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Registered Member #177
Joined: Wed Feb 15 2006, 02:16PM
Location: Munich, Germany
Posts: 214
Hi
I just finished my very crude work on a "laser pen" (its not actually meant for use as a laser pointer) made from a DVD laser diode. The laser is strong enough to be used to engrave/write into black plastic.
Look for yourself:
Ever seen a laser pen that could literaly write? With the LASER
Registered Member #95
Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 04:57PM
Location: Norway
Posts: 1308
Nice. What is the output power? Did you collimate the beam, and if so how did you do it? I have a junked CD-RW burner which should contain an IR laser diode, not as much power as a DVD laser but still enough to be fun. I think I might try using the lens form a standard laser pen for collimating.
That's nice. I just bought a new DVD burner to have a reason to disassemble the old one ;) What do you use as power supply? Currently I'm using a 3,7V mobile phone accu with a 8,3 ohm resistor, giving about 400mA.
To Uzzors:
Nice. What is the output power? Did you collimate the beam, and if so how did you do it? I have a junked CD-RW burner which should contain an IR laser diode, not as much power as a DVD laser but still enough to be fun. I think I might try using the lens form a standard laser pen for collimating.
The infrared lasers are also fun. If well collimated they can burn black plastic too.
Registered Member #151
Joined: Sun Feb 12 2006, 02:53PM
Location: Poland
Posts: 153
Dalus wrote ...
do you have a way to measure the optical power?
Actually no. But I can measure a characteristic of the laser diode using a photodiode. It gives me a shape of characteristic without scale on the optical power axis (or with photodiode current on this axis):
hmm, I don't know what I did wrong but I just killed two of my IR-LDs with measured 10mA... Aren't 12V bad for these LDs?! Or have I a momentarily lack of intelligence at the moment... :(
Registered Member #177
Joined: Wed Feb 15 2006, 02:16PM
Location: Munich, Germany
Posts: 214
Killing the diode with 10mA sounds odd. The 12V from the schematic, are not directly connected to the diode of course. The circuit automaticly regulates it, to achieve constant current.
arggg.... after several testings with normal LEDs, which where successfull, I finally killed my 650nm LD... I really don't know haow it happened, not connected in reverse, measured current below 30mA, just turned into a useless and poor red LED!
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Laser Pen that writes into plastic! [video]
:(
I really don't know haow it happened, not connected in reverse, measured current below 30mA, just turned into a useless and poor red LED!