Kryton DIY Green laser

[Kenom]

Ok, so this is going to be news to everyone as I've been toying with the idea of putting together a Kryton laser barrel that is as large as a RPL laser. What I'm trying to achieve while doing this is to create a host that is very easy for the diy enthusiast to build thier own green DPSS laser. Obviously you'll need to source the KTP and optics first. However, I'm curious if it's necessary to align the KTP PERFECTLY or like a cube can it go through at any ol' place where it will make a straight line. I'll illustrate my question with a picture. does it have to be smack dab in the center of the ktp (my green line in the illustration) cause if you can move it like 15% from center or such then I think it's possible to make this host work and work easily. We had someone on the forum not long ago that was selling crystals and I'm awaiting a reply from him as to it's alignment and such. Once the optics and KTP are sourced, I've come up with some basic designs for threaded mountings for the KTP and for the lenses that would be easily inserted into a threaded chamber. Anyone have some thoughts and suggestions?
Ken

 

[hydrogenman15]

This is a very cool idea and if anybody can pull it off its definitely going to be you.
I think its doable <-- yep, thats a word. ;D

Wheres that guy who was posting all those threads about DPSS lasers? :-/

--hydro15

 

[happytomato]

What a great idea!

 

[awirq]

Man You're Awesome ! Im Sure You Will Do It

 

[thesk8nmidget]

that would be very cool! i'd buy one! it would be even cooler to get it to take some larger c mount diodes!

 

[Benm]

I'm curious if it's necessary to align the KTP PERFECTLY or like a cube can it go through at any ol' place where it will make a straight line.

The whole process is very delicate really. Let's assume you'll be working with crystal sets, vandate and ktp combined in one package with good alinghtment and all coatings in place. The makes things a bit easier, since there are only 2 variables to account for: getting the pump light in, and getting the green out.

Getting the pump light in isn't all that easy: it needs to be of proper polarization, diameter and divergence. Ideally, its a paralel beam that is the size of the (active part of) the vandate crystal. If the beam is too narrow, its power/mm2 will be excessive and it could damage the coatings or even the crystal itself. If it is too wide, part of the pump light will 'miss' the crystal and be lost.

Ideally, the beam should be paralel, to avoid it focussing to a small point within the crystal, or diverting out of bit before absorbed. This seems to have little practical consequence as most green pointers pump with a pretty divergent beam.

I think the first and foremost design problem will be creating a setup that allows you to vary crystal orentientation independently from distance to the pump source. A simple thread isnt likely to work optimally here, since it would take half a turn between orientation optima, while the optimal distance could be in between.

Getting the green out is probably the easiest part - like focussing a red diode, but probably even easier since the emitting area is round/square instead of elongated and smaller as well.

 

[digital_blue]

I believe ebay seller "Snoctony" sells a combined crystal set that can be pumped at 500mw. That works out to about 100mw of green...

 

[diachi]

If you made it fit a 9mm diode you could theoretically achieve powers of up to 0.3W with a 1W pump. that is if you can manage 30% efficiency. best bet is 0.15W-0.2W of green, which is AMAZING by DIY standards.

You'll certainly go down as a laser god if you pull this one off !


-Adam

 

[artix]

YEAH!!! ;D

That is a great idea! I will definitely buy one of these! Well, if I have the money.

So, if I want one of these with a 1W 9mm pump and the crystals (cheaper ones - like about 10% efficient) how much would it cost? (like from $150-$250?)

So hypothetically,  when will this start? (just an approximation)

 

[jayrob]

Brign on the Kryton green!!! Let's have that killer Kryton logo on this one too...
Jay

 

[jamilm9]

if you do pull it off your will have more rep then village idiot. go for a c-mount

 

[diachi]

if you do pull it off your will have more rep then village idiot. go for a c-mount

just remember, c-mounts are more awkward than 9mm diodes, even though you get more power.


-Adam

 

[laserwanabe]

Well doesn't c-mount require special optics for collaminating? If i can get 200mW-300mW of green that would be pretty amazing, and if its DIY i would hope that it saves some $$$

 

[hydrogenman15]

if you do pull it off your will have more rep then village idiot. go for a c-mount

I agree c-mounts are capable of higher power levels.

BUILD IT kenom!

Heres that guy selling crystals on ebay. --> http://cgi.ebay.com/Nd-yvo4-Ktp-Glu...14&_trkparms=72:1205|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318

--hydro15

 

[JLSE]

I havent seen one of these barrels up close, but they will surely be tested if you go c-mount. Heat is a big issue with those diodes and it doesnt leave much room for cooling the medium. Im not sure what produces more heat, the diode or the driver :-/ Not too mention the heat the medium itself produces, Ive burned up 2 crystal sets already with 4watt pumps running at 1 watt :'( This of course in a monster of a H/S.

This will surely be a fun challange though ;D

Best of luck

 

[Kenom]

I'm curious if it's necessary to align the KTP PERFECTLY or like a cube can it go through at any ol' place where it will make a straight line.

The whole process is very delicate really. Let's assume you'll be working with crystal sets, vandate and ktp combined in one package with good alinghtment and all coatings in place. The makes things a bit easier, since there are only 2 variables to account for: getting the pump light in, and getting the green out.

Getting the pump light in isn't all that easy: it needs to be of proper polarization, diameter and divergence. Ideally, its a paralel beam that is the size of the (active part of) the vandate crystal. If the beam is too narrow, its power/mm2 will be excessive and it could damage the coatings or even the crystal itself. If it is too wide, part of the pump light will 'miss' the crystal and be lost.

Ideally, the beam should be paralel, to avoid it focussing to a small point within the crystal, or diverting out of bit before absorbed. This seems to have little practical consequence as most green pointers pump with a pretty divergent beam.

I think the first and foremost design problem will be creating a setup that allows you to vary crystal orentientation independently from distance to the pump source. A simple thread isnt likely to work optimally here, since it would take half a turn between orientation optima, while the optimal distance could be in between.

Getting the green out is probably the easiest part - like focussing a red diode, but probably even easier since the emitting area is round/square instead of elongated and smaller as well.

This is exactly the information I was looking for.  I've spoken with Henrycrystal on msn for a good amount of time last night and the language barrier prevented me from asking the important questions. He did indicated to me that he's got crystals that are already mounted in a copper heatsink capable of producing up to 300mw from a 2 Watt C-mount diode.  Since these mountings are already setup to have the crystal in the DEAD CENTER.  I'm figureing it would be easy to thread it in and will always remain centered.  From there it's moving the crystals away or closer to the diode.  The lens between the c-mount and the crystals would fascilitate focusing into the crystals.  It's not going to be easy but I think it's possible.

Pricewise, I'm thinking with the included optics and crystals your gonna look at $150-$250 depending on the quality of the crystals and optics.  However you will be able to obtain 300mw of green. (I hope)  I'm not convinced that henry's crystals are truly capable of 300mw.  His price was just too low for what it was supposedly capable of.  Although he did quote me $55 for a 2W C-mount that would be nice if it had a fast axis lens