POWER?

[skeeter21bravo]

im trying to make a 1000mw laser.something small and portable. i found the diodes but im not sure how much juice ill need to push it. i dont think 3.6v's will work. dont know if any of it will work, kinda new to this. if i need to ill drop down to a 500mw...what do you guys think i need for power

 

[rog8811]

Have you found a data sheet on the diode? All the info you need should be there.....It will not be volts that is your problem but milliamps at a guess.

Regards rog8811

 

[skeeter21bravo]

:-/ thanks rog for showing me just how much i dont know about this subject. i got the data sheet, but im not the best at understanding that.

Parameter: AL808T1000

CW output power(Mw): 1000

Peak wavelength(nm): 808+/-10

Spectral width(nm):[ch8804]5

Threshold current(mA):[ch8804]300

Operating current(mA):[ch8804]1400

Operating voltage:[ch8804]2.2

Slope efficiency(W/A):[ch8805]1.0

wavelength temperature coefficienc(nm/[ch8451]):0.3

Beam divergency(deg):12/40

Emitting area([ch956]m):100x1

Serial resitance([ch937]):[ch8804]0.5

Lifetime(h):10000

Package to-5

is there anything you can tell me about that. i know overheating will be a problem. but i just can figure out what kind of power source.

 

[Kenom]

operating current is 300ma-1.4amps and input voltage is 2.2volts

 

[pseudonomen137]

operating current is 300ma-1.4amps and input voltage is 2.2volts

Yep, basically means if you heatsink the hell out of the diode you can put up to 1.4 Amps through it. THe voltage to achieve that will be ~2.2V, but make sure its being run based on the current - just hooking up 2.2V may kill it.

You may want to just buy a pre-built module. Making your own 1W is far from impossible, and is a great learning experience. If you've never worked with something like that before though, you may be in over your head and would likely kill a few expensive diodes in the process. At the very least, perhaps start by going over to sales.stonetek.org and making your own >80mW red unit first. That project is considerably easier than building a 1W IR into your own module, and much cheaper.

 

[skeeter21bravo]

this seems harder than taking a 200mw diode from a dvd burner. that was easy, all i needed for that was a heat sink and a lens. i take it im going to need a circuit board and a resistor. am i right. will a 1k work.

 

[pseudonomen137]

this seems harder than taking a 200mw diode from a dvd burner. that was easy, all i needed for that was a heat sink and a lens. i take it im going to need a circuit board and a resistor. am i right. will a 1k work.

Taking an 80mW from a burner is the same as buying one from SenKat - its just harder to take it from the dvd burner. You'll stil need to hook up a circuit to power it even if its from a DVD player (unless you're going to be one of the dingbats that runs it direct from two AA batteries and wonders why their diode stopped working a month later).

For both projects, the red or the 1W IR, you will need a circuit that regulates the current. Its not as simple as saying "a circuit board and 1k resistor", you'll probably want to read up on basic LM317 circuits (IE. current regulators) and how to build them before taking on any such project.

 

[skeeter21bravo]

lol, i was one of those dingbats. i am way over my head. thanks for all the help guys

 

[skeeter21bravo]

lol, i was one of those dingbats. i am way over my head. thanks for all the help guys

 

[pseudonomen137]

Hehe. No problem, I entered this hobby as one of those dingbats but I daresay I understand it a little better now.

If you were just looking to get a 1W laser for cheap, DIY probably isn't the best way to go. You may want to check out mfgcn.com where they sell 500mW+ 808nm lasers, prebuilt, for reasonable prices.

Otherwise, if you're interested in the hobbyist side of it, the SenKat red diodes are a great way to get started without putting too much money on the line. You'll learn a hell of a lot by figuring out how to build it and make the LM317 circuit yourself, or you can usually find someone on these forums who'll build the driver for you in the $20-30 range.