Laserscope collimation (or lack thereof)

[weartronics]

Thanks to everybody (especially Jon) for the tips and photos throughout this thread!

For reasons of cost, complexity and divergence, I have decided to build the aerial beam projectors on to the Laserscope optical tables, with some very sturdy trusses to lift them! I will probably use Jon or Pat's idea to move or replace the collimating lens to up-collimate a little for 10mm beam with lower divergence. 10mm aperture Eye-Magic galvos arrived just as I was typing this post!

I'm still interested to fiber couple some other projectors, and I would like to be able to repair them, so I have decided to have a go at terminating fibers myself. I see your point about buying kits because the process looks very involved, but I have a steady hand and the tools are not very expensive to try. If it turns out to be too tricky then I will buy kits from PPFX or OSLS.

FYI, I found Thorlabs seems to have an OK price and a good range of suitable fibers.

Best regards,

weartronics

[Laserman532]

Thanks to everybody (especially Jon) for the tips and photos throughout this thread!

For reasons of cost, complexity and divergence, I have decided to build the aerial beam projectors on to the Laserscope optical tables, with some very sturdy trusses to lift them!

I'm still interested to fiber couple some other projectors, and I would like to be able to repair them myself, so I have decided to have a go at terminating fibers myself, it's not very expensive to try. If it turns out to be too tricky then I will buy kits from PPFX or OSLS.

FYI, I found Thorlabs seems to have an OK price and a good range of suitable fibers.

Best regards,

weartronics

I am not a huge fan of connectorized fibers with the yag. With every other laser i am, but not the yag. I prefer to divide the beam in at least 2 parts but 4 is better and go with 10x microscope objectives and a standard Newport fiber launcher. It is easy to strip and cleave a 100 micron glass fiber and chuck it up in 5 minutes. Polishing and so forth should be reserved for lower power lasers where time is allowed to get it dialed in.

if you dammage a connectorized fiber it is a PITA to get it going in a hurry (if necessary) It really sucks to burn your fiber 30 minutes to show go, connectorized fibers cant be repaired in 10 minutes...well that would be rushing it.

[weartronics]

Hey Pat, that's another good idea I hadn't considered. The 10X objectives I have seen are NA 0.25, but that's too big for NA 0.22 fiber, right? Or is there a trick I missed...

[Laserman532]

Hey Pat, that's another good idea I hadn't considered. The 10X objectives I have seen are NA 0.25, but that's too big for NA 0.22 fiber, right? Or is there a trick I missed...

hhhhhmmm it might have been a 20 x but I dont think so depends on what fiber you are using of course. Pick a fiber, match the NA

[Photonbeam]

... In fact, I'd bet you could just rig one of these dye heads up-to a 532-deck (maybe an over-under config) and DIRECT-pump it (lose the fiber, and you'd also have-to do a little minor optics-rework in the dye head...) with 30+ Watts, and see 8-10W of Red!!...Imagine that...10W of 629nm!!!

Here I have installed the dye laser cavity onto a KTP yag and have achieved 14.6W of red with excellent beam quality and dye life. The dye circulator is behind the front door of the yag. I can split off green to mix with red creating yellow, orange, etc.

[Laserman532]

Here I have installed the dye laser cavity onto a KTP yag and have achieved 14.6W of red with excellent beam quality and dye life. The dye circulator is behind the front door of the yag. I can split off green to mix with red creating yellow, orange, etc.

nice job! Looks Great!

[LesioQ]

That looks interesting ! What's the origin of Your dye cell ?
Running just plain Rhodamine 6G in water/alcohol mixture ? Any boosters ?
Piotr.K

[andy_con]

16.4watts of red.... wow

[mixedgas]

Where do I have to go to see a show with this red?
Steve

[Laser Zone]

Here I have installed the dye laser cavity onto a KTP yag and have achieved 14.6W of red with excellent beam quality and dye life. The dye circulator is behind the front door of the yag. I can split off green to mix with red creating yellow, orange, etc.

Please post pics of that baby kicking ass !!