I got to play with the new diode today. I don't have a nice graph for you, because I'm computer illiterate :-[
Anyway, here's the skinny thus far
I set the diode up in an AixiZ module and placed it into my largest heat sink. I hooked it to a Rkcstr driver and used my bench PSU at 9V. I checked the output every 5mA. However, the driver was very sensitive at the top and bottom. Also (as I will explain below) I got two "tops." Yeah, it confused me at first too.
At 5mW resolution I observed no "kinks" throughout the test. Of course it is possible that one will show up at 3mW resolution, but I am not set up to do that fine an adjustment.
For the test I used an AixiZ acrylic lens with the back opened up.
Threshold = 50mA (25mW)
110mA = 100mW
154mA = 150mW
The efficiency ratio switched to better than 1:1 at 165mA
193mA = 200mW
233mA = 250mW
277mA = 300mW
317mA = 350mW
365mA = 400mW
The highest output I could achieve with this set-up was 390mA = 425mW (the pot just got "crazy" above that)
I backed it back down to 365mA (400mW after AixiZ acrylic) to test the raw output. At 365mA the raw output is 450mW. I got 430mW with my IgorT Version #1 lens
I am not set up to test forward voltage, but a potential problem came up in the test. I started getting strange sensitivity from the driver at around 300mA. The reason for that is that the driver "topped out" at only 330mA! This is a full range Rkcstr so it should have gone to 420mA. The problem was that the diode was drawing too much voltage for the Rkcstr to keep up with. I turned down the pot and switched the PSU up to 12V. With the PSU set at 12V I could continue the test.
Y'all know I am NOT learned in electronics. However, if the Rkcstr uses 2.5V and it was out of regulation with 9V of supply, that would seem to mean that the diode was pulling more than 6.5V. I am not sure how many volts the flexdrive can boost to. Drlava, will the flexdrive boost to 7V? With the Rkcstr, Ryan might have to look into getting the maximum voltage back up above 12V to run these at this level. REAL electronics people are very welcomed to jump in and show me how wrong this is.
The diode has about 45 minutes on it to complete this test. My next step is to install it into a hand held and play with it. I'm going to limit it to 400mW in the hand held. Also, at this output, we're going to NEED a glass lens or be ready to replace our acrylics lenses often. The output heated my finger uncomfortably warm just from focusing it without a focus ring!
Peace,
dave