Mirror mirror...takes a fall ?
Well...I noted I would manage to screw other things up !!! While attempting to improve my nearfield alignment....I believe I got my one and only bounce mirror...smudged with a small fingerprint.
So...mm....I followed the suggestions on PL...and Edmund Optics....and used Acetone and a dry optical tissue to clean the optic. The optic is an Edmund A43-532 Visible Laser Diode Mirror. It is a second surface mirror...not a very expensive one....@ 17.50 USD....with 97%reflectance @ 45DEG.
Well, this cleaning method is a bitch !!! Optic secure...place tissue on surface...a few drops of Acetone....and slowly drag the tissue across the
surface. The Acetone evaporates....leaving a clean surface....well almost !!!
It takes alot of practice to get just the right speed of the drag !!!! Wrong speed...gives you a series of lines !!! Anyway...finally got this down...and it was looking OK. Put the mirror back in the holder....fired up the Greenie ....all good!!! Later that evening.....I noticed a possible smudge on the back side of the same mirror....so I said...mmmm....I'll practice on that side too!!! Possible mistake !!!!
Now....when the Greenie is turned on....there is an very faint, elipitical
shadow centered around the green beam....a rather large shadow too !!!
When you loosen and rotate the mount....the beam and shadow track together !!!
I speculate that the coating was damaged by my cleaning the back side !!
DUHHHHH !!!! The Edmunds app.notes say; " The surface of a bare aluminum coating should never be touched "...Oh...I touched it allright!!
I coulda had a 17.50$ CIGAR instead !!!!!
Has this happened to anybody else ???????????? or do I get the DumDum
prize by myself ???
CDBEAM /BoB
Beam Axiom #1 ~The Quantum well is DEEP ! Photons for ALL !!
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Beam Axiom #2 ~Yes...As a matter of fact...I DO wear tinfoil on my head !!
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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 !