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Nd:Yag Lasers or your own Lasers

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Michael W.

Thu Feb 09 2006, 03:32PM

Registered Member #50 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 04:07AM
Location: Vernon, B.C, Canada
Posts: 324

I thought It would be cool If we could have a thread to display lasers that any Of you have constructed and want to display. Also regarding Nd:Yag Lasers, how hard is it to get one working well and if anyone has any favorite drivers... Thanks

Dr. Shark

Thu Feb 09 2006, 03:59PM

Registered Member #75 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 09:30AM
Location: Montana, USA
Posts: 711

I build a (barely) working flashlight pumped Yag a few years back, but sadly it has been dismanteled and I dont have any photos to proof that it ever existed.
Regarding to your question: Are you talking about a diode-pumped laser, as in a green laser pointer, or an old-fashioned "YAG rod and flashlamp in a cavity" system? The former are really easy to get to work, since the optics are usually coated on the crystal and you don't need to do any alignment.
With a proper cavity (no matter, actually, if you put a rod or a small crystal in), things get much harder: You need proper mounts for the mirrors, and you have to spend lots of time tweaking them. This usually cannot be done cheaply, you either have to buy the parts or machine them, but you cannot just stick something together - belive me, I have tried.

BTW, have you seen this ? Maybe that's a good way to get started with high powered lasers.

Michael W.

Thu Feb 09 2006, 04:05PM

Registered Member #50 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 04:07AM
Location: Vernon, B.C, Canada
Posts: 324

Is this just a driver?

Dr. Shark

Thu Feb 09 2006, 04:20PM

Registered Member #75 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 09:30AM
Location: Montana, USA
Posts: 711

Yes.

EEYORE

Thu Feb 09 2006, 07:18PM

Registered Member #99 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 06:10PM
Location: florida, usa
Posts: 637

I will post some pics of my laser in a few days. I got just the head, and have mounted it to some perf board and added a PSU and things to make it compact. Right now, it will blow holes in thin metal, burn black tape, and make loud popping noises when focused.

Matt

Marko

Fri Feb 10 2006, 09:42PM

Registered Member #89 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 02:40PM
Location: Zadar, Croatia
Posts: 3145

On old (er) 4HV there was a film, some hell of ''pointer' had power of 70miliwats and enough power to pop baloons..
I dont know almost anything about ndYag, how it needs to be pumped exactly, if CW source can be used (infrared LED) why not filtered IR bulb, ?! ?!
Flashlight seems to be just too weak for burning anything, beam is powerful but too short...
Or somebody has some super-xenon flashers :D

Just cavity is problem and has to be paid for :|

...

Sat Feb 11 2006, 06:17AM

Registered Member #56 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 05:02AM
Location: Southern Califorina, USA
Posts: 2445

I have a 5mw green dpss laser... And a 3w 808nm bar with a few vandates/ktp's I got for dirt cheep, and still need to mess with...

I was sooo close to buying a ssy-1 laser head off ebay, I had a second change offer for $100, and had the auction been one of the ones with the pfn I would have taken it, but I decided against it :(

Eric

Sat Feb 11 2006, 06:44AM

Registered Member #69 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 07:42AM
Location:
Posts: 116

$100 is a good deal and the PFN as they call it is a pretty simple item, just a low ESR cap essentially (and maybe an inductor). You'd want to make your own anyway to over-drive it with high power and/or wider duration pulses. I bought one recently, I want to get some safety glasses before I play with it though...

EEYORE

Sat Feb 11 2006, 06:55AM

Registered Member #99 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 06:10PM
Location: florida, usa
Posts: 637

Eric wrote ...

$100 is a good deal and the PFN as they call it is a pretty simple item, just a low ESR cap essentially (and maybe an inductor). You'd want to make your own anyway to over-drive it with high power and/or wider duration pulses. I bought one recently, I want to get some safety glasses before I play with it though...

Just close your eyes;-)make sure i know where the beam is going before i fire, such as something that will abosrb it...
I got mine for 77$:-D
They are pretty simple to lase...
Matt

I just

Eric

Sat Feb 11 2006, 08:49PM

Registered Member #69 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 07:42AM
Location:
Posts: 116

$77 is a very good deal. I'm sure you could sell it for twice that if you wait a little.

I don't like the whole close your eyes thing... Just one mistake and things could suck a lot. I just know I'd be the one to do it too.

(<--that's me with no eyesight)

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