I need help!

[RobTheVIP]

HI!!! this is my first post, I don't really know how these forums are, but I have a question so I hope you guys can help. I am trying to make a laser pointer, and I ordered a 200 mW diode from ebay. I placed that inside of a casing and lens that I bought, and tested the diode for its power. All I got was a faint red light that wouldn't even shine through the lens! ..so.. I emailed the man that I bought it from and he said it was 808nm diode and I needed to convert it to 532nm. I thought the lens that I bought did that for me or am I crazy? I'd appreciate any help, thanks!

This is the diode I bought, but it was a 200mW one from the same person, he must be sold out!


EDIT: I CANT POST A LINK FOR SOME REASON. PLEASE IM ME AT ROBTHEVIP AND I WILL GIVE YOU THE LINK!

-Rob

 

[kingzilla]

Welcome to the forum!

Eek! Yeah, turning 808nm into 532 is quite an involved proccess requiring multiple crystals and filters. The best thing you could do is maybe buy a cheap 1mw green laser pointer and rip out the frequency doubling system? Other than that, I am not sure what else to suggest? :-/

Even though the diode is IR, if it is 200mw it still should be able to burn? Have you tried burningthings with it?

What driver circuit are you using?

 

[lazerlover]

I'm not the best on this subject, but I can answer one of your questions. You can't post links until you've make 20 or more posts, this is to help stop spammers

 

[RobTheVIP]

Welcome to the forum!

Eek! Yeah, turning 808nm into 532 is quite an involved proccess requiring multiple crystals and filters. The best thing you could do is maybe buy a cheap 1mw green laser pointer and rip out the frequency doubling system? Other than that, I am not sure what else to suggest? :-/

Even though the diode is IR, if it is 200mw it still should be able to burn? Have you tried burningthings with it?

What driver circuit are you using?

wow, thanks for replying so fast. I have a 5 mw green laser pointer, and I had no clue that being able to see the laser would be so complicated to do, it almost makes me want to send it back. When I connect the wires, I immediatly feel the diode/casing get hot, and I had no idea I could not see the 808nm, so I looked into the diode. Luckily, either the diode is partly busted OR I was lucky. Any other ideas?

 

[kingzilla]

[quote author=Moderator link=1176764658/0#1 date=1176765044]Welcome to the forum!

Eek! Yeah, turning 808nm into 532 is quite an involved proccess requiring multiple crystals and filters. The best thing you could do is maybe buy a cheap 1mw green laser pointer and rip out the frequency doubling system? Other than that, I am not sure what else to suggest? :-/

Even though the diode is IR, if it is 200mw it still should be able to burn? Have you tried burningthings with it?

What driver circuit are you using?

wow, thanks for replying so fast.  I have a 5 mw green laser pointer, and I had no clue that being able to see the laser would be so complicated to do, it almost makes me want to send it back.  When I connect the wires, I immediatly feel the diode/casing get hot, and I had no idea I could not see the 808nm, so I looked into the diode.  Luckily, either the diode is partly busted OR I was lucky.  Any other ideas?[/quote]


It probably is busted now if it got hot like that. Damn, you're lucky, that could have toasted your eyes!!

What control circuit were you using, with what voltage.

 

[RobTheVIP]

[quote author=RobTheVIP link=1176764658/0#3 date=1176765217][quote author=Moderator link=1176764658/0#1 date=1176765044]Welcome to the forum!

Eek! Yeah, turning 808nm into 532 is quite an involved proccess requiring multiple crystals and filters. The best thing you could do is maybe buy a cheap 1mw green laser pointer and rip out the frequency doubling system? Other than that, I am not sure what else to suggest? :-/

Even though the diode is IR, if it is 200mw it still should be able to burn? Have you tried burningthings with it?

What driver circuit are you using?

wow, thanks for replying so fast. I have a 5 mw green laser pointer, and I had no clue that being able to see the laser would be so complicated to do, it almost makes me want to send it back. When I connect the wires, I immediatly feel the diode/casing get hot, and I had no idea I could not see the 808nm, so I looked into the diode. Luckily, either the diode is partly busted OR I was lucky. Any other ideas?[/quote]


It probably is busted now if it got hot like that. Damn, you're lucky, that could have toasted your eyes!!

What control circuit were you using, with what voltage.
[/quote]

Yeah, there is only a faint red dot and it gets hot really fast. Really, I thought it would be as simple as soldering the wires to the legs of the diode and hooking it up to a momentary switch and 2 AA batteries. I guess I was wrong. I will have to send this diode back and buy a 16x or higher dvd drive. Any thoughts?

 

[RobTheVIP]

Oh yeah, I was wondering where to find some high powered diodes, maybe in something lying around the house? I have a sega dreamcast that I could rip apart, but they don't burn to cd's or anything so I'm not sure what the power would be haha..

 

[kingzilla]

Only a DVD burner will work (if you want visible wavelengths). You definatly need a current limiting resistor (need to know the specs of the diode to know how much resistance) to prevent diode destruction. I would start with a DVD burner laser, there is a detailed guid to making them in the red lasers section. I would stay far away from invisible lasers until you really know what you're doing, I don't even dare work with invisible lasers.
I don't know if you will still be able to send that diode back if you have used is without and resistor, it may be damaged.

 

[RobTheVIP]

yes, I will try and get a dvd diode, but I have talked to someone who made one without a resistor and he said his is fine. Is it really necessary? And yes, that tutorial was part of my guiding to making this. Say I get a 200 mW dvd diode, how much is a resistor..?

 

[kingzilla]

A resistor, like 10 cents. ;D Depending on the diode you get, a resistor may not be nesicary, but not using one can shorten diode life...

Please promise me that you won't look into a laser ever again! ;D

 

[SenKat]

Resistors are dirt cheap ! You can buy resistors at Radio Shack...if you follow the directions carefully, (If you are talking about Felusmage) then you will need a resistor, and a diode, some wire, two switches, and a module to house the diode in, as well as something to put all the aforementioned items in. This is not as easy as it sounds - to get any appreciable amount of power, you have to know a little bit about electronics, and what you are doing. I made my first one by the book before I started going further - it sounds to me ike you are putting the cart before the horse, so to speak....

Check out the experiments and mods section....

 

[RobTheVIP]

Resistors are dirt cheap ! You can buy resistors at Radio Shack...if you follow the directions carefully, (If you are talking about Felusmage) then you will need a resistor, and a diode, some wire, two switches, and a module to house the diode in, as well as something to put all the aforementioned items in. This is not as easy as it sounds - to get any appreciable amount of power, you have to know a little bit about electronics, and what you are doing. I made my first one by the book before I started going further - it sounds to me ike you are putting the cart before the horse, so to speak....

Check out the experiments and mods section....

I actually have a video on youtube, please critisize it etc. and give me some help! you sound like you know a lot more than me! thanks! (search how to make a homemade laser on youtube)

 

[SenKat]

Thanks for the kudos - your video is good but your design is flawed like so:
You are running 3.0 volts if you use only 2AA batts - that's fine, but as the alkaline batts discharge, your performance will suffer. Optimally you want 280ma of power going to your diode, and to get that, you really need to do a tiny bit more than just wires and batts. Check out the link I posted in my dvd-laser review....read that ENTIRE site for tons of great info ! If you use 3 AA batts you are gonna get better run times, and higher current as well, so you have to incorporate some resistance in the picture some where. you can make everything work fine with just two batts, but you are not getting the most out of it possible...
For example, 2AAA NiMh batts hooked direct to the diode : about 2.4v, and 80mw is likely.

I measured quite a bit more following the "menu" offered up by felusmage....

 

[Hemlock_Mike]

Rob --

Depending on the diode, each one can have a special power / input curve. Some reds will take 2 AAA cells without a resistor and some may not. You have to carefully measure the current vs output of your diode. Be sure to heatsink the LD while doing this.

Mike

 

[RobTheVIP]

Does anyone know where I can get a dvd drive that will work for under 45$? I'd prefer that it would be in a store like radio shack, best buy, costco, sams club, etc. but online is ok as it will be my last resort. thanks!