Dual LOC project w/PBS cube

[ElektroFreak]

I'm not a fan of pressing the diodes directly into the heatsink. If you're combining with a PBS, you need to be able to rotate each diode so that you can optimize the polarization for optimum transmission. A diode only needs to be a VERY small amount off-axis for the losses to be unacceptably large. Even 2-5 degrees off, and you may as well not even be combining since the losses can be so large as to provide only a very minimal increase in output. When working with optical components that require high alignment precision, being able to make fine adjustments is a must.

 

[FireMyLaser]

Niko, you remember my thingy I made in paint? Are you trying to rip me off?

 

[Diode_Virgin]

Just for clarification. You can combine two different wavelengths as long as the reflected wavelength is the wavelength the cube was made for...The through beam can usually be of any wavelength. For optimum performance one needs to use the right cubes and the right wavelengths. A simple beam combiner which allows all of the necessary degrees of freedom can be found here.

MicroLaserLabs.com

 

[LuxIgnis]

Very foggy evening here in South Italy, just took a couple shots out of the same window, helped by my two sons' unsteady hands (4 and 8 Y.O.). If you have to ask, YES they were wearing goggles, the one branding the phr was wearing the red goggles and the one waving the two LOCs around was wearing the green lenses. Dad was wearing some wide-spectrum junk goggles.

The fog is so think, you'd have to be here to appreciate, the pictures don't make it justice.

 

[LuxIgnis]

Why can't you load attachments from the quick reply??
gotta stop doing it...
here are the pics.

 

[LuxIgnis]

and the reds and all three together

 

[LuxIgnis]

Just for clarification. You can combine two different wavelengths as long as the reflected wavelength is the wavelength the cube was made for...The through beam can usually be of any wavelength. For optimum performance one needs to use the right cubes and the right wavelengths. A simple beam combiner which allows all of the necessary degrees of freedom can be found here.

MicroLaserLabs.com

Nice, that's 150$ mine was free, and I was able to combine them very well.

For the rotation I have adjusted them according to their polarization of course, the way I did it, was to take the lenses out, mark with the exacto knife on top of the aixiz modules, the polarization, then I focused both lasers to 3 inches for burning and made sure that each one was burning, so I did not have serious losses, and you could see the difference in the burning,
one loc on was burning enough, with the second on, it was burning much more.
then I focused to infinity and realigned everything then glued.

That thing isn't worth $150.
i could make it identical for $3 worth of aluminum, and some computer case screws.

 

[nikokapo]

Niko, you remember my thingy I made in paint? Are you trying to rip me off?

Yes, I remember it. I'm not trying to rip you off, this is a common knowledge drawing. If you want credit for it then it's yours to use freely or to make a big bowl to store milk & cereal (preferably the second option).


LuxIgnis, it doesn't matter, as long as you can cut those 5mm sheets with low tolerances.
Regarding what EF said, it is true, pressing the diode in won't be the easiest way to align diodes, but it's the easiest way to make this design portable. I hope you're still willing to go for it.

 

[Diode_Virgin]

Nice, that's 150$ mine was free, and I was able to combine them very well.

For the rotation I have adjusted them according to their polarization of course, the way I did it, was to take the lenses out, mark with the exacto knife on top of the aixiz modules, the polarization, then I focused both lasers to 3 inches for burning and made sure that each one was burning, so I did not have serious losses, and you could see the difference in the burning,
one loc on was burning enough, with the second on, it was burning much more.
then I focused to infinity and realigned everything then glued.

That thing isn't worth $150.
i could make it identical for $3 worth of aluminum, and some computer case screws.

I just thought I would give you and example to shoot for when you decide to do it correctly But you are right about that...yours is $3.00...one pays for precision, accuracy, functionality, repeatability and attention to details.

Yours is a great $3.00 beam combiner! I'm Impressed! Would you sell me one for $3.00. Shoot me your paypal and ill pay you for it.

 

[FireMyLaser]

Yes, I remember it. I'm not trying to rip you off, this is a common knowledge drawing. If you want credit for it then it's yours to use freely or to make a big bowl to store milk & cereal (preferably the second option).


LuxIgnis, it doesn't matter, as long as you can cut those 5mm sheets with low tolerances.
Regarding what EF said, it is true, pressing the diode in won't be the easiest way to align diodes, but it's the easiest way to make this design portable. I hope you're still willing to go for it.

I'm just messing with ya... but a big bowl of milk & cereal would be awesome.

Anyway here is my 'formula' to make a pretty small assembly with 2x aixiz modules, 1x sled cube, 1x sled turning mirror, a metal base plate (iron, copper or brass), some pcb matrix board, a few leads and some glue/epoxy.

No machining required, all parts are soldered/glued together.

Side view

Front view

I hope my paint skillz make sense.

 

[LuxIgnis]

The drawing makes perfect sense, the cube though doesn't look like it's very well secured with that tiny stick holding it. My only concern is that the first time the pointer falls to the ground, mirror cube and bits will be flying around, I wonder if a sqare section would help it, or some kind of silicon protection for it.
My CNC machine's tolerance is 0.05 mm, so it should not be a problem.
The good thing is that if I start making these assemblies now, and trying them out with red diodes, in the not so distand future, there could be 2 x 8X BD diodes in there, for a 900mw+ Blue pointer.

Therefore it's a good idea to start making these in a repeatable way

I believe the sticks holding the cube and mirror should be tiny long screws that can be adjusted.

Also the bottom piece will have to be machined with two perfectly parallel channes, even if they are only 4mm wide, just to hold the modules straight and parallel.
Also the top plate I belive should be machined and made of the same material as the bottom one, the pcb should be ok for holding the mirror and the cube.
Now though, I'll have to order a phr sled.

 

[Tech_Junkie]

I just thought I would give you and example to shoot for when you decide to do it correctly But you are right about that...yours is $3.00...one pays for precision, accuracy, functionality, repeatability and attention to details.

Yours is a great $3.00 beam combiner! I'm Impressed! Would you sell me one for $3.00. Shoot me your paypal and ill pay you for it.

Go back to PL Pat, and spam your crap there.

 

[nikokapo]

Here you go, I dismissed one of my other ideas since it'd create more problems. It should be fairly easy, but still I can't figure a way to make an easy mount for the PBS+Mirror which at the same time doesn't use too much space so you can make it portable.

 

[Diode_Virgin]

Go back to PL Pat, and spam your crap there.

I didnt see anyone rattle the monkey cage, here is a peanut...go back to sleep.

 

[nikokapo]

So? How did this go?

 

[LuxIgnis]

It didn't go....actually.
I lost interest, since I am into lasers not for the pretty beam or for shows but for burning, since I am using them on cnc machines....I found out that the alignment is so delicate that a small bump to the lens or to anything can screw up the alignment, it's not very indicated for a moving part. I'm better off with a more powerful diode.