Q's about a Cyonics ArIon laser

[Hemlock Mike]

Buffo ---
Good point . I need to graph I vs output. There is probably a knee in the curve where all you get is heat. I've done this with laser diodes but neglected to look at this on the ion laser..
Thank you !!!

Mike

[LarryQ]

Not threadjacking....

Thanks for the referral to this site Mike!!!!!!

You get my first Post!!!!

LarryQ

[Hemlock Mike]

Larry -- Welcome -- read and learn.

Buffo --

I plotted the I vs PO of the laser. It ramps up in the 4 to 6 amp input then goes into a linear reagon from 8 mW to 27 mW maxing out at 10 amps. The PS won't go over 10 amps and that's good because the power cords get warm I can be happy at 8 Amps and 15 mW !!!
I is the input current to the PS and includes about 1.5 amps fillament power.

Mike

[buffo]

That's probably pretty close to 6 amps of tube current then. Maybe a shade over that, but not by much. You should be good to go for quite a while at that level.

Yeah, you can run those tubes hotter, but they die quickly. I've got 3 different small argon heads, all based around the SP-163 tube. One of them has a beefy power supply that can push 14.5 amps down the tube, but the power output peaks at around 11 amps. (This is actual tube current I'm measuring.) After that, more current just increases the temp of the air coming out the top. (And *boy* does it get hot! Like a damn space heater when that thing is on...)

These days I hardly ever crank it up, having switched to DPSS for blue, but back in the day I would normally run it at no more than 8 amps. Every once in a great while I'd crank it wide open for a few seconds to light a match with it though. (I had to use a lens to focus the beam, because even at 11 amps of tube current I'm only getting 30 mw!) Still, that's enough to light a kitchen match on a good day... Before I picked up my first DPSS laser, it was the only way I could pull that stunt off. (And now it just seems so lame, but hey - 6 years ago that was a cool trick!)

Adam

[mliptack]

Hey Adam.... IDK if you have checked out LPF yet.... hahaha... sorry I had to go there... (No offense to LPF people here... love you guys... the 405nm diode group buys are awesome ... BTW thanks DDL)

Ok, I've had a few to drink tonight too.... and after two exams I am sure you would have too

[Hemlock Mike]

Mliptack --

Many of us graze several laser forums. You never know when you will find a jewel or a great GB Each forum also seem to have different areas of interest.

Mike

[mixedgas]

SLB15 means runs single line blue 15 mW for one year at warrenty.

While you can push it harder, it hurts. NO amount of additional cooling will increase the power, the tube core gets to ~750 F and stays there, and PV=NRT doesnt result in a drastic change in a flowing gas system. What limits power is argon flow through the gas return bores,and since you cant open the tube up and bore those out, your limited to the existing power. You'll see slight changes in power from very small heat induced changes in resonator length, but dont let those fool you into thinking your gaining anything. What additional cooling improves upon is lifetime.

I wrote most of the ion chapters for sam when I was a dumb undergraduate.

Steve Roberts

[mliptack]

Heh, yeah Mike, I was just poking fun of Adam talking about lighting matches I've got nothing against it, I guess I just don't quite understand it... yet?

Mliptack --

Many of us graze several laser forums. You never know when you will find a jewel or a great GB Each forum also seem to have different areas of interest.

Mike

[Hemlock Mike]

Mixed --

That makes sence -- 15 mW is fine with me. I'll keep it in the 12 to 15 mW range.

Thanks for the good advice

Mike

[buffo]

I wrote most of the ion chapters for sam when I was a dumb undergraduate.

Now there's an oxymoron for you. "Steve Roberts" and "Dumb" in the same sentence.

Actually, it was one of your sections that I linked to in my post above. And yeah, damn near 3/4 of the ion laser faq has "Steve Roberts" written all over it. (Cool that you're still into it so that we can all benefit from your experience!)

Max;

Yeah, I figured you were poking fun at the whole match-lighting thing. And I agree - LPF (and to a degree even CPF) members really like the whole match-lighting, ballon-popping aspect of lasers.

Meh - it was cool once, but these days I don't even bother. Still, I have to admit that it was rather amusing when I first fired my HGM 5 in the house (with the new tube from Steve) and noticed that after tromping down on the treatment pedal for about 10 seconds, the towel on the couch across the room started to smolder... (Damn that thing is bright!)

Adam