Losses within scanner

Hey Carm... here's the 'skinny': (with complimentary 'spellcheck' fixes!) :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Buffo

If you're losing 40% across your scanners, something is seriously wrong.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mliptack

First make sure that you are not measuring any IR light coming from your green or blue

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dr Laser

Check your galvos and make sure you install them right. Coating is on one side so make sure this side is the one reflecting!

---

IF, after re-checking with these fine suggestions, you think that your galvo mirrors ARE bad - try sending a beam directly thru one of the galvo mirrors at 0 deg. incidence-angle (straight on) and see- VISIBLY (not metered)- if you get any significant (>5 mW out-of 100mW) 'pass-thru', - then repeat, with the galvo mirror at 45 deg. (careful with reflections! ‹(•¿x)› doh!) ;) and if you are seeing a LOT of pass-thru (like say 30mW out-of 100mW), well, time to ask for replacement mirrors...

Also, try test again, MEASURING results reflecting OFF galvo mirror - ie: say coming out of laser X, you directly-measure 100mW (or whatever your powers are) of green, but off galvo-mirror bounce-tests, it is 40mW (and there is NOT 60mW of green VISIBLY-passing thru the galvo mirror out into the room - especially at 45 deg.), well, then time to discuss 'rated power @ Xnm' vs what you are measuring off those bounces, with the people that sold you the DPSS... :D

IF after these tests, you feel that the galvo mirrors ARE truly bad, AND your galvo manufacturer does not/can not help you (out of warranty, don't sell replacement mirs, etc), check with Fred or Amanda at One Stop Laser Shop (PL member "OSLS") - they have many types of galvo-replacement mirrors, and if your shafts can take a 1mm-thick mirror, they sell the best aerospace-grade broadband dielectric mirror we've ever used...:cool:

Hope this helps! :)... peace.

- J

Thanks for all of the tips. I'm going to try some different things as I have time.

Make sure your dichros are all at 45 degree angles to the beams also... ;)

ok done a few tests with my green and blue dichro from edmund and my dt40 which have brand new mirrors on them.

im loosing hardly anything, a few mw.

but something i noticed my green pointer is producing 37mw and im loosing 17mw passing through the blue dichro. this seems a little high to me?

the green looses only a few mw when passing the red dichro.

also with the new mirrors im only loosing a few mw on the galvo's, nothing major

so all in all good results for me

Could it be that your measuring some IR leakage that the galvo mirrors don't reflect?

its a new wicked pointer, so should have an ir filter

yes keyword SHOULD :eek: