Help locating 445nm diodes

[MechEng3]

OK I have given up an unfruitfull search...atleast for a raw diode in a respectfull price range. I would really like to experiment with a couple. I would purchase a module from XYZ manu but ...I really want just a diode or two to start. Anyone have a line or source? I have spent all day yesterday aligning and cleaning a 473 only to get 3mw so far...it will improve with tuning. The fact of the matter is the amount of time spent vs. the photonic joy that one may get.... not to mention the modulation aspects. The 405nm route is just too deep in the region for a nice beam to be seen....although it is cheaper to build from. 457nm is not a cheaper alternative...the crystals are being kept a lot higher priced than the 473 rocks.... even though they are better in so many ways. It would seem that a few manu's would sell components to hobby laserists....atleast it would invite another area of sales ... may not be cost effective on the corporate level...but in this economy an inbound cash flow would seem a good thing to consider. If a manu would be inclined to sell a set of crystals for 457nm and / or a 445nm diode source would be a good thing for more than a few of us....

[mixedgas]

I sent you a PM as to whom I talked to about the Nichia diodes, as per Nichia Factory.

I'd rather run vandate or another type of yag I sent to a link to as a self qswitched laser and get 45-50 mW of blue for 5 watts of pump instead of paying four figures for the new diodes.

Steve