Hi all, recently retired from electronics repair. I know almost nothing about lasers except what I have read over the last few days. All the numbers are very confusing, is any chart available with description of what stuff means. Anyway, I bought a cheep blue laser diode it is <500mw m140 5.6 mm TO-18. What is m140 mean, but anyway I would like to order something to put the diode into with maybe a g2 to g8 lens or would that work for blue, I don't know. What would be good stuff to put this diode into. Wanted to have something to mess with while I learn. I have read about safety and ordered us glasses for 20 bucks. Maybe a link to buy a housing where I would not get ripped. Thanks for your time. This site Im sure has all the answers I need, and i will be spending many many weeks learning.
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FrozenGate by Avery
Overwhelmed
- Thread starter thedoc8
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Google Dtr's laser shop or look him up here as he is a member. Tons of info on different diodes lenses and drivers.
A M140 is a type of diode that was the last and most powerful version that started from a A130 to a A140 and now a M140. It can do 2W+ if driven with driver at 1.8A.
Dtr might be out of them but type in M140 in his store search bar and he will have info on it.
The M140 is pressed into a module, usually a 12mm wide one then is driven with the driver. You will need a host with a good size heatsink made out of AL or copper. Your choice of lens is needed also.
Member "Lifetime17" here has a good assortment of host builds that are perfect for what you want.
Just lurk and read old posts and it will come easy.
A M140 is a type of diode that was the last and most powerful version that started from a A130 to a A140 and now a M140. It can do 2W+ if driven with driver at 1.8A.
Dtr might be out of them but type in M140 in his store search bar and he will have info on it.
The M140 is pressed into a module, usually a 12mm wide one then is driven with the driver. You will need a host with a good size heatsink made out of AL or copper. Your choice of lens is needed also.
Member "Lifetime17" here has a good assortment of host builds that are perfect for what you want.
Just lurk and read old posts and it will come easy.
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Welcome to LPF, thedoc8! 
As GSS mentioned, DTR and Lifetime17 are two great sources for what you'll need to get started.
I'm not sure where you purchased your safety eyewear, but for great quality and reasonably priced glasses/goggles, many members here will recommend Survival laser, you can't go wrong with them, as a plus, they give LPF members a 10% discount if you use the code LPF445.
As GSS mentioned, DTR and Lifetime17 are two great sources for what you'll need to get started.
I'm not sure where you purchased your safety eyewear, but for great quality and reasonably priced glasses/goggles, many members here will recommend Survival laser, you can't go wrong with them, as a plus, they give LPF members a 10% discount if you use the code LPF445.
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Those designations are used because we never got the Nichia part numbers for those diodes, so we use the Casio projector number that the diode was first harvested from. You'll want to put that into a module which you can get from DTR's site or buy a nickle plated brass on on eBay for ~$2.00. You'll also need a constant current driver for it. We have used buck drivers primarily for the M140 at 1.8 amps. These can be bought on DTR's site too. Or you can look on eBay at X-Woose's site. You'll also need some tools you likely don't have yet to setup the driver and press the diode into a module. Good luck.
Thank you for the glasses link, I will check mine when the come, dont remember where I got, but some laser dudes said they were good. I will find out. Going shopping, laterWelcome to LPF, thedoc8!
As GSS mentioned, DTR and Lifetime17 are two great sources for what you'll need to get started.
I'm not sure where you purchased your safety eyewear, but for great quality and reasonably priced glasses/goggles, many members here will recommend , you can't go wrong with them, as a plus, they give LPF members a 10% discount if you use the code LPF445.
Snecho
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Just a little breakdown to help you understand numbers if you say it's confusing. (It was for me too 
)
M140 is the name of the diode
mW means millaWatts, and 1mW is one millaWatt which is 1,000th of one Watt.
W means Watt, and 1W is 1,000mW.
This is all a measure of laser power.
nm is nanometers which is what the color of the laser is.
405nm is Purple
445nm is Blue
520nm is Green
532nm is Lime Green
589nm is Golden Yellow
635nm is Orangish Red
650nm is Red
Those are the most common colors.
So from 400nm-700nm is the visible spectrum going from Purple to Red, with Blue, Green, and Yellow in-between in that order.
User XM360 happened to make a very informative video explaining wavelengths just the other day: https://laserpointerforums.com/threads/video-for-your-critique.106866/post-1583022
)M140 is the name of the diode
mW means millaWatts, and 1mW is one millaWatt which is 1,000th of one Watt.
W means Watt, and 1W is 1,000mW.
This is all a measure of laser power.
nm is nanometers which is what the color of the laser is.
405nm is Purple
445nm is Blue
520nm is Green
532nm is Lime Green
589nm is Golden Yellow
635nm is Orangish Red
650nm is Red
Those are the most common colors.
So from 400nm-700nm is the visible spectrum going from Purple to Red, with Blue, Green, and Yellow in-between in that order.
User XM360 happened to make a very informative video explaining wavelengths just the other day: https://laserpointerforums.com/threads/video-for-your-critique.106866/post-1583022
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M-140 diodes are everywhere from used projectors so don't pay much, good for about 2w @ 1.5-1.6a
hakzaw1
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AT Sams Laser FAQ
99% of questions we get here are THERE for the reading. AND NO ADS!!
Many consider him as our 'Guru' of Lasers And Keeper /Writer(much but not all) of our 'Bible'
PLEASE do not email Sam about 'anything' that is already at the 'sites'
AND/OR not answered at LPF-- SEARCH PLEEZE -
-(google too)
Sam does not come here very often.
Len
end of my post
later
BUT if I want to add more, I won't make a new post just minutes since my other post. Yeah if I did make a double I can always go back there and combine them into one (longer) post--ammmi right!!!
post.
99% of questions we get here are THERE for the reading. AND NO ADS!!
Many consider him as our 'Guru' of Lasers And Keeper /Writer(much but not all) of our 'Bible'
PLEASE do not email Sam about 'anything' that is already at the 'sites'
AND/OR not answered at LPF-- SEARCH PLEEZE -
-(google too)
Sam does not come here very often.
Len
end of my post
later
BUT if I want to add more, I won't make a new post just minutes since my other post. Yeah if I did make a double I can always go back there and combine them into one (longer) post--ammmi right!!!
post.
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