nRGB nano whightlight laser

[flecom]

I tried some pointer cores and ended up killing them all

they are just not meant for show use... needs a TEC or something

[ZeroPoint]

I've had reasonable luck with a pointer core. I just replaced its original driver with a basic analogue driver like you're planning, and it modulates well enough to give me a variety of hues.

If you look at the driver, you should be able to work out which is positive, which is negative and which pin is not connected (though soldered to the driver) - i.e once you desolder the original driver, you can use a meter to confirm the polarity of the driver, just make a note of how it was connected.

If memory serves me correctly, the pinout is the same as a LOC diode.

Good luck!

I was thinking it might be the same but I wasn't sure. I was toying with one last night but I think I fried it because I can't get it to work anymore lol. I'll get a couple more to experiment with. I do have another question now though, I was on eBay last night and found these:

http://cgi.ebay.com/150MW-Green-Lase...item5aded2ee0f

http://cgi.ebay.com/150mW-Green-Lase...item3f0b9d8502

I would much rather get one of these than a pointer core but, 1) I'm curious why they are so much cheaper than similar products, and 2) I don't know anything about replacing their stock drivers and power supplies. Both sellers have good feedback so I'd be willing to try one out as long as it's not too difficult to replace the TTL driver with a FlexMod and also replace the power supply with the internal one I plan on using in my projector. What do you guys think?

[chad]

Hi ZeroPoint,

This is a link to another discussion on little greenies, with yet a couple of other links for some more reading.
http://www.photonlexicon.com/forums/...430#post196430

It worked ok. It was a prototype and done fairly quickly. I am going to change a bunch of things if I ever do another.

And it all boils down tho thermal control of the little module. It doesn't like it too hot, or too cold, kind of like us. It has a sweet spot that it likes to run in and modulate. All that being said they are ok.

As for your ebay modules. They are TTL and probably crap. I would look at a green module from Dave (a member here and a seller of great stuff) for a pointer module sized green and get a flexmod3 for modulation.

As for mode-hopping read:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transve...de#Laser_modes

Chad

[taggalucci]

If you can get to the diode's pins on those TTL units, you can change the driver. Whether they'll be any better or worse than a pointer core is debatable. I have done this as an experiment and so far have not blown the pointer core (not that I've used it much yet). The colour hues were acceptable though most likely bad for good colour depth, graphics etc.

If you're looking for an experiment, go for it. If you want a cheap reliable green, go with a small Laserwave or CNI. Trying to get cheap green by repurposing pointers and crappy Chinese eBay jobs will only cost you money in the longer term. The key word here is reliable. The only reliable greens are TEC cooled and well constructed DPSS. There is no way to cheaply build a reliable DPSS because of the optical precision required as well as the electronic and thermal characteristics that need to be carefully managed to provide a linear response curve at varying temperatures.

This is why I'm hanging out for green direct diodes to become more available as they become mass produced.

[kitatit]

Hey guys,

Nice work!

That some slick little units you've made there.

This subject of small green lasers and how to implement them in a compact projector is of great interest to me at the moment.
I am 90% done designing my projector but I need to change stratergy for my green laser.

I've backed myself into a corner so to speak with my current design and I don't have a lot of space to play with.

As you can see I've been planning on using a 12mm pointer core. The unit I bought was a CNI 100mW.

I built a test rig to set the layout and It's done only 2-3hrs run time and it is mode hopping.

Thought I could get away with no TEC cooling but looks like it is needed.

I have enough space for a Die4chill but it's going to be a real challenge to fit in a small lab module with its own tec and driver.

100mW is all I wan't but it must modulate reasonably well and be reliable. The main problem is I've left myself a very small envelope for the green laser and associated cooling requirements. I was relying on the 8mm thickness of the optics bay to dissapate the heat.

do you think I could mount the block holding the pointer core on a TEC sideways on the outside wall of the projector and increase the wall thickness to dissapate the heat to outside?

Any suggestions would be most welcome.

Thanks
Kit

[p1t8ull]

do you think I could mount the block holding the pointer core on a TEC sideways on the outside wall of the projector and increase the wall thickness to dissapate the heat to outside

I think thermally that would be fine Sir K, there shouldn't be masses of heat shifting just stabilising a 100mW pointer core, I would be more concerned about alignment problems after moving the green onto a different mounting surface..

[ZeroPoint]

Thanks for the replies. I've settled on this guy since it was the cheapest and doesn't include a driver which I dont need anyway.

http://cgi.ebay.com/150mW-532nm-Lase...item4aac1484fa

Plus the lead wires will make getting the right polarity a breeze. Time will tell how well it works but for now I just need something to put in the projector and I'm running out of money (school's done and I have no more financial aid :P ) All I have left to get are some optical and laser mounts and then Rob Stanwax's ILDA Interface board. I'll figure out the housing issue once I know I can put everything together and have it work. I can live with it being on an open aluminum plate for now.

As for mode-hopping read:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transve...de#Laser_modes

Chad

Although I only understood a few words from that link it did explain what TEM00 means, which I've been wondering for a while now. So does "mode hopping" mean going from TEM00 to, say, TEM01 or TEM10 and the like? Does this mean the beam actually splits or develops some sort of lines or gaps in it?

[ZeroPoint]

I guess I better ask this also before I go buying random stuff hoping it's what I need. I have two 15mm square dichros that I'll be using but I'm not sure how to mount them. I like the 3-axis mounts on LaserShowParts.com but I'm not sure what the mounting difference is between the one with a window and the one without. I can't figure out how the filters would mount on either of them by looking at the picture so maybe it wouldn't even work with what I have. I'm also not sure what role the "L" brackets they offer play in this. Any suggestions or maybe a link to something slightly cheaper would be appreciated Thanks again for everyone's help! I wouldn't be this close to the coolest project of my life without you guys

[swamidog]

1) epoxy dichros to the kinematic mout (i like to use mm1's and 5 minute epoxy).



2) bolt kinematic mount to L-bracket.



3) have a latte'.

I guess I better ask this also before I go buying random stuff hoping it's what I need. I have two 15mm square dichros that I'll be using but I'm not sure how to mount them. I like the 3-axis mounts on LaserShowParts.com but I'm not sure what the mounting difference is between the one with a window and the one without. I can't figure out how the filters would mount on either of them by looking at the picture so maybe it wouldn't even work with what I have. I'm also not sure what role the "L" brackets they offer play in this. Any suggestions or maybe a link to something slightly cheaper would be appreciated Thanks again for everyone's help! I wouldn't be this close to the coolest project of my life without you guys

[ZeroPoint]

LOL, ok, so I guess it really is that straight forward. I guess I was just over analyzing it. Thanks