Feeler: Diode housing to suit 3,8mm diodes?

[dave]

For these diodes?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brand-New-OP...#ht_2566wt_905

Thoughts? Any interest?

[kitatit]

Hi Dave,

I assume Displacer got in contact with you about the 3.8mm diode housing option.

I'll send you a SW file with the dimensions I used to make a 3.8mm version of your mount.

This was to suit my Nichia NDB7242E 50mW blue. The only difference that would effect the mounting is the Nichias heat sink is 1.0mm +-0.1mm thick and this Opnext unit is 1.2mm +-0.1mm.

I machined a 3.97mm bore for the heatsink using a 5/32 slotdrill. That was the closest I could get without getting a custom tool ground.

It's good to know this Opnext diode is available. I was sweating only having one spare Nichia.

After comparing the specs, the Opnext is better! typical divergence of 8.5deg and 18deg where the nichia is 10deg and 37deg.

Hey I'm in!

I'll buy one!

[Solarfire]

@ kitatit

What kind of beam specs/power are you geting with these after collimation/correction?

[kitatit]

@ kitatit

What kind of beam specs/power are you geting with these after collimation/correction?

Hi Solarfire,

I haven't had a lot of experience quantifying beam specs but I just did a quick test. Here are some details.

• Driver used-
  Die4drive Pro
• Current -
  116mA
• Ambient temp-
  22deg C
• Collimation -
  mccarrot aspheric coated for blue.
• Correction-
  none.

Measured output was 79mW

Here is a comparison against an Opnext HL6385DG 150mw 642nm red using a mccarrot aspheric coated for red.

At 2m red is about 5-6mm roundish spot and blue is about 4mm round spot. At 11m red is about 12mmx6mm and the blue is about 13mmx4mm.

I've been told they can comfortably do more but I've been a bit chicken to push them when only having one spare.

A combination of these two look pretty good for a mini projector for proofing shows as the graphics will only be projected on a wall 2-3meters away.

Kit

messagepart.jpg

[Solarfire]

A combination of these two look pretty good for a mini projector for proofing shows as the graphics will only be projected on a wall 2-3meters away.

Yeah.. That's what I had them in mind for, I think I'm going to pick up a couple of these if Dave's mouts turn out a go.
That's enough power for a mini and less hassle than a 1 watter.

Thanks for the info!

@ Dave

I would be interested in a couple (2-5)

[Displaser]

^ Everything Kit said!

Kit,

Thanks for the details regarding the Nichia and OpNext specs. As discussed, you and I are working the same project!

Dave,

I hope we can convince you to make a few, and/or have these available into the future. It's the availability of the housing (or lack thereof) that has been the biggest pain point regarding this project.

Thanks,
Greg

[RedlumX]

I am also in need for housing such diodes. I was preliminarily testing one for single longitudinal mode operation and they seem to be very useable for holography; much better than the 1W diodes. Actually I am working on an ECDL design. But a proper stable mount is still the main problem. I am contemplating soldering them into a small brass plate (to be mounted against a standard mount). I hope I can get some low-temp solder from our cryogenic guys.

[RedlumX]

Actually I had received two of those diodes and they look like as in the picture,
but not like in the cited data sheet of the Opnext HL45023TG. In fact
the picture seems to be taken from the data sheet of the Osram diode PL T4 NSB,
see http://www.yc-dz.com/productimages/2...7171743285.pdf
There are two versions of that diode, -1 and -2, with spec power of 30 and 50mW,
respectively.

Did anybody already check whether the diode can do 50mW at al?

Thanks,
Wolfgang

Edit 1 PS: there is a newer variant of that diode, called PL450,
with virtually the same data. See
http://catalog.osram-os.com/catalogu...003f0f00ad0023

Edit 2 PS: I checked with the seller, and indeed he confirmed that the "Opnext" diode shown in the first post is an Osram PL450.
I guess that won't much matter for you guys, but for me a lot, since I am looking for diodes suitable for
holography and the PL450 is definitely not suitable; whereas the Opnext diodes seem generally excellent.

So, does anybody have a genuine Opnext HL45023TG at hand??

[rhd]

So, does anybody have a genuine Opnext HL45023TG at hand??

I do - at least to the extent that we think this is genuinely what it claims to be:
http://www.rayfoss.com/productn.asp?ArticleID=165
I have one of those on hand, pressed in a module.

While I'm here - can I ask what people have been using to mount 3.8mm diodes? I am looking for 5 or so more 3.8mm mounts.

[RedlumX]

No, that's not the Opnext diode, but the Osram PL450. Indeed I have contacted Rayfoss because the picture they give is of the Osram and not of the Opnext, and they confirmed this to me in writing. They don't seem to care to update their description in their shop or in their ebay offer.

The data of the Osram are superficially quite similar to the Opnext (well, somewhat worse beam specs), so most wouldn't complain. I might, if I found out that the Opnext has better single longitudinal mode behavior than the Osram.

As for mounting, I managed to solder these diodes, which should give the best possible thermal coupling (which is important for my applications). For this, a low temperature solder needs to be used and one has to control the temperature carefully, not to exceed 85C. See pic!

[rhd]

Oh. Well, given that I already have that diode, and it's an OSRAM after all, I feel like a big dolt for ordering an OSRAM from o-like to compare. It looks like I'll be comparing it to itself. Btw, the OSRAM I harvested from a pico projector some time back, lased fairly high. Above 455 by my best efforts to estimate.

1) The OP referenced ebay, but I see now that this was actually Rayfoss as well. Is there a current source for the Opnext?

2) Do you know of any 3.8mm housings? My previous 3.8mm housings have had to be custom made. Is there an Aixiz-like 3.8 housing yet?

[RedlumX]

Oh. Well, given that I already have that diode, and it's an OSRAM after all, I feel like a big dolt for ordering an OSRAM from o-like to compare. It looks like I'll be comparing it to itself. Btw, the OSRAM I harvested from a pico projector some time back, lased fairly high. Above 455 by my best efforts to estimate.

I measured one of them to be at 448nm, at around 17C.

1) The OP referenced ebay, but I see now that this was actually Rayfoss as well. Is there a current source for the Opnext?

That was my question ;-) Indeed I'd like to systematically check as many diodes as possible.

2) Do you know of any 3.8mm housings? My previous 3.8mm housings have had to be custom made. Is there an Aixiz-like 3.8 housing yet?

I'd like to know too! In particular, since the diode is so tiny, it seems pretty hard to get a good thermal contact. Recall that a power of roughly 0.6 Watt needs to be dissipated (120mA x 5V), which is quite a lot! There is this little sleeve on the front side of the disk which prevents a large contact area, so pressing the diode against a piece of metal does not seem to provide a good thermal coupling. So the thermal coupling better comes from the 1mm thick boundary of the disk. That''s how the press-fit of commercial mounts work. But this is quite hard to do with hobby tools, at least for me. Thus I preferred soldering.

[rhd]

Interesting. Mine was the PL T4. I didn't have a spectrometer at the time, but I did have a diffraction grating, and two other wavelengths (a typical "445", and a 473 DPSS). The 457 was an estimate, but certainly the diffraction suggested 455 or higher. The wildcard is of course that I didn't know for certain what the typical "445" I compared it to was actually lasing at. Here's the grating image:
http://laserpointerforums.com/attach...5-22.10.13.jpg

Over the summer, Avenetexpress commented that they expected to have the Opnext for sale by October, at around $200. It doesn't look lik that has happened, but peraps it still will shortly.

My most recent 3.8mm diodes were housed in some fantastic copper modules that PontiacG5 CNC'd over at LPF. I would have ZERO hesitation recommending them, except that I haven't been able to get a hold of him in a week or so. However, they're phenominal modules. Pretty much perfect clones of Aixiz modules, but in copper, and for 3.8mm. If he re-emerges, I'm going to order a few more.
http://laserpointerforums.com/f39/12...les-66656.html

[holokidd]

mounting these diodes is really no problem, simply get a aluminum standoff (1/4" OD), drill out the inside using a 3.8mm screwmachine drill bit. Now drill out the back of your laser housing to accept the 1/4" standoff, press it into the rear and cut it off flush ,file it flush and insert you diode. Ive had no problem running the reds and blue diodes.

if you cant find the correct drill bit, buy the standard US size drill bit??? i forget the size now, the one that is slightly larger 3.8mm and then lightly grind the OD of the drill to reduce the dia to 3.8mm .............

[taggalucci]

Hey Dave, did you ever go ahead and have some 3.8mm diode mounts made up?

[hakzaw1]

FYI
AixiZ has 3.8 mm copper blank modules FS(& in stock) made by pontiacg5- same ones rhd was talking about. Comes with all you get with a regular brass Aixiz module. Plastic lens, spring, front lens piece and back part. Only the diode mount is copper.