Gotcha. Ya those dorm rules suck, heh.
Aye, glad to see my idea wasn't so far fetched. Indeed the dump would be gradual (moon phases), but that is the nature of it. No event is truly instantaneous (barring quantum mechanical events like virtual particles and entanglements).
Back to DPSS. If you're going to give it a go, why not try for something a bit more unusual instead of the common 473/488/532/561/589/593.5? Give tripled and quadrupled YAG a go. Or that NLO crystal that gets pumped by 450nm (name escapes me at the moment).
Possible
maybe. Far-fetched?
Absolutely!!!
For DPSS, I am currently messing with 532 to get my feet wet. Just to learn how the optics behave, how the cavity behaves under certain conditions, etc. Just learning the basics right now.
I currently have a diode (~1-1.5W) w/ TEC. TEC in undriven at the moment. Once I get some power resistors, I can add a load to the 5V rail of a computer PSU, and use that PSU to drive a TEC driver, etc. It's a process.
Anyway. Diode, TEC, collimating lens to get a nice spot on the Vanadate. Then the YVO4, 3x3x5mm KTP, and an 50mm RoC OC.
All have the proper AR/HR coatings for 532, 808, and 1064nm. It's currently all mounted on my rail with a tiny baby HeNe for my guide laser.
Once I get the TEC driver, I can really get cookin. Then it's optimization from there. Better Vanadate mount, REAL diode mount, and a decent KTP mount with temp control.
After that, who knows. I have 3x3x5mm KTPs for 561 and 593.5 as well. Just no mirrors. Though I'm a sucker for cyan, so 488 is on the to-do list. As is 561nm as it's a nice fun color. I want to grab parts and do everything I can with them, before moving on. So I could try grabbing an Nd:YLF and doubling the 1047 for 523.5, or grab some Yb:YAG or something to double 1030 for 515. Lots of possibilities. Eventually I want to narrow down the 490-500's. That's one of my two "shot spots". The other is 600-610nm. This is possible with Pr:YLF and Pr
AYAC (pumped with 444nm
) This can get me 604 and 607nm.
Though anything but 532 and 473 is expensive. Especially the 488-500 region. VERY expensive. It also involves direct doubling, so a ring cavity or something.
All in due time. Right now, my goal is to get 1064nm to lase stably