Portable FAP Red

[Alaskan]

Mike, I was worried why you were gone so long! Tried emailing you but the email failed at the address I had. I just added you so you can PM me. Did you get your FAP project finished?

 

[Hemlock_Mike]

Chris -- I'll try another PM. I wouldn't
work last night.
Mike

 

[Alaskan]

Worked! OK, I didn't know you weren't able to PM me earlier. Please post photo's of your new lens arrangement when ready

 

[Hemlock_Mike]

Chris -- This is my condenser assembly ----

I have a simple SMA fiber input fitting and one to hold your PCX housing. I am being careful NOT to burn another
expensive component. The fiber cable should protect the FAP if something goes wrong. I will be cleaning all optics
before I bring up the 808 power!

Those are coated lenses from THOR Labs. 26 mm OD and 16 mm fl Aspheric PCX.
HM

 

[Alaskan]

Nice, AR coated

The focus will be adjustable?

 

[Hemlock_Mike]

The assembly is adjustable. "If you can't make it perfect,
make it adjustable!"
HM

 

[laserrod]

Hello Mike,
Not been able to log in here for years for too many reasons.

1. I looked into adding CC to your PTH08 supply via the tracking pin by adding simple add-on circuit. Difficult because TI Datasheets seems to hide the glue switching chip, incomplete schematic shows no inductor! There must be a simple way to adjust current via over current also. I'll let know latter on that. I really love the boards state of the art inductors. I'll post my solution on this latter.

I would use only 16 gauge wire to FAP as over current insurance and add
super low res. capacitor solders to FAP pins. PM me and I'll mail you a free diode protector.

2. Inside the FAP, what's the layout, bar or separate diodes?
Any photos posted here?
I'd like to interface my new 40W bar with fiber concentrator and found one on e-bay, do you think this is near same what you see inside the FAP.
I need homogenize my bar into a 3x3 crystal, I think this one perfect.
see attached link.

dave george

 

[Alaskan]

I can tell you what is inside his FAP as he got it from me, it is a bar.

 

[DashApple]

Its a CCP diode ( Bar ) with 19 emitters coupled into 19 fibers .

 

[BobMc]

I'm getting started here on a new project. I hope to make this portable (handheld) !!!
A big thanks to Chris from way north for his help.

These are the main components. The FAP RED module, a SUPER buck driver from TI and a
battery pack to kick ass.... The Pot is for power control and the PB switch is the trigger.

This is the back side showing the fan cooled copper heat sink and the back of the driver.
The copper buss bars don't show well but are necessary for the 30+ Amps involved.

More later -----
HMike

Very nice project, impressive, going to be one heck of a hand held. Looking forward to the build pics and beam shots they should be spectacular!

 

[laserrod]

The PTH08 series is proprietary so no complete schematic available.
Never expected Texas Inst. to poorly document it.

I like the design but adding a custom adjustable OP amp constant current would take the best skilled 1 or 2 days.

I just scored that Coherent 19 fiber to bar assembly on EB, has anyone worked with one? link posted earlier
It should be straight forward to make the 40W bar into a FAP.

 

[Alaskan]

I found a good document on that regulator and forwarded it to Mike, he probably still has it, but I don't. It isn't a schematic regarding the IC, but does give a pin-out and all the info you might need to make one work.

I have bought both bars and FAP units with a bar in them. As far as getting the fiber bundle to put on a bar, you can do that by buying one on ebay, but not cheap.

Edit:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fiber-array-for-high-power-laser-diodes-Coherent-FAP-/262235716987

 

[diachi]

It should be straight forward to make the 40W bar into a FAP.

It isn't, you need to align 19 fibers and 19 emitters perfectly to minimize insertion loss on each one, then make sure they are all secure and won't drift when you're done.

I have bought both bars and FAP units with a bar in them. As far as getting the fiber bundle to put on a bar, you can do that by buying one on ebay, but not cheap.

Edit:

Fiber array for high power laser diodes - Coherent FAP | eBay

That price isn't too bad, the fun part is coming up with a jig or some way to get them all aligned, and not damage them in the process either.

 

[Alaskan]

Initially, he sold one to me for 15 bucks, but I didn't use it yet. The next time I tried to buy one he wanted 35 dollars.

Edit: I found a link to download the doc I found for Mike: http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/pth08t250w.pdf

 

[Hemlock_Mike]

I Know it's been a year but I have worked on other fun projects
like my Phaser and NdYag. I'm now trying to get this 40 Watt FAP
under control.
As in previous posts, I have started using a Coherent fiber cable to
smooth the 19 spots but all my previous attempts used small optical
assemblies which proved awkward.

I now have a neat little optical "bench" so I can try different lenses. The mounts slide
inside the channel which is made of PVC pipe. I currently have an output
lens with a 39mm FL DCX lens for the objective.
I have the FAP limited to threshold, about 15 Watts, and can't seem to get a tight spot
greater than a distance of 1.5 to 3 inches. I'm looking into a PCV lens for the input now.

Alaskan -- I'll also be looking for a larger 400+FL lens for this.
HM

 

[Alaskan]

When viewing the output of my own FAP laser (without that piece of fiber attached) using that same model of SMA coupled lens, that lens collimates the output, it's a high mRad, but appears collimated, you can see what the beam looks like shooting at a tree in my avatar. To focus to a spot you may need to replace the lens in that holder with a negative FL expander lens to expand the beam and then put a PCX lens in front of it to allow variable focus. That's what I did, but unfortunately, that little SMA lens assembly had its lens glued in and it cracked when removing it to insert a 12.7 mmm concave lens in its place.