Topic: First Post - Blu Ray lasers in RGV scanners

[James]

Hey MarK!

Excellent!

You have set these up before, have you not?

I never have.

I have setup my PCAOM with HeNe, Ar, but never an AOM with DPSS green.

I've got so much stuff to do! 

James. 

[cfavreau]

I already have a setup using about ~100 mW of 405 nm (from X-Box HD-DVD), ~100 mW of 650 nm, and > 5mW of 532 nm with a cheap pointer converted.   The red and violet work really well.

The video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkBSz13_DpI

In the video I was using ~15 mW 405 nm.... which isn't enough...
I know it isn't a really good video or really descriptive.  I did the whole thing on a small budget and out of components I had just sitting around.  It works OK.  Since then I have also removed the fan from the diode.  The reason for the big chunk of aluminum is to keep the temperature stable with out active components.  It works OK.  I need to switch the green and the red around I do lose a bit in the dichroic mirrors and the green is a little weak and suffers the most loss.

I also intend to try using the optics from a PS3/BluRay Sled like the fellow who make the RGB laser pointer/flash light thing did.

One point I see over and over.  Some DPSS lasers do not modulate well and some don't.  The green is very slow to respond.  I found that putting more power into it helps but... unless it is on ALL the time it doesn't work well.  I am using a current drive driver at about 320 mA.  I was think about putting more current into it to see if that solves the problem... not sure how much more to go though.  Maybe it is just the optics. in the module.  Anyone else have any ideas?

[BlinkenLights]

well DPSS is slow because its pumped instead of ndirect injection. but you can get analog response that is well within what you need for great modulation.

Try using a DrLava FlexMOD N2 driver 

[Lazerjock]

Ok let me see if I got this right.

I can take my DPSS and eliminate the TTL powers supply that came with it and replace it with a FlexMod driver.

AND

It will work well for laser show modulation.

I know the FlexMod is more than capable.
I was thinking that the DPSS would not modulate fast enough.
Has anyone else tried this?

[BlinkenLights]

yes thats what the FlexMOD was originally designed for.
you still need to give the pointer power, but the flexMOD replaces the TTL curcuit

[Fanny Pack]

I have used die4drives for my modulation.  I guess it's about the same as the flexmod.  It works great with one green laser I have but another of the exact same type does not modulate well at all so that one is only good for TTL.  Your mileage may vary I guess.

[Lazerjock]

I'm not using a pointer. I have a labby. I get the idea though. I know what I'm doing tonight.
 
I knew I had a spare FlexMod for some reason.

Awsome now my new projector will be full analog.
Before I had this information my projector would have had analog modulation on the red and blue and TTL on the green.

This rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BlinkenLights]

be careful!!!!!!! dont pop your pump diode...

[Fanny Pack]

I'm not using a pointer. I have a labby. I get the idea though. I know what I'm doing tonight.

The two I used were lab lasers.  Same as in this vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVP1ov7E79I

[cfavreau]

I have a decent driver.  It is used with other DPSS lasers and modulates them well.  I am just trying to figure out why it doesn't modulate well.  I found that putting more current into it improved it.  I think that most of the issue is that it was a really cheap pointer so there must be something about it that doesn't lend itself to modulation well.  It was originally light regulated and not current regulated which I think helped obfuscate the not so great quality.  But that is for another post right?

I guess in summary I would say an RGV laser is a really good budget way to go.  I would recommend it to other people as well.

Oh and 1 more piece of advice.   Use it with a white sheet of fabric or paper.   Some things flouresce  blue ... some don't.  The violet isn't really super visible ... until it hits something.   100 + mW helps. 

Also... where does one buy a FlexMod diode driver?  I use some from Norm.  They work nicely.

[Lazerjock]

This is where you can find a FlexMod driver. I have 3 and love them. Dr.Lava is great to work with too.

http://hacylon.case.edu/ebay/laser_diode/FlexMod01.php