Blue "Kit"

[steve-o]

Anybody built the blue "kit" laser yet you put together yourself? It included the LBO/BBO/something crystal , the (I think-808nm) pump diode and maybe some optics. It seemed to be there on the market for a while and now it's disappeared...

[MechEng3]

I have most of the parts here to make one. I have not had any luck in finding out all of the mystery behind filling the laser cavity with a neon/argon gas mix other than to prevent moisture. I have found that some inert gas mixes seem to exhibit strange properties at different temps. Still investigating.........

[dave]

I have most of the parts here to make one. I have not had any luck in finding out all of the mystery behind filling the laser cavity with a neon/argon gas mix other than to prevent moisture. I have found that some inert gas mixes seem to exhibit strange properties at different temps. Still investigating.........

Most people pump down with nitrogen i do believe

[steve-o]

I thought I had seen a kit that consisted of simply a pump diode, optics and a frequency conversion crystal. No gasses or exotic stuff just a DIY kit instead of ready-built, but all searches reveal nothing. Maybe it didnt work very well.. Interesting Mike, what you're working on there.. Is the problem moisture? I dont suppose you can just throw a bag of dessicant
in there..

[MechEng3]

The true BiBo crystal set is hydroscopic and it will self destruct in short order from what I have read. No bang or pop..maybe a crack...or just a burnt , worthless piece of bismuth borate.

[steve-o]

Hey Mike..
Oh yeah, the BiBo xtal , that's what it was I read.. Its really fragile then.. hence the TEM problems associated w/ the blue lasers I assume.. What wavelength is it pumped by , 808?
-Edit-- Heres one claiming to be non-hydroscopic, probably prohibitively expensive or something..
http://www.redoptronics.com/BIBO-crystal.html

[MechEng3]

Yes 808nm C mount @ 5watts. I need to get a few more 15mm TEC chips with a better Qmax rating for this. The diode and the crystal will be temp tuned. Similar setup as the uGreen laser cavity.The efficiency of the Yag is the problem as the coatings for the 946nm line is swamped with competition. Still studying actually doing this. May be a summer project when I can get more time to design the housing and internal mounts. I will also have to build some kind of chamber to house the optical cavity and fill it with gas....something with around .25bar of pos. fill pres. The diode and collimation lense will be outside of this cavity for service options.Still in the planning stage for now though......

[mliptack]

Mike I look forward to seeing the progress of that project

[lasertec]

I would like to help you get bule laser components.(1%Nd:YAG 3*3*3+ LBO 3*3*10+ lense with 946&473 coated )
I thought the Bibo crystal has sensitivity for temperature. So i recommend LBO.if you wanna get low power , BIBO crystal also ideal SHG medium.

i am lasertec from china. my company supply optical and crystal components for laser application for years. I am glad serve to member on forum. we supply crystal following:
Laser crystal: Nd:YAG,Nd:YVO4, connect crystal(Nd:YVO4+ktp)
SHG crystal: KTP, LBO,BBO,etc.
laser mirror : HR mirror, AR lense, Xcube, filter,(made of GaF2,BK7,UVFS etc.)

If anyone have requirement like this. please feel free enquiry us.
www.lcoptical.com
sales@lcoptical.com

[survey]

Hi steve-o it seem's that somewhere in the world they evolved from the Nd:YAG to a High Doped Nd:YAG (Y3Al5O12).

see atach, cheers