Dear 445nm Forum,
Please can you help me with a question about the excellent X-Drive driver modules that I'm hearing good things about?
I am about to undertake my first build of a 445nm laser using a 1.7W~2W M140 laser diode supplier by a chap known as DTR.
It going to be the blue in a lasershow system I am building. (I'm new to solid state lasers, but worked in the field using 4W Spectra-Physics Argon lasers back in the 80s. I cannot believe the power available with laser diodes! 30 years ago this would need a £40,000 Argon laser weighting half a ton that required 3 phase power & water cooling! And don't even mention the exploding power supplies; if the cooling water was too cold then condensation would form in the pass-bank & boom!).
DTR is supplying one of his combos which normally include an X-Drive driver inside the 12mm housing, but as I want continuous duty cycle he suggests using longer wires so I can have the driver outside the housing & heatsink it.
My question is how should I heatsink the driver?
It doesn't have a typical TO220 style regulator or MOSFET device to bolt a vaned heatsink to!!
I guess it's the surface mount IC that needs heatsinking, but I have no idea how to do this. I read somewhere that I could epoxy a piece of copper plate to it, but I thought I would check to avoid an expensive mistake!
I need to heatsink the diode case also, but I think this is easier, as I've found various mounting blocks for sale, which are effectively blocks of aluminium with a 12mm hole & Allen screw to hold the case securely.
Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks,
Simon Bond.