Can't decide on whether to build a direct diode green.

[CynicalBrad]

I cannot decide whether I would like these relatively new direct green diodes.

First some backstory:
I have been around since the era where everyone was going crazy over KES-xxx and PHR-803T diodes, all the way to the c@s|0 m-140 era "blue" diodes, then the PL450B singlemode "blue" diodes.

I have had 2 PHR's, 2 m140's, LOC reds, various 532's, a ~400mw 473 labby, and my current pocket build which is a PL450B in what was a Laserglow ANSER that I bought a while back used just for this build.

I always saw the m-140's as VERY purple-ish and my PL450B ANSER looked more blue by comparison...
Until I got the 473 labby.
Now I can hardly stand the PL450B ANSER I built as it now looks seriously purple compared to 473. (To the point it has sat in it's case for 3 months now untouched.)

I have decided I am going to pull the PL450B out of my ANSER and rebuild it and was intrigued by the OSRAM PLT5 510 diode that DTR now carries and was wondering just how different it is from the 532's that are so common.

I never really fell in love with the 532's either as I did not want a yellowy tinged green. (how I have always seen 532nm lasers)
I have done a lot of searching on the direct green diodes and the images tend to look amazing as far as color goes but other's opinions vary widely from "have to see them side by side" to "noticeably different" on the color difference between ~520 and 532.

If they appear anything like DTR's pictures I would love the color but I know between camera's and LCD displays no laser looks exactly like the pictures portray them or sometimes even close.

I would greatly appreciate if someone with experience with preferably this diode could weigh in on this.

Thank you in advance for anyone that reads this post and/or contributes to it.





EDIT 9/14/16

I ended up going with a N|chia NDG4216 diode as was suggested.
I am driving it at 300mA from an x-boost mini and the thermal output isn't too bad considering the host I went with along with how I built it.

All I can say is I like this color a LOT more than 532nm.
Wish the beam was as nice and round as DPSS like my 473 or those old LPC reds but you can't have everything just yet.
The color to me is a much more green shade of green if that makes sense. Definitely none of that yellow tinge that I hate so much with 532nm.
Even next to my 473nm labby, it looks much more green than 532 ever did to me which is what I wanted.

I will upload some pics of the laser once I get a little bit of sleep...
I think 4 hours counts as "some" sleep.

As promised:
at least on my screen, the color rendition is pretty darn close.

 

[dden4012]

Consider the 515nm single mode diode.
https://sites.google.com/site/dtrlpf/home/diodes/100mw-nichia-ndg4216-515nm-laser-diode

 

[CynicalBrad]

Any specific reason other than the increased output?

In the end I will be aiming for at MOST a 30mw output anyways probably closer to 15mw to try to keep away from the 532 end and to keep it as a usable pointer.
I may go higher powered, my biggest criteria is just as far away from 532 as reasonably possible while hoping it is as different as most pictures make it out to be.

I'm more after the color than the power. If I wanted power, I would fire up the 473.


These are the main 2 diodes I am considering in order both due to the nominal wavelengths and the cost for my desired output power.
https://sites.google.com/site/dtrlpf/home/diodes/osram-10mw-plt5510-515nm-green-laser-diode
https://sites.google.com/site/dtrlpf/home/diodes/pl520-520nm-laser-diode


EDIT, Just realized the PLT5 510 is out of the question as my driver I have is a microboost drive and requires a case isolated diode.

In the end it is still coming down to how much different these wavelengths are from 532.

 

[dden4012]

I dont consider it a high power diode. I suggested it due to being a single mode diode, being as far from the yellow wave length range as available as you desired. But you have found other excellent choices. For just simply making a green dot for a presentation your selection should be fine. While i do not own either of the diodes you have selected i do own the one i suggested. I chose it due to it being a single mode green. It is not overwhelmingly bright.

 

[CynicalBrad]

Would you say this video is a decent representation of the difference in color?

If the color is anything close to that different, I will be ordering one after I decide which to go with.

Also, one of the reasons for the lower power is due to the tiny size of the ANSER. It is a pen host that takes 2 aaa batteries and I see these greens aren't yet the most efficient diodes out there and heat buildup would be an issue.

 

[dden4012]

There is a visible difference but depends on your eyes. What is an ANSER? I have a hard time telling the difference between 515nm and 520. In the YT link you posted I would guess the thinner beam to be 520nm.

 

[CynicalBrad]

https://www.laserglow.com/GAN
That is what the ANSER looks like but mine is obviously a ~450nm instead.
That video was one that was supposed to show the difference between 532 and 520.
Hopefully someone that has a lot of experience with both can add their opinion so I can get a broader sample size?

 

[Sta]

Re: GUIDE: Which company should I buy from?

There is a visible difference but depends on your eyes. What is an ANSER? I have a hard time telling the difference between 515nm and 520. In the YT link you posted I would guess the thinner beam to be 520nm.

The thinner beam is a 532. The video has the colors a little bit blueshifted from their actual appearances - 532 is distinctly yellowish and 520 has just a hint of blue.

 

[CynicalBrad]

Good, I knew which was which in the video, just needed to know that was a decent representation of the color difference.
Now to just wait until payday and send another order off to DTR.

In my digging I have just found a lot of conflicting info even though the pics all tell a promising story.

Now I just have to do a lot of math to see which diode/output I would be comfortable with given my choice of host.

 

[Lifetime17]

Hi CB,
This is a pic of a 510nm direct green i built in a custom host .
1st pic 510nm
2nd pic PLP520B1
These are the best i have sorry

Rich

 

[CynicalBrad]

Those pics look pretty nice. looks like all the yellowy tint from 532 is gone with these wavelengths unless overdriven or freak diode.
Once I get paid later this week, It should look really nice next to my 473nm labby.
Which reminds me, I need to align that thing and try to get some pics up. (Align as in it is 2 473's bouncing off dicro's into a PBS cube in one unit)

 

[CurtisOliver]

Nice images Rich

Those pics look pretty nice. looks like all the yellowy tint from 532 is gone with these wavelengths unless overdriven or freak diode.
Once I get paid later this week, It should look really nice next to my 473nm labby.

510 is a slightly purer green compared to 532. For me it is close in colour to a traffic light (UK at least).
It is a wavelength which I still need to collect.
You will enjoy its colour.

 

[CynicalBrad]

Traffic lights where I am at are the odd slightly blue tinged green aswell so that color blind people can still see them. Is a nice color, probably my favorite shade of green that can still be called green.

 

[CurtisOliver]

Where abouts do you come from? There is a slight bit of blue in some of our older traffic lights, but the newer ones are closer to green. I agree the colour is a nice shade of green.

 

[CynicalBrad]

Im located in the south-eastern United states. And that is odd, our OLD lights were greenish yellow and the new LED ones have the blue tint.

I should probably set up my profile since I am back to this forum after losing my old account..

 

[CurtisOliver]

Yes that is pretty odd. The newer traffic lights seem to be around 515-520nm and the old styled ones more 510nm. There is not too much difference in colour. Both have a slight blue tinge, but one less than the other. Maybe you have the same lighting type as our new ones and they appear blue shifted compared to your old styled lights. What was your old accounts name?