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help with simple PWM modulation board for any laser pointer

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milantheone

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Dec 2, 2008
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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
 

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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.
 
paul1598419 said:
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.
Click to expand...


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 said:
That may not be enough. There are drivers out there that allow for modulation with PWMs.
Click to expand...
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 ?
 
milantheone said:
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 ?
Click to expand...
Barnette Unlimited has some PWN/TTL drivers that should fit what you need.
 
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.
 
Anthony P said:
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.
Click to expand...

Yes, these drivers do turn the laser on and off, but at a rate that is too fast to see.
 
Anthony P said:
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.
Click to expand...
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.
 
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.
 
RedCowboy said:
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.
Click to expand...
Yeah, what the OP needs is a driver with TTL blanking.
 
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!
 
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