Multi-Mode Cree -> FLASER?

[dynamicvelocity]

in all the moding that's going down why haven't i seen anyone try adding one of these babies to change the light patterns on their 'home grown' laser yet?

seems like the most logical 'next step' to me...

dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.7612

i guess if you had a hybrid flashlight / Laser - it would be called  a FLASER?

oh wait - 3.7Volt... hmm, that would be the killer... still if you could regulate that voltage/ current AFTER the device - still might work?

 

[Kenom]

why hasn't anyone used that? Primarily because it's putting out 1A. laser diodes run about 250ma and that would spell instant death to the diode.

 

[dynamicvelocity]

i'm sure it can 'put out' 1 amp, and i KNOW that means D_E_A_T_H for an LD, but what i'm suggesting is, can't we run the OUTPUT of this device through a Current / Voltage regulator....

basically i suppose i'm suggesting use this thing to run the laser like it has a TTL input. - or even like a 'simplified 555 timer circuit' ...

any other problems you can see with the concept?

 

[Benm]

There would be no problem using that module with a laser diode really. If you rip off 2 of the 7135's, it would be a 350 mA driver. With a bypass resistor, that can power a laser diode (desribed elsewhere on this forum).

But what's the point in adding modes to a laser? I think most people are fine with a laser that's just 'on' or 'off', and don't need any SOS-flashing or what not. Personally, i like to have power control too, but that's easily achieved using a homebrew current source if you ask me.

 

[Gazoo]

At one time I thought it would be neat but after thinking about it I don't think I would use any of the modes. And I am not too sure how the health of the diode would be effected by flashing it on and off. For a regular LED flashlight the different power levels might be nice.

 

[Kenom]

the one diode I killed lately was from powering the diode on and off really quick for a pulsed operation. I don't wanna do this electrically unless it's a pulsed circuit. I pulsed mode the pulses are a lot quicker than the pulses sent out in the SOS or whatnot and will just probably kill the diode.

 

[Benm]

I wouldn't worry about sudden power transitions really, those diodes are made for DVD recording, and normally 'flash' several million times a second from full power to zero and back.

The problems come when your driver has problems with overshooting regulation and blasting too much current into the diode that way. LED's are fairly resilient to such abuse, but laser diodes might not survive.

How bad such problems are can be evaluated once you have the board in your hands, but its hard to tell otherwise.

 

[Kenom]

I wouldn't worry about sudden power transitions really, those diodes are made for DVD recording, and normally 'flash' several million times a second from full power to zero and back.

The problems come when your driver has problems with overshooting regulation and blasting too much current into the diode that way. LED's are fairly resilient to such abuse, but laser diodes might not survive.

How bad such problems are can be evaluated once you have the board in your hands, but its hard to tell otherwise.

I think that's just what I said just not as technical. I won't risk it.