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Thread: 462nm diode question

  1. #1
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    Default 462nm diode question

    Hi all, I'm curious, I've been thinking about a small low power solid state setup but would prefer not to use the 445/450nm diodes. So it looks like the 462nm diode would need to be corrected to better match a single mode 638 and 520. Which is better, cylindrical lens set or anamorphic prisms? Also, the 462nm diodes are capable of well over a watt, how do they perform low power?

    The last question is driver, are there still no 3 channel drivers on the market???

  2. #2
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    I would go for the prisms for adjustability. You will lose some power matching the SM's but there should be plenty to spare. You could put a mask at the aperture to reduce the diameter to 3mm-ish and still have plenty of power to match the SM's.

  3. #3
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    in my experience prisms are lossier, but have a cleaner beam.

    if you have the table space, you can rig a spatial filter.
    suppose you're thinkin' about a plate o' shrimp. Suddenly someone'll say, like, plate, or shrimp, or plate o' shrimp out of the blue, no explanation. No point in lookin' for one, either. It's all part of a cosmic unconciousness.

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    Hmmmmm ???? I prefer cylindricals.....for they will squeeze out the last photon outa any diode.....but they are very, very particular when it comes to lens to lens distance !!!! +/- a hundreth of a MM will make some difference in your FF divergence.

    But then....you will have some extra 462nm photons going unused to hit a white balance.....so......I guess the anamorphics would be the logical choice !!.....for they are much more forgiving in alignment......but you will pay in greater optical loss. Never a free lunch !!!
    Beam Axiom #1 ~The Quantum well is DEEP ! Photons for ALL !!
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    Beam Axiom #3 ~Whe'n dout...Po ah Donk awn et !!
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    Beam Axiom #4 ~A Chicken in every Pot, and a Laser Lumia in every Livingroom !!
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    Beam Axiom #5 ~"Abstract Photonic Expressionism"....is "Abstractonimical" !!
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    Beam Axiom #6 ~ "A Posse ad Essea" ~ From being possible to being actual ...is the beam target !

  5. #5
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    Thanks for the info, guys. Sounds like the anamorphic prisms would be best, I'll have plenty of blue to throw away.

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    I found out that the lasing threshold, the current where the laser starts to lase, is temperature dependant.
    So if you're picky about color reproduction, and care about nice uniform gradients, I suggest a pretty large heatsink or tec cooling. (or have a seperate heatsink for the diodes so that they're not affected by other heat sources)

    For example : you set the bias current of the cold 462nm diode at 220mA and the max current at 300mA (since you plan to use it upto 100mW), then that's not a large span, so to say.
    Normally the max current is several times the bias current.

    You'll find out that a warm system screws up your colour balance at low powers.
    To make matters worse : all 3 diodes react differently to temperature.

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