My DIY Greenie Pointer. 50mW@25% efficiency

[pwnstar]

dont start with the best rather make the best of the worst. There is much more to learn that way, and any mistakes won't empty your pocket!

Hah yea, I totally understand that. To bad my DX200 was the laser to need the realigning. =/ Otherwise I would never attempt to do this.

 

[IgorT]

I tryed re adjusting the crystal on my DX200 and failed. But the way you did that, you make it look so easy! lol, How long did it take you to adjust the crystal?
This kind of makes me want to try to fix the DX200 again...

Did you get anything out, or nothing at all? I managed to get as much as 79mW TEM00 out of mine the way we discussed in that other thread.

The real fun started when i tried putting the expander lens back on. The beam would go everywhere but straight.. And the epoxy was getting harder while i was moving the lens around so i was in a hurry and messed it up. The glue went onto the lens, and i had to start all over again.

For some reason, once i put it together, the mode hopping reappeared. The crystals must have moved a fraction of a millimeter while i was gluing them in place.

 

[Benm]

I've messed a bit with the MCA's from the DX20 and KD50... turns out that the pump diode in the KD50 is shot, but its crystals seem okay. The diode still emits a fair amount of 808 light, but in 2 strips with a void in the middle.

I proceeded to put the kd crystal set in front of a DX20 pump, and it does produce some green. I couldnt find a really good spot (or didnt try hard enough), but as proof of principe it puts out a steady ~5 mW or so. I'm sure it could do better, but its pretty finicky to get things in place.

The DX has a collimating lens placed between pump diode and crystals, and a plastic spacer that makes things level between crystals and focal point of the collimated pump light. The KD has no such contraption and has the crystals directly on top of the pump diode, which seems easier to position in practice.

I wonder how these things are aligned in the factory, the mca is just glued in place. I guess it involves some device holding the mca steady with respect to the pump and adjusting for the optimum, after which glue is applied. Should be all that hard to rig something like that at home...

 

[JLSE]

Its not hard to get it going, the tricky part is squeezing every last drop [smiley=bath.gif]

 

[phoenix77]

Hey WANNABURN, Could you do me a favor, & drop me a PM & let me know if you sent me those parts or not? I sure would appreciate it man! Thanks phoenix77

 

[pwnstar]

[quote author=pwnstar link=1209525651/15#28 date=1209747981]I tryed re adjusting the crystal on my DX200 and failed. But the way you did that, you make it look so easy! lol, How long did it take you to adjust the crystal?
This kind of makes me want to try to fix the DX200 again...

Did you get anything out, or nothing at all? I managed to get as much as 79mW TEM00 out of mine the way we discussed in that other thread.

The real fun started when i tried putting the expander lens back on. The beam would go everywhere but straight.. And the epoxy was getting harder while i was moving the lens around so i was in a hurry and messed it up. The glue went onto the lens, and i had to start all over again.

For some reason, once i put it together, the mode hopping reappeared. The crystals must have moved a fraction of a millimeter while i was gluing them in place. [/quote]

I never got any green out of it. =/ I made that tool that you showed me and I was using it to adjusting very lightly. But by now I lost the original position. I still have the pieces in a anti static bag in my basement. Maybe Ill take it out again today.

 

[Benm]

Its not hard to get it going, the tricky part is squeezing every last drop [smiley=bath.gif]

Apparently. Before i ever tried, i always though that the alignment needed to be very precise to produce any green at all, let alone a decent amount. Just messing with cheap substandard parts has made me feel more comfortable about it - getting a glimmer of green proved more easy than i ever imagined.

Going from a glimmer to the maximum amount is still a very finicky process, but as long as you get some green its easier to go from there - moving or rotating makes it better or worse, but you see what you are doing.

Compared to trying to putting a gas lasers mirrors in proper alignment without special aids, this is not the hardest job in the world by far.

 

[pwnstar]

[quote author=wannaburn link=1209525651/30#35 date=1209778311]Its not hard to get it going, the tricky part is squeezing every last drop [smiley=bath.gif]

Apparently. Before i ever tried, i always though that the alignment needed to be very precise to produce any green at all, let alone a decent amount. Just messing with cheap substandard parts has made me feel more comfortable about it - getting a glimmer of green proved more easy than i ever imagined.

Going from a glimmer to the maximum amount is still a very finicky process, but as long as you get some green its easier to go from there - moving or rotating makes it better or worse, but you see what you are doing.

Compared to trying to putting a gas lasers mirrors in proper alignment without special aids, this is not the hardest job in the world by far.
[/quote]

Hmm. Maybe the alignment isn't the problem on my module.

 

[JLSE]

Played around with a fast axiz setup. I will say it is much harder to get the crystals lit, and waaaaay easier to burn them up

Somewhat off topic, does anyone know if these crystals for 532nm can be used with a different wavelength pump? My guess would be no, but can the crystals be separated to achive a different colour light?

 

[JLSE]

Took a pic outdoors with the green, its just too bright.

 

[pwnstar]

ehh still loving that balcony

and I don't think those crystals work to well with any other wavelengths..

 

[JLSE]

The coolest part of my balconey is July 1st (Canada Day). The fireworks detonate 30ft above eye level and a stones throw away in the middle of the park ;D

That is the day my lasers DO NOT see the outdoors, there is a fair for the kids and fireworks at night, and the crowds can reach many tens of thousands.