Feasability of Star Trek V/VI Starfleet Assault Phaser Mod

[Bob_Boyce]

No way a 50W let alone an 85W 808nm LD would survive long without a gigantic heat sink or water cooling and chiller.
A "Phaser build" with diodes like these is pure fantasy.
diode laser arrays such as the ones you describe want to be slowly/gradually turned on. A sudden "on" state with these diodes, and they die. A 5-10W hand phaser could be possible, but you'd only be able to burn at very close focal lengths due to the divergence.

I work with high powered lasers in my research, and I worked with lasers in excess of 100KW on behalf of the DoD for a number of years. So I'm very familiar with directed energy technologies, capabilities, and limitations. What I work with in my own lab is puny in comparison to some of the projects I worked on for uncle sam.

I have nearly a dozen of these bar diode arrays in various FAP configurations, with ratings ranging from 40W CW to 85W QCW. If you study the spec sheets, they are rated for much higher power in pulse mode as compared to their CW ratings.

I have already operated one of my Coherent 50W CW FAP units at 200W pulsed on the bench. This was a few years ago, in February of 2010. The pulse width was set to 10 mS and the pulse rate I varied between 5 Hz and 10 Hz. I used an adjustable 320A switching power supply to power it, with a 150 farad 2.7V ultracap right at the SSR to keep ESR/ESL losses down. The Coherent FAP units I have are TEC cooled and are designed to be analog or TTL modulated.

The challenge is not on the laser side of such a build, but on the power storage side and space to fit the components. Little average heat is generated at these very short pulse widths as compared to running the same FAP unit at 50W CW. I really like the Coherent FAP units. Well made and easy to work with.

The controller I used to pulse the Coherent setup is the same controller I used to drive the power supply for my water cooled 6.2KW pulsed Er:YAG. I have full control over pulse width and pulse rate. I used to have photos of this 6.2KW unit and of my Coherent FAP units in threads here, but I deleted the contents of my threads a few years ago. The members that have been here a while probably remember them.

Well, gotta go mail out a package. Laters.

Bob

 

[LKY2009]

The Playmates Assault Phaser is definitely easier to convert. I was the first to do this as far as I know. I built mine with an A130 running dual Flexdrives at 1.8amps back then. The Phaser already has a AA size battery holder (AW IMR14500). I am thinking of doing a new build with the new 9mm diode at 2.2 amps. It really is a sweet build!

http://laserpointerforums.com/f65/star-trek-assault-phaser-1-4w-445nm-58612.html

 

[Bob_Boyce]

The Playmates Assault Phaser is definitely easier to convert. I was the first to do this as far as I know. I built mine with an A130 running dual Flexdrives at 1.8amps back then. The Phaser already has a AA size battery holder (IM AW14500). I am thinking of doing a new build with the new 9mm diode at 2.2 amps. It really is a sweet build!

http://laserpointerforums.com/f65/star-trek-assault-phaser-1-4w-445nm-58612.html

I love it! I gave you +rep, thank you for sharing.

Bob