Strange He-NE? Anybody know?

[Greenmechanic]

I saw this laser on eBay and wondered if anybody knows exactly what it is. It was listed as a He-Ne. (and the PSU looks like one for a He-Ne) But, on the label, I see something about N2 and O2
I searched this forum and Sam's FAQ's and Googled it with absolutely no luck, not even 1 hit.

I bid on it, but unfortunately didn't win it. But I'm still curious as to what it is.
I have never seen or read about a He-Ne that outputs blue & pink.(see 3'rd Pic.)
I bid high but someone wanted it more then me.: :thanks:

 

[Solonar]

The blue is just a filtered glow from the HR mirror, the pink is just the unfiltered output from the brewster window. There is no actual beam in those pictures since you would need an output mirror to complete the resonator.

HeNe tubes will glow at different colors depending upon the actual gas mix inside. I've seen deep orange to soft violet.

The O2,N2, N2O are probably just impurities in the Mix.

Most HeNe's are a mix or He,Ne and Ar as the primary gasses with some other very small percentages of other gasses.

 

[daguin]

I've seen one of these before. IIRC it is simply the laser part of a particle counter. As Solonar said, it is not lasing. You did well NOT to win the auction, unless it went really cheap and you wanted to make a plasma lamp.

Peace,
dave

 

[HIMNL9]

I'm confused :can: .....

As far as i remember, Datex Ohmeda was a Finnish manufacturer that build medical equipment and analyzers (i remember the name about a gas analyzer for medical use i opened years ago, not about the laser itself) ..... that unit, probably, was part of some medical instrument (and lack the front part too), but being an internal part, i think is difficult to find some detailed specifications online, and also cause, probably, that number is an internal reference for the company, not a public part code.

The thing that is really strange is that the only reference that i've found about the ref part number that is shown on your unit (datex ohmeda 6090-0803-504), is referred to a shop or distributor called lcdparts.com

For Datex Ohmeda 6090-0803-504 Call LCDPanels.com 909-591-7350

and is apparently stated as a computer part, not as a laser .....

 

[argon]

Maybe it would be possible with the correct mirrors to build a yellow or green HeNe with this tube... I think this would just be a matter of the mirror-surface, or am I wrong?

Greets argon

 

[HIMNL9]

It depend also from the angle of the brewster windows (and, ofcourse, what's the material, also if usually for old He-Ne was used quartz, but not 100% of the times) ..... you need to measure this angle against the axis of the tube, then knowing the material in which the windows are made, you know for what wavelenght the tube was built.


EDIT: i've found this online calculators page with a huge database of materials and some other interesting options, if someone need it

http://refractiveindex.info/brewste...ial=Si&option=HO&wavelength=1.36&direction=in

 

[daguin]

Maybe it would be possible with the correct mirrors to build a yellow or green HeNe with this tube... I think this would just be a matter of the mirror-surface, or am I wrong?

Greets argon

It is only rated (new) at 3.8mW for the red line. I am sure that as a used, removed, component it is no longer even putting out that much. The green and yellow lines are weaker than the red line. While it might be possible to get one of those lines with the right mirror, this one might not do it. In addition the plasma looks too pink to begin with. It may not lase even with the required mirror for the red line.

While it is possible that the color in the picture is not "true" (the rest of the colors look good), old HeNe's are often the victim of gas loss. This is especially true of "soft sealed" tubes like this one.

Peace,
dave

 

[argon]

Thank you for your replies, HIMNL9 and daguin.

@daguin:
Interesting color table! Now it's clear to me, why an old green HeNe-lasertube of mine didn't work anymore... the color was exactly as the fifth color in the picture

argon

 

[Greenmechanic]

Thank you all for all your help.

Daguin;I've seen one of these before. IIRC it is simply the laser part of a particle counter. As Solonar said, it is not lasing. You did well NOT to win the auction, unless it went really cheap and you wanted to make a plasma lamp.

Thanks Dave, that makes me feel better about not winning it.:wave: LOL And, no, it did not go cheap!
I thought that discharge looked wrong for a He-Ne, but I am far from a expert. The blue out of the HR confused me although.

HIMNL9;The thing that is really strange is that the only reference that i've found about the ref part number that is shown on your unit (datex ohmeda 6090-0803-504), is referred to a shop or distributor called lcdparts.com

Yes, that's all I found too. An LCD screen??? Weird, exact same part ##'s
:thanks:,everybody

 

[photonaholic]

Maybe it has enough gas left for the start circuit to make the faint glow.

Bottom line is some fool and his money recently parted.

 

[MarioMaster]

Yeah the blue glow is normal for HeNes. Since there's blue glow out the back that means it probably has the HR mirror installed. As has been already covered it's not lasing since there's no OC mirror, just the bare brewster window (which shouldn't be exposed anyway as any dirt or dust can severely kill the gain in a working laser)

 

[heruursciences]

That came from an omedia Gas monitor used for anestetic gas monitoring. It will need a 60 cm ROC OC mirror to work, and runs at either 632,8nm or 543nm. The gas looks contaminated with water vapor from the air.

 

[Alshere]

The link is here.

Sam's Laser FAQ - Helium-Neon Lasers

It may have been a worthwhile investment. It can run a couple of different colors. 611 and 632 from the link. The link shows three on Sam's that all were pink in the beginning. It is a shame they left the brewster window exposed.

It would have been a good toy I think.

 

[MarioMaster]

All HeNes with external optics can be converted to other wavelengths (except green, which requires more helium)

Might've been fun to mess with but unless you're really fascinated with HeNe lasers it probably wasn't worth it.

 

[Alshere]

I didnt know that. Thanks mm.

 

[Cyparagon]

Why does it need that much heat sinking?