[Pictures/Beamshots]Question on flat diodes (and beamshots/overview of a crap laser)

[Fretwrecker94]

Hey so I'm just wondering if anyone can answer a question for me. I searched but couldn't find it. Do the flat cheap diodes in crap pointers come more tolerant and robust than an equal power of a 5.6mm diode? Because this laser uses 2 AAA batteries and a resistor to limit current.

Anyway, like the title says, here are some pictures and beamshots of it. Nothing REALLY worth looking at.

This is all I have to say on the laser:
Good for cats and the common citizen, but a piece of crap for us learned laser enthusiasts

 

[Cyparagon]

Yes. Very few red pointers have drivers. The Vf of the laser diode is very close to the voltage of a standard 2x Alkaline cell arrangement. If you choose to use 2 alkalines, Linear, boost, and buck drivers will not work. Only a buck/boost driver will.
So you either pay extra money for a driver that costs more than the pointer itself, use more cells with a cheap linear driver, or just say fck it, and use a resistor.

 

[Fretwrecker94]

Yes. Very few red pointers have drivers. The Vf of the laser diode is very close to the voltage of a standard 2x Alkaline cell arrangement. If you choose to use 2 alkalines, Linear, boost, and buck drivers will not work. Only a buck/boost driver will.
So you either pay extra money for a driver that costs more than the pointer itself, use more cells with a cheap linear driver, or just say fck it, and use a resistor.

Yeah I didn't expect a cheap ol' pointer like this had a driver, I just didnt know if the flat diodes were more robust. Thanks for the input!

 

[tsteele93]

Even a cheapo red pointer like that looks amazing when you do the beamshot at the emitter like that. It looks like all of Hell's fury is being unleashed in a coherent beam directed out of that opening.

 

[Fretwrecker94]

Even a cheapo red pointer like that looks amazing when you do the beamshot at the emitter like that. It looks like all of Hell's fury is being unleashed in a coherent beam directed out of that opening.

Basically! I love beamshots. Its weird I started out as a guy who loved burning power, but now I appreciate the beams a lot more. I'm a beam guy now. probably because I found my fog machine back in the fall...

 

[bloompyle]

For a moment I thought you were talking about the flat red diodes in the black plastic, I thought someone finally found a use for them (I have 3 or 4 somewhere.) But nice macro shots and beam shots nonetheless =]

 

[Fretwrecker94]

For a moment I thought you were talking about the flat red diodes in the black plastic, I thought someone finally found a use for them (I have 3 or 4 somewhere.) But nice macro shots and beam shots nonetheless =]

IIRC, someone actually modified their AixiZ module to accept the square plastic 24X diode. It'd be awesome if someone ordered a batch from someone who could CNC a housing for those!

 

[bloompyle]

IIRC, someone actually modified their AixiZ module to accept the square plastic 24X diode. It'd be awesome if someone ordered a batch from someone who could CNC a housing for those!

I'd probably pay good money for those too, 24X of red probably has a decent output. Perhaps Ehgemus or Moh could do it?

 

[BShanahan14rulz]

all you have to do is heatsink the metal tabs on the side, right?

Also, I think these "flat" diodes are simply diode chips mounted directly to the board. LEDs are sometimes mounted this way, chip-on-board. It's cheaper.

 

[Fretwrecker94]

Didn't know that! That's pretty neat. Yeah come to think of it I've seen a few LEDs that were just the chips on a small board.

 

[jimdt7]

My 5mW for dinodirect, doesn't even have a resistor :crackup:
It's just Batteries-Switch-Diode

Jim