This is how I`m still learning...

[liteglow]

The plan I had was to combine my 2 red lasers to ONE beam !!
And I don’t have any Beam splitter

My idea was to shine the laser into a the tip of the mirror, then the next one did exactly the same but parallel on the other mirror
(I think this method has a name?)

And as you maybe know, Laser is not so common in this country
So all my knowledge I got is = Laser is a RED DOT

So after rigging up my 2 modules........ With some glue....
I start to aim them with my mirror as close as a manage to do!
(NO i don’t have any adjustment screws)
Then after many many many attempts to aim them I suddenly realize that the _go_with_what_you_got_style_ dont work when you going to combine 2 100mW red laser modules

I understand now that the red laser modules need to be PERFECT aimed in parallel at the first place !!
Then the mirror have to be PERFECT adjusted so the beam are R E A L L Y close to each other

I was going to Subject this Thread as a "Red modules Combining project" ...
But since the result was only a combined beam at the first 10 feet, I think it’s not a combined beam actually ... he he .. but I will find more tools and build better holders for the laser and mirrors and get STRONGER back

here are some pic:



Homemade stands to hold the mirror (my first attemt to made one)



This is TRUE 200mW red beam



2x100mW combined in paralell






2 red modules combining into each other in the mirror



Top



Cheap.... really cheap Heat-sink holders for my 2 modules




Yes they are peeeerfect setup here in a nice adjustet paralell ... ehm :roll:



Well... dont laugh...

[Spec]

Thats what I call the hobbyist spirit! good work!

I love the heatsink! Almost looks like a robot head with 2 eyes and a mohawk

[the_kcar]

Hey guys!!!

It's Johnny-Five!!

Cool!!!!!!!!!!


We're still looking for beam-splitter cubes. Keep yer shorts on.

Good job, nonetheless.

[buffo]

Johnny five!!!

That's the first thing that came to my mind as well when I looked at the heat sink. ("Malfunction - need input!")

For what it's worth, these DVD modules that I've been talking about (the ones on E-bay) have two cube beam splitters in them. Not sure what the split ratio is, but it might be worth trying. (Here's a link to one of the expired auctions.)

The E-bay member "littlealgei" is the one I've seen selling these things. I purchased 3 of them last week. (See the pictures in the gallery I posted earlier this week.)

Might be worth it to pick up one of these units - if it turns out that the beam splitters will work as combiners...

Adam

[liteglow]

Thanx for the reply

I did tare apart 2-3 dvd`s from my old computers..
But the beamqube in there did not work at all (maybe i do it wrong)
But it feels like the beamqube take away more than 40-60% of the light
And by the way, it`s only 5mm big !! pain in the ass to work with :x


Buffo: if you like to diggeling with DVD lasers, I can se if I find the ones I got.
You will get them for free
What I did to some of them was to put some volt into them hehe..
There was only like one BLING of red light, and it`s all dark after

But I have a PS2 here that i "think" not is working anymore...
(the power button-wire is broken)
So if there is no hope left for that old crap, you can have the red laser in it !
(i think it`s pretty strong? 90mW?)


Cheers

[buffo]

What I did to some of them was to put some volt into them hehe..
There was only like one BLING of red light, and it`s all dark after

Hey Lightglow!

Yeah, I've been talking with Sam Golswasser about what happens when you put too much current through a laser diode. I thought that it would just heat up and eventually fail that way, but Sam explained that the failure is actually caused by the high optical power density at the face of the diode. The light power actually gets high enough that it *INSTANTLY* destroys part of the face, and then the diode won't lase anymore. He said that the damage can happen extremely fast, less than 100 nanoseconds! Much faster than thermal effects could possibly act.

So what you described is about right. You got one flash, and then the diode was gone. This is why diodes have to have current regulating circuits... (And this is why I haven't powered up my diodes yet - I haven't found the right circuit yet.)

I'll take you up on your offer of the other DVD diodes, if you've still got some that you aren't using!

Adam

[liteglow]

yea it`s funny that you mention that about destroying laser !
I think one of my module get HIT by the other red one (if not the green 240mW)
It`s only a weak red signal going out from it now that was 100mW GONE...



well well...