Weird 650nm laser pointer diode.

[Mattronium]

I am in the processes of building a 685nm laser pointer, so I bought this link to use for the host.

Naturally I had to get the original module out, so out came the pliers and hammer :gun:
But as I began to disassemble it I noticed an interesting thing, aside from having nothing in the form are regulating circuitry (Just a single SMD 180Ω resistor)
there was NO diode :huh: Note: all the pics are after I took off the housing for the lens.

It wasn't until I hooked it up to some batteries to test it out that I saw this:

Yep, that is the emitter right there. Here is a cropped picture of the emitter.

I just found this interesting. I would have thought that they would always use a "conventional" diode housing.

 

[usedwolverine56]

that's cool, are you going to update your adventure?

 

[crazyspaz]

yep, cheapest way to do it. You know those "100 650nm red laser mini modules" you see on ebay for 5$? Same thing. Just a resistor on a PCB with the die.

 

[Mattronium]

Ahh. I thought that it looked like it might be one of the cheap small modules, but I wasn't sure.