Sharp GH0631IA2G 185mW Single Mode 638nm (now with Power/Current Charts!)

[Alaskan]

Thank you for sharing your build, 638nm is oh so much brighter than 650nm, might not seem much further in wavelength by the numbers, but to the eye is close to twice as bright at the same power.

 

[CurtisOliver]

Yes, I once set up a 1mw HeNe against a cheap cat pointer at the same power. There is definitely a difference in brightness.

 

[DTR]

I don't know what the Oclaro 170mW SM diodes can handle, but I would think that this is (just barely) the strongest SM 638nm diode on the hobby market. I'll have to put it on a spectrometer and see what kind of wavelength I'm getting. I may also have to give it a liquid N2 bath.

The Oclaro can be pushed a little further than the Mitsu/Sharp ones.
http://laserpointerforums.com/f50/oclaro-170mw-635nm-single-mode-laser-diode-hl63133dg-89559.html

It is worth noting when we drive these diodes hard they do shift quite a bit. I would like to see a spectro with respect to running current up to the max on all the 638nm single modes. Planters did some tests on the Mutimode ones and If I remember he was saying the shift a lot more than the blue and green diodes.

not sure why he doesn't sell the Oclaro 170 anymore

Did not seem to make with a small increase in power for 2-3X the price.

 

[CurtisOliver]

It is worth noting when we drive these diodes hard they do shift quite a bit. I would like to see a spectro with respect to running current up to the max on all the 638nm single modes. Planters did some tests on the Mutimode ones and If I remember he was saying the shift a lot more than the blue and green diodes.

Yes you are correct, the reds shift more than the blue/greens. It is a bit like Styropyro's temperature tests with liquid nitrogen. I remember asking about blueshifting the 510nm diodes, but they don't co-operate as much and suffer damage.