GaN diode laser

[ratmmmb]

I'm not that good with electronics, and I don't have most of the equipment to do any soldering or anything available at the moment...how complicated is it getting the 405nm diodes to run without blowing them? Taken from a PS3 I mean. I've taken DVD and CD diodes out and just attached batteries directly to them...which isn't really the best idea without a circuit. With old CD and DVD drives it doesn't really matter though. I wouldn't want to spend 80 dollars and then kill a GaN diode though!
Is it quite easy to get one of the lenses out from the PS3 repair kit and use it to collimate the beam? What is the easiest way of connecting it up? I guess it wouldn't really be possible to use a module from Aixiz since those usually contain optics made for red light, and not near-UV light?
Thanks!
Ben

 

[Jessesnail1]

do u think the diod from say a.. cd player is any powerful lol?

 

[SenKat]

I'll answer BOTH questions for you two...

the easy one first - the cd player diode is going to be WEAK - not worth the time and agravation of removing it - unless you are just looking to learn - then it can be fun !

The "Blu-ray" diodes are fairly simple to hook up and run - you just have to be really careful that you don't b low out the diode. The Aixiz modules are not REALLY designed for red, or any other color specifically, it just turn out that they do a huge market in red modules....I have ordered some glass optics from them, we'll see how well those perform - I have heard that the plastic lenses absorb too much of the light from the Blu Ray diodes, but WILL function. Glass would definitely be better ! Check out ebay for huerrsciences - he has made a TON of money off of making a simple blu-ray pointer and encasing it in an old flashlight....he's a pretty smart cookie, too ! Marketting genious he is ! I have not had a blu-ray diode yet, but I WILL get one soon and mess with it. I will need two to start off with, as I am pretty sure I am going to push my luck and see how far I can push the diode before it pops !