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Hello,
I am new to lasers but not to electronics...these drivers are also somewhat new to me in application. I was hoping I could get some specific instruction in designing a driver for a 445nm laser diode, specifically one of DTR's 1.5-2w diodes.
I want to build my own using something like the LMxxx series of regulators.
Can someone here recommend the best regulator IC for the application? What I want is to run the diode at or near max power output. I have read that is somewhere around 1.8A? Not sure what voltage though....
So my specific questions are the following:
1) what IC should I use?
2) what is the maximum current I can run the 445nm 1.5-2w diode DTR sells?
3) what voltage battery/batteries can I or should I use for maximum output?
4) what resistor value do I need to set the IC to the max current above?
The reason I am not using a FlexDrive or similar prebuilt driver is cost primarily....I plan to build a laser with three diode heads in one giant MagLight heat sink. jayRob is building the sink custom for me. Since it's a MagLight host I plan to use three separate Cells, one for each driver/diode. Plenty of room in the long host to make a module/sink for the three drivers and batteries....that's my plan anyway.
One click...three beams of light each close to the max 2w output...
Why do this? Because it sounds cool, why else! Maybe down the road I will switch out the diodes and adjust the drivers to have three different beams, maybe red, violet, and blue....who knows.....
I really appreciate the instruction, you guys have been great since I started this crazy hobby.
Sincerely,
Jeff
I am new to lasers but not to electronics...these drivers are also somewhat new to me in application. I was hoping I could get some specific instruction in designing a driver for a 445nm laser diode, specifically one of DTR's 1.5-2w diodes.
I want to build my own using something like the LMxxx series of regulators.
Can someone here recommend the best regulator IC for the application? What I want is to run the diode at or near max power output. I have read that is somewhere around 1.8A? Not sure what voltage though....
So my specific questions are the following:
1) what IC should I use?
2) what is the maximum current I can run the 445nm 1.5-2w diode DTR sells?
3) what voltage battery/batteries can I or should I use for maximum output?
4) what resistor value do I need to set the IC to the max current above?
The reason I am not using a FlexDrive or similar prebuilt driver is cost primarily....I plan to build a laser with three diode heads in one giant MagLight heat sink. jayRob is building the sink custom for me. Since it's a MagLight host I plan to use three separate Cells, one for each driver/diode. Plenty of room in the long host to make a module/sink for the three drivers and batteries....that's my plan anyway.
One click...three beams of light each close to the max 2w output...
Why do this? Because it sounds cool, why else! Maybe down the road I will switch out the diodes and adjust the drivers to have three different beams, maybe red, violet, and blue....who knows.....
I really appreciate the instruction, you guys have been great since I started this crazy hobby.
Sincerely,
Jeff