How to bin a diode?

[scumbagatheist]

I need the professionals' help.

I am getting ready for my first build intended to sell. It's going to be a 9mm 445nm at it's maximum current.

It was suggested to me to "bin" the diode that I chose. Now, from what little I've been able to gather from Blord and others is that to "bin" a diode means to measure it's efficiency and where it's peak output is.

Can anyone give me a better idea of how this is achieved? Can this be done by measuring V or I with one or more DMMs, or does it require an LPM? What procedures are used?

I want to make the diode preform at it's best for this build, so whoever buys it is getting a quality laser.

Thank you all in advance. I really did search the forum.

 

[awillis2589]

going to need a LPM to bin a diode, as well as a bench power supply.

 

[pschlosser]

You will definitely need an LPM in the mix. I would expect it doesn't have to be a calibrated one, or an accurate one, if you are just looking for the best 5 out of a lot of diodes.

 

[ARG]

It was suggested to me to "bin" the diode that I chose. Now, from what little I've been able to gather from Blord and others is that to "bin" a diode means to measure it's efficiency and where it's peak output is.

Binning is when you take 10 diodes, measure the powers and keep the best one of the lot.

Finding the efficiency curve is something different.

 

[scumbagatheist]

Thank you all.
I do NOT have the money to buy 10 diodes and pick the best among them. I will simply have to drive it at the setting I want and have it LPMed. That, or I sell off everything to buy an LPM and PSU now. The former is most likely.

 

[scumbagatheist]

Alex, can I use just a bench PSU to determine the diode's highest efficient current, or does that require an LPM as well?

 

[awillis2589]

Yeah an LPM is pretty much required.

I binned diodes before but without a bench supply. What I did is took 3 diodes connected them one at a time to a 1.8A driver and the one that read the highest was my keeper. Ended up getting a diode that with a g2 made 2.6-2.7W

 

[scumbagatheist]

So, what did you do with the other two? Surely, you didn't just toss them in the trash...

I just don't see how I can afford to buy more than 3, and that only happening if the other 2 went up for sale as well.

I may need to plan a trip to Austin. There are not any members here in north Texas with LPMs that I am aware of.

 

[IsaacT]

I don't know of any members in Austin with LPMs. Only definitive person I know of who has an LPM in Texas who is on this site is Hakzaw1, and he is in Houston I think.

 

[scumbagatheist]

I got this...

 

[scumbagatheist]

Now I wont have so far to look for that link...

Yeah..Hak is the only one who's signed up so far...