Greetings, I'm new

[Mr. Delirium]

Thanks for reading this, I thought I'd like to introduce myself as I have been a hobbyist electronics guy for a while and thought I'd step into the world of lasers. The name's Ian, and I'm excited to get to know some of you and maybe build some cool laser projects in the meantime . You guys seem like a cool crowd with some real expertise in the field.

The project I'm working on is a relatively simple 20mw green laser pen so I've been reading a bunch of green laser posts lately. I have one question I couldn't find the answer to when using the search bar: Is a laser module just a laser diode with a laser driver and some cooling?
You guys have probably answered this one before so sorry in advance

 

[Ears and Eggs]

Hi and Welcome to the forums!


It does depend on the what type of laser module. Some direct diode lasers are just a driver, housing that doubles as a heatsink and a lens. Others such as DPSS modules use a more complex process where a higher powered infrared diode is shone through several crystals and lense and this changes the wavelength of light from infrared to the desired wavelength, usually a visible one. If yours is a green laser it could be either, usually if the wavelength is 532nm then it is DPSS, if it's 520, 515, 525, it'll be direct diode.

 

[Mr. Delirium]

Hi, thanks for your help! The wavelength of my diode is 520nm so it's direct, I don't think I'm going to tackle a DPSS laser yet

 

[Ears and Eggs]

Heh, I've been in the hobby for 15+ years and still haven't ever tried to mess around with the guts of a DPSS. Way too many small parts that have to be very precisely aligned.

 

[Mr. Delirium]

Heh, I've been in the hobby for 15+ years and still haven't ever tried to mess around with the guts of a DPSS. Way too many small parts that have to be very precisely aligned.

Wow, that's more complicated than I thought, maybe one day when I'm wiser I'll take on a DPSS

 

[RedCowboy]

Welcome Ian.

The 505, 510, 515 and 520nm single mode directs are just a nice aesthetically as dpss, that is they can focus just as tight in the far field and make a very nice looking beam, but instead of being TEM00 they are typically a rectangle but it's not really noticeable with a short to medium focal length lens, that said I prefer a long FL lens with the 505-520nm directs because it gives you a fantastic far field beam.

Here's an 488nm direct doing about 120mw that looks amazing as our eye/brain perceives the blue/green beam differently depending on it's surroundings or even more so next to another beam, for instance if you view it next to a 445nm beam then next to a 520 or 532nm beam you will notice how much our brains are involved in what we see as the hue will appear to have shifted.

532nm which is dpss has a yellowish hue but is definitely in the green range, however 520nm I think is prettier and 505nm has a great emerald green richness, I think 505 is underappreciated and in the single mode directs is a very nice looking beam.

As always be extra careful with any laser over 5mw and wear the correct laser safety glasses when appropriate.

 

[Mr. Delirium]

Welcome Ian.

The 505, 510, 515 and 520nm single mode directs are just a nice aesthetically as dpss, that is they can focus just as tight in the far field and make a very nice looking beam, but instead of being TEM00 they are typically a rectangle but it's not really noticeable with a short to medium focal length lens, that said I prefer a long FL lens with the 505-520nm directs because it gives you a fantastic far field beam.

Here's an 488nm direct doing about 120mw that looks amazing as our eye/brain perceives the blue/green beam differently depending on it's surroundings or even more so next to another beam, for instance if you view it next to a 445nm beam then next to a 520 or 532nm beam you will notice how much our brains are involved in what we see as the hue will appear to have shifted.

532nm which is dpss has a yellowish hue but is definitely in the green range, however 520nm I think is prettier and 505nm has a great emerald green richness, I think 505 is underappreciated and in the single mode directs is a very nice looking beam.

As always be extra careful with any laser over 5mw and wear the correct laser safety glasses when appropriate.

View attachment 75360

Wow, that is amazing, I think that 505nm cyan is a gorgeous color for a laser. I am just starting to try and build my first driver for a small green laser first before doing anything too fancy, although I definitely need to do something with 505nm at some point.
I did make sure that safety glasses were the first thing I bought before getting any laser stuff, I don't want to go blind quite yet.

Also, just your opinion, do you think Digikey is a good source for laser parts? I use them all the time for my other electronics projects so I was wondering if their laser diodes were high quality.

 

[RedCowboy]

No, not that I have seen, ebay, ali-express or just do an internet search.

For instance I just looked at digikey for a Sharp 488nm laser diode GH04850B2G but digikey doesn't list it.

However you can find it below.

Sharp 488nm GH04850B2G