Good source for PBS cubes?

[altera]

Guys, I'm looking to combine two 405nm diodes for my CNC laser (qumefox suggested I do this in a previous thread). I have one running already in my CNC but I'd like to try with two for faster/cleaner cuts if possible.

a. Is it feasible to combine two beams for cutting or am I going to create a rather large spot due to misalignment?

b. what is a good source for PBS's? I've seen ctlasers.com they sell 405nm coated PBSs for about $60.

 

[blrock]

I bought a coated PBS from Crylight for $50....10x10x10
Good product. No issues

Oh and if you do go this route I highly recommend you get a Newport type mount to attach the PBS. It can be a pain to align the two axises without a good commerial optic mount. I just glued the PBS directly to the mount.

 

[blrock]

If you look at the picture you can see my PBS attached to the mount

 

[bhwollen]

Damn blrock! are you rich? You have so many laser!

 

[scopeguy20]

for low cost BSC, try surplusshed.com -Glenn


BSC

 

[bhwollen]

I don't get what coated means? Is it for specific wavelengths?

 

[blrock]

Damn blrock! are you rich? You have so many laser!

If I were rich there'd be several 40 watt green YAGs on my signature. And a 22 watt white light

Naw, just been building up the collection for 16 years. I'm a hard core laser nut.

 

[bhwollen]

Want to help a newbie out with some good deals on lasers you don't need anymore? :san:

 

[scopeguy20]

most optics have anti-reflective coatings, either for specific ranges, i.e. IR, UV, xnm - ynm or broadband, (visible spectrum)...

 

[bhwollen]

Ah, so if I were to combine two 445's this would do the trick?

20MM COATED CUBE BEAMSPLITTER - Surplus Shed

 

[scopeguy20]

looks good, I looked and didn't see that one this time around... -GH

 

[blrock]

Ah, so if I were to combine two 445's this would do the trick?

20MM COATED CUBE BEAMSPLITTER - Surplus Shed

No I don't think that'll work.

That looks like a beam splitter NOT a polarizing beam splitter. Big diffrence. Using that splitter won't combined the beams hence PBS are more expensive than "normal" beam splitters

This one will split two 1 watt 445 into two 1000mw beams not ONE 2000mw beam.

 

[Helios]

Even PBS cubes wont combine all of the lasers output as far as I know. If you want full power knife edging is the route most go but you would likely end up with a larger focal point.

 

[chipdouglas]

andycon has had some good results with knife edging. look him up and go to his website.

michael.

 

[blrock]

Even PBS cubes wont combine all of the lasers output as far as I know. If you want full power knife edging is the route most go but you would likely end up with a larger focal point.

The loss is negligible. I have something like 1% on my one axis and 5% on the other. Therefore 2000mW input = 120mW loss.

Of coarse knife edging is awesome cause you not limited to two lasers

 

[Bionic-Badger]

for low cost BSC, try surplusshed.com -Glenn


BSC

I've bought some of them, and they're just beamsplitters, not combiners. If you shine a laser into either end, they'll split into two (quite nicely), but you can't combined beams aside from having two split from two lasers beams merge, each at 50% power.