Modifying my green laser

[the_obs]

Hey all. I'm trying to modify my green laser I bought for 15 bucks in china. It's a standard >5mW 532nm green laser.

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/9792/laserside1yq2.jpg
http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/3668/laserside2iq2.jpg

What do I have to do to boost this baby up to 100mW?

Links fixed

 

[yes8s]

U can't do it

 

[High_Octane]

You can turn the pot up, But you risk frying the diode.
Also You will NEVER get 100 mw out of it, maybe 10-30 if your very lucky.

 

[Benm]

Circuit board looks like those found in some DX greens.. chances are the pot doesnt do anything at all.

 

[the_obs]

OK, thanks for the answers.

Pity I can't get it any higher, but I'm already quite impressed at its power and range.

One more question; apart from the obvious hazard of long time exposure (60+ seconds) directly in the eye, are there any hazards that could come from such a laser pointer?

A friend of mine was talking about how some special lasers could go through the body and organs, but I just laughed cause I'm pretty sure those are industrial strengh lasers or illegal - am I right, or can my laser be such a threat?

Thanks!

 

[Shilood]

That laser can definitely go through two very important organs... your eyes. Even though it's rated (in China) as <5mW, as an inexpensive low power pointer it may be lacking an IR filter. It's possible there's 5mW of green light and another 15mW of IR coming out the end in a flashlight-like cone. I would treat it as if that's the case (only get one set of eyes.)

Even a 5mW laser can do damage if you look into the beam (point it at your eye, or reflect it into your eye from a mirror at fairly close range.) Treat your eyes with respect and you'll see the light.

 

[the_obs]

Hehe very true.

But yes, I treat my eyes with extreme caution, but my question was if there is anything else than vision damage that can occure from use of the laser?

By the way, I meant <5mW (less than 5mW).

 

[Shilood]

No, nothing else bad can happen if you don't stare at it (or shine it at a police officer or a vehicle.) High power lasers in the green, UV and NIR band are used for laser surgery. They can do things like cauterize, break up skin pigments from age spots so your body absorbs them, reshape your eye - lots of magic. That takes a bit more power than 5mW however.