GGW-H20L diode idenfication

[KumoBlade]

I've been wondering about the laser diode identification for the GGW-H20L laser diodes. On HTD, while they were selling GGWs, he said that the middle diode was the 16x red diode, and the other exposed one was the IR one. On youtube rkcstr said the middle was the IR diode and the other exposed one was the 16x red one (basically the one on htd's backwards, and i'm not sure if the rkcstr on youtube is the same one who owns the site :wtf. Can someone tell me how to identify the diodes?

 

[daguin]

I've been wondering about the laser diode identification for the GGW-H20L laser diodes. On HTD, while they were selling GGWs, he said that the middle diode was the 16x red diode, and the other exposed one was the IR one. On youtube rkcstr said the middle was the IR diode and the other exposed one was the 16x red one (basically the one on htd's backwards, and i'm not sure if the rkcstr on youtube is the same one who owns the site :wtf. Can someone tell me how to identify the diodes?

The IR diode is in the middle.

Also, once you remove them, the red diode is a LONG closed can diode. You can easily see that it is longer than other 5.6mm canned diodes.

Finally, the red diode has a disk of "film" over the window. Sometimes it falls off when you remove the diode, but if it doesn't you must scrape it off. It ages very rapidly at the powers we drive them to.

Peace,
dave

 

[KumoBlade]

So if they age quickly, how many mA do we drive them at

 

[daguin]

So if they age quickly, how many mA do we drive them at

The "plastic" film ages quickly. That's why you have to make sure you scrape it off. The diode works fine. I drive them at ~420mA all the time.

Peace,
dave

 

[KumoBlade]

So how much lifetime will i get with 420mA? and what does the film look like, and what would happen if i left it on?

 

[FlightLevel350]

The film will heat up and eventually burn away

 

[Flaminpyro]

the film looks like a little round window made of glass and if you leave it on, it will deterioate and could reflect the beem back into the laser diode and kill it ! at the least it will reduce your power out.
as far as lifetime I run mine around the 210ma range and they run for a long long time that gives me 100mW+ output which is enough for me. lots of people run them at 420ma though...

Peace All...

So how much lifetime will i get with 420mA? and what does the film look like, and what would happen if i left it on?