help with simple PWM modulation board for any laser pointer

[milantheone]

hello guys

i just would like to know if it is viable option to use signal generator as a simple switch in front of actual laser driver.. see picture.
would it work fine, or is my thinking completely off.

all i need is 1- 30 hz. so slow blinking basicaly.

thank you

 

[paul1598419]

You probably won't get the current you need to drive the laser diode. These PWM unit are good for modulating a driver that allows for that.

 

[milantheone]

You probably won't get the current you need to drive the laser diode. These PWM unit are good for modulating a driver that allows for that.

so thats why i put mosfet switch/ that that acts as gate switch from battery straight to driver.
i didnt metioned that, but it is on the picture i attached

 

[paul1598419]

That may not be enough. There are drivers out there that allow for modulation with PWMs.

 

[milantheone]

That may not be enough. There are drivers out there that allow for modulation with PWMs.

oh..
i thought that that mosfet allow all the juice from the battery to go to the driver..


in that case, i found only some big dirvers 12-24v.. i would like to keep it compact, as all i need is like 5-10mw from a laser.

do you know some small size pwm driver that can be driven by single battery.. 18650 or so ?

 

[Blarg King]

oh..
i thought that that mosfet allow all the juice from the battery to go to the driver..


in that case, i found only some big dirvers 12-24v.. i would like to keep it compact, as all i need is like 5-10mw from a laser.

do you know some small size pwm driver that can be driven by single battery.. 18650 or so ?

Barnette Unlimited has some PWN/TTL drivers that should fit what you need.

 

[Anthony P]

I thought that drivers that accept a PWM signal use it to adjust power level. The intensity of a continuous beam is varied but the laser does not "blink" on and off. Could be wrong.

 

[paul1598419]

I thought that drivers that accept a PWM signal use it to adjust power level. The intensity of a continuous beam is varied but the laser does not "blink" on and off. Could be wrong.

Yes, these drivers do turn the laser on and off, but at a rate that is too fast to see.

 

[Blarg King]

I thought that drivers that accept a PWM signal use it to adjust power level. The intensity of a continuous beam is varied but the laser does not "blink" on and off. Could be wrong.

PWM drivers adjust the output power by rapidly turning the laser on/off. So while its on the laser is running at full power, but by turning it on and off rapidly you change the average power.

 

[RedCowboy]

PWM = Pulse Width Modulation
So the laser diode is pulsed at a frequency, say 10K ( 10,000 pulses per second ) and each pulse has a duration of on and off time, the on time being the pulse width...... so a 50% pulse width would be on for half each pulse and off for half each pulse.

 

[WizardG]

PWM = Pulse Width Modulation
So the laser diode is pulsed at a frequency, say 10K ( 10,000 pulses per second ) and each pulse has a duration of on and off time, the on time being the pulse width...... so a 50% pulse width would be on for half each pulse and off for half each pulse.

Yeah, what the OP needs is a driver with TTL blanking.

 

[Paulostool]

The rp2040 ca be a VERY good PWM/signal generator, I’m planning to use in a future project.

But use it to command a TTL capable driver as mentioned!