Who can build an IR torch laser?

[Mirage]

Last night while using my generation 3 night vision binoculars, I tried my 300mw 808nm laser I built for the first time. Holy crap...I cannot believe the power of IR with such night vision. It diverges at about 15-20 degrees, and you can light up trees at about 350 yards.

The problem with my IR pen is that the diode seems to have a fairly scattered output, and the area of light looks like a thousand dots in a bunch. So, it does not provide very good viewing quality on certain surfaces because of all the specs. (The lens is clean.) I will try and take a picture tonight of how it looks.

Anyways, I'm thinking that I would really be interested in an IR torch for night vision of at least 1W or maybe 1.5W, also with a focusable beam from 5-40 degrees. If the output power levels could be adjusted on the fly, it would be perfect, since when using inside, that much power would blind the NV. The smaller the package, the better.

Can anyone around here build such a thing as a service? I'm hoping for a nice, smooth output area, like an LED flashlight has.

Thanks.

 

[Switch]

The bad output pattern may just be cause of the diode being multimode. :-/ So when uncollimated, you may never get away from this , as that is a characteristic that all powerfull IR diodes share.Maybe if you build 2 or 3 lasers and rotate them to have a more uniform output(less coherence , less speckle). :-/ There are plenty members here who can build this, so someone should jump in and do it for the right money. I wouldn't because I can't afford the parts unless you pay me first, and I'm not amongst the most experienced builders here anyway. :
The size of the package would depend on heatsinking, and at powers described, it would need a fairly large heatsink, at least the diameter of a flashlight.
You might also wanna try 780nm instead, it may appear brighter than 808nm on your nightvision.I vaguely recall someone saying that he couldn't use a cd-rw laser as a sight with his NV because of the powerfull glare(dunno what gen it was). :-/

 

[Mirage]

You might also wanna try 780nm instead, it may appear brighter than 808nm on your nightvision.I vaguely recall someone saying that he couldn't use a cd-rw laser as a sight with his NV because of the powerfull glare(dunno what gen it was). :-/

Thanks. The size of a small Maglite would be fine, I just want it to be able to go in my pocket without being disturbing, and have a 100% duty cycle.

808nm works extremely well with these NV tubes. I have thin-film autogated pinnacle tubes, which is what some advertise as gen 4 (though gen 4 doesn't actually exist). They deal with 808nm light like it is pure visable light, and there isn't any flare up like you see on gen 1 or 2 tubes. The output of this pen looks like it is 30 million candlepower through the NV, but like I said, the pattern is poor looking. I'd also rather have the higher wavelength, as it is harder to be seen by animals looking at the source.

 

[amkdeath]

uuh, you want a torch or a laser?

DX sells these IR LED's, might wanna check em out. About IR laser: I have A LOT (around 30) of these Long open can Red sleds, which come with the powerful ~~150mW Laser diodes.


I could send you a few, for about $6 each. depending on where you live, i guess i could cover shipping.

 

[Cyparagon]

The problem with my IR pen is that the diode seems to have a fairly scattered output, and the area of light looks like a thousand dots in a bunch.

As said above, Multi-mode. difficult to get around.

 

[Mirage]

uuh, you want a torch or a laser?

Now that you mention it, I'm not exactly sure. I like the apparent brightness in a compact area like the laser provides, but I would prefer a smoother pattern.

Can I achieve similar results to a laser by using an LED torch that is focused correctly?

Could you please explain what an open can red sled is, please? I assume you mean a pointer body with internals and without collimating lenses. Thanks

 

[amkdeath]

it is an optical assembly from a DVD burner, that contains a powerful Red diode. I have taken out the red diodes and used them, however the IR diodes are still inside.

EDIT: so you take out the IR diodes, put them in aixiz modules, and attach a driver/current regulator. instant IR laser lawl.
regards,

amk

 

[JLSE]

I have 836nm 1watt full IR c-mount diodes. They are multimode and hard to focus, but unlike lower wavelengths 808 and down there is nothing visible to the naked eye. I use them for broad illumination with my Sony Nightshot. If you use 780nm the dot will look like a half of a mW red. 808nm is a bit better but still visible. I am working on a mount and handheld for these diodes, if intersted PM me for details.

 

[amkdeath]

I have 836nm 1watt full IR c-mount diodes. They are multimode and hard to focus, but unlike lower wavelengths 808 and down there is nothing visible to the naked eye. I use them for broad illumination with my Sony Nightshot. If you use 780nm the dot will look like a half of a mW red. 808nm is a bit better but still visible. I am working on a mount and handheld for these diodes, if intersted PM me for details.

yea mine are 780nm

 

[Mirage]

Here are some photos I took by holding the camera up to the NV. I borrowed the camera, and I couldn't quite figure out how to manually adjust the shutter speed when I was doing this, so the auto shutter was producing blinding images with the up close IR. It is much clearer looking through the NV.

The first photo is with barely any visable light, after midnight, just showing the NV. There is a light on a telephone pole 300 yards away behind me, and that was creating a lot of light for the NV, and you can see the shadows from it. I will try again tomorrow in total starlight. It is raining out tonight.

The photos of the shed were beamed with the pen at about 40 yards away. One shows the beam pattern a little better.

The last photo shows the beam hitting the treeline on the horizon at just over 500 yards away.

I think 1W would look fantastic with beam adjustability, at far distances.

 

[amkdeath]

nice!

although that looks more to me like dirty lens or dirty LD window...


regards,

amk

 

[Switch]

Yea, for long range illumination I guess it would be better to use a laser than an IR flashlight.I saw an episode of future weapons , they were using a 3W mounted on the gun for this (and wasn't made by WL )

I don't know, it really doesn't look like diode multimodeness ;D It may be just dirty optics like amk said, or just usual laser speckle. :-/