125mW diode capable of igniting matches, fireworks and the likes?

Alternatively, where could I get a green laser between 100 and 200 mW and driver for it? Or instructions what parts to use to build my own driver.

Thanks for the quick reply

 

[ElektroFreak]

An LPF member (Sandstone11) represents this site: http://www.o-like.com/b2b_cplist.asp?catid=375

Her prices for green lasers are quite reasonable and they come with a driver attached.

Also, 100-125mW will pop balloons and light matches, but I doubt it would light fireworks. You could try, though, if you focus the beam down it might work..

 

[diachi]

An LPF member (Sandstone11) represents this site: http://www.o-like.com/b2b_cplist.asp?catid=375

Her prices for green lasers are quite reasonable and they come with a driver attached.

Also, 100-125mW will pop balloons and light matches, but I doubt it would light fireworks. You could try, though, if you focus the beam down it might work..

It can light fireworks. I've seen FireMyLaser do it with his BR.


-Adam

 

[hydrogenman15]

Oh. So are there any cheap diodes that are actually blue?

Also is such a 100-125mW diode capable of igniting matches, fireworks and the likes?

Alternatively, where could I get a green laser between 100 and 200 mW and driver for it? Or instructions what parts to use to build my own driver.

Thanks for the quick reply

None, unless you have >2000 dollars. ;D Theres no green diodes (at least for us) that "exist". Kipkay said its blu not blue because he didn't want people to say: "its not violet because its not from a blu-ray player"

 

[Kukumber]

Edited: Ok I guess I'm looking for a green laser around 125mW then.
Any cheaper ones than from 0-like.com? $105 is ok, but you'd still need some sort of housing.

 

[diachi]

Theres no green diodes (at least for us) that "exist".

Rule 2: Lasers are NOT cheap.

-Adam

 

[Stianbl]

If you want to light stuff up, start with a red.

As stated before, you wont be able to get a green/blue diode. It's IR through a crystal set. (correct me if I'm wrong).

 

[ElektroFreak]

Hmm...

I guess I'd need around 200 or more mW to light up Fireworks?
Are there any cheaper green diodes around? [highlight]$270 is a little hefty[/highlight]  :-[

The site that I mentioned earlier has 120-150mW modules for $105. I'm not sure if this is enough power for you, but as a rule if you want high power it pretty much always comes at a high price.. These days you can figure around $1.00/mW for green modules..

 

[Bionic-Badger]

Also, green lasers don't come as diodes, but as modules since they have a more complex method for generating green light. If you want something that'll burn stuff, and won't cost you a lot, get one of the red "Dilda" lasers sold on o-like. They're only $45, pretty powerful, and already built. Then after you've started your addiction you can worry about burning out $20 diodes when you try to make your own.

 

[diachi]

If you want to light stuff up, start with a red.

As stated before, you wont be able to get a green/blue diode. It's IR through a crystal set. (correct me if I'm wrong).

Yeah. That's called DPSS an acronym for Diode Pumped Solid State. What basically happens is IR laser light is pumped into a set of crystals which change the wavelength of the IR light into other , usually visible laser light. Although there are IR DPSS lasers out there too, as well as visible.

The process of the DPSS conversion is not very efficient, at 15-30% for green and 1-5% for 473nm Blue.

The IR pump and the inefficiency of the crystals is also one of the reasons DPSS lasers emit IR and usually need an IR filter.

-Adam

 

[New_Reverie]

A typical Bluray pointer costs about $75 in parts.

$20 PHR803 in module
$20 flexdrive
$20 heatsink
$10 host
$5 batteries

Thats building it yourself.

Like people said above, get a green or red from o-like. You'll spend about the same amount or less and not have to build it yourself.

 

[Kukumber]

I think I'll go with the 125-150mW green one then.
I have only 2 more questions:
What kind of batteries does this one take? AA?
And where can I buy a fitting housing?

Thanks a lot for all the advice already

 

[New_Reverie]

two AAA usually power those. If you PM her, she probably has 125mW pointers already in hosts she can sell you. Here is the link to her profile
http://www.laserpointerforums.com/forums/YaBB.pl?action=viewprofile;username=Standstone11

 

[Bionic-Badger]

Watch out though. Those green laser pens often don't provide adequate heat dissipation, so you can only keep it on for so long before it needs to be cooled down.