Need help finishing 808 IR

[jaf5000]

I tried to take on the task of building a high power laser with an understanding of the physics of electricity but little knowledge about lasers. I read that you needed a diode, driver, and a few other things and bought the first cheap IR diode and some cheap driver I found on Ebay. This was before I came to this site and read all of the warnings against beginners and IR lasers. Now I have the predicament of getting the rest of the parts and putting it together hopefully without any ESD. Also, if I do get it to work, do IR filter glasses that make you see IR block the damage or would they make it worse? Would welding glasses work?
Thanks-
Jeremy

 

[Eudaimonium]

I would strongly advise against buildign an IR laser as your first. Great dangers lurk, just waiting for you to make a mistake. Then it's too late.

I would advise to use this sled's diode:
HighTechDealZ - 405nm PHR803T Blu Ray Laser Sled
As your first. Violet diode there is capable of around 100mW and it's very cool color , very rewading as first build!

If you need any information or help, feel free to shoot me a PM or add me on MSN or Skype or whatever it is you already have.

Good luck!

 

[jaf5000]

I followed that link but it came up with a page that said
"Welcome to High Tech DealZ

There are no products to list in this category."

 

[Eudaimonium]

I followed that link but it came up with a page that said
"Welcome to High Tech DealZ

There are no products to list in this category."

My bad

HighTechDealZ - 405nm PHR803T Blu Ray Laser Sled

 

[Pontiacg5]

Also, if I do get it to work, do IR filter glasses that make you see IR block the damage or would they make it worse? Would welding glasses work?
Thanks-
Jeremy

I know of no cheap glasses that will let you see IR, however there are glasses that will block the IR light but they will not make IR less visible. Goggles like that would be your best protection from IR, should you choose to continue with this build.

There are ways to see IR, but it involves some sort of system that converts an IR photon to a visible photon, usually through some sort of material that creates electrons that excite some visible phosphor on a screen (Somewhat like a tube TV.) when stimulated with IR light. A system like that would protect you from IR since you would be viewing the IR indirectly, however a system like that would likely cost upwards of $1,000 or so. It is possible to view IR with a modified digital camera, but the images a modified camera makes are pretty useless. The IR usually washes the entire camera sensor out, leaving a massive white blob of "IR."

Welding goggles will provide little or no protection from IR light, in fact it would probably make "viewing" IR even more dangerous since the dark conditions inside a welding hood or goggles would dilate your pupils directing more of the dangerous IR light towards your retinas.

Any techniques used to build a visible diode laser can be applied to an IR laser, just search around the forum and you'll figure out how to put it all together. Your pretty much going to be on your own for focusing the thing though.

 

[jaf5000]

Would normal night vision goggles or infrared cameras see the beam or would it be to bright?

 

[Cyparagon]

There are ways to see IR, but it involves some sort of system that converts an IR photon to a visible photon, usually through some sort of material that creates electrons that excite some visible phosphor on a screen...

Also, nightvision!

 

[jaf5000]

With night vision would I be able to see the beam itself as is the case with green lasers or would I just see the spot where it hits an object like a red laser?

 

[Cyparagon]

Just the spot unless the air is foggy or dusty.

 

[jaf5000]

Well that would solve the problem of focusing and eye damage, so how essential is grounding myself to prevent ESD when working with the diode and driver?

 

[jaf5000]

Would this pen light work as a case? Also, would the two AAA batteries that the light uses work?

 

[jaf5000]

The camera module in this link seems perfect for viewing and focusing an Infrared laser.
CMOS IR Camera Module - 500x582 - SparkFun Electronics