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Thread: Homebuilt Manganese Vapour Laser (MnVL)

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
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    Odessa, Ukraine
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    Laser Warning Homebuilt Manganese Vapour Laser (MnVL)

    So, I have been away making a new fully homebuilt laser.

    It is a manganese metal vapour laser. The laser tube is fully homebuilt. It is a self-heated tube. The main part of it is a ceramic bore tube with 14mm inner diameter and 60cm long. This tube is sorrounded with a layer of ceramic wool and then inserted in a wide quartz tube. At the ends of this tube there are electrode mounts machined from aluminium castings. Both anode and cathode are inox steel inserts. The electrode mounts are fixed on the quartz tube with flanges and fire-proof vacuum sealing gaskets. From the outside the quartz tube is sorrounded by another ceramic wool layer and outer aluminium tube, which serves as a backward conductor. Manganese metal is placed in two quartz vials inside the bore. Both mirrors are flat, the HR is aluminium coated, the OC is a flat quartz window. Both are attached to electrode mounts and faced inside the tube, so this is a tube with "internal" mirrors. Argon and helium are used as buffer gases. From the anode mount the gas is evacuated with a two stage rotary vacuum pump, from the cathode mount the gas is leaked inside the tube through a syringe needle. Gas pressure is monitored with a precise vacuum gauge. The laser is powered with my CVL power unit, which is homebuilt too. The laser tube draws 1.8-2 kW of input power to warm up, the pulse repetition rate is 10-12 kHz. The laser is started and warmed up with 20 Torr of Argon, than, when the bore is dark-orange hot, I shut off the Argon supply and let Helium inside. Optimal Helium pressure is 15 Torr. Quite soon the laser tube reaches its operating temperature, Mn metal starts to evaporate and lasing begins! The visible lasing line is 534 nm, very close to "common" 532 nm wavelength. Also there may be present some IR lines simultaneousely with the green one. I estimate the output power of my laser about 1 Watt at least, as it can burn wood and cardbord when focused. Some photos are attached, more can be seen here https://vk.com/album31425290_262758604
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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
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    Orlando, FL
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    Awesome! Neat tube design! Are those standard conflat flanges on the ends? What made you decide on Manganese?

  3. #3
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    Nov 2017
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    Odessa, Ukraine
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    Are those standard conflat flanges on the ends?
    No, these are custom machined parts. I have my own engine lathe to turn different parts from metal.

    What made you decide on Manganese?
    I wanted to use an active medium that is not commonly used and to see a new wavelength from a gas laser. Actually copper or copper bromide lasers are quite well-known. I have also plans to try lead metal in this tube to see lasing it on 722nm.

  4. #4
    Join Date
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    Fort Mill, SC USA
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    Now this is damn impressive! May I ask what prompted this project?

    David
    "Help, help, I'm being repressed!"

  5. #5
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    Nov 2017
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    Odessa, Ukraine
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    May I ask what prompted this project?
    Only my curiosity and willing to have a laser with a fully DIY tube.

  6. #6
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    Jun 2009
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    Mesa, AZ
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    Wonderful work as always. That case from an LG-75?

  7. #7
    mixedgas's Avatar
    mixedgas is offline Creaky Old Award Winning Bastard Technologist
    Infinitus Excellentia Ion Laser Dominatus
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    There is another homebuilt Manganese on YouTube and you are blowing him out of the water... Any idea how on much average power? What Thyratron are you using? Are you sure there is only one green line? Last time I looked at that system there was the possibility of a few other greens.. Wow, Just your usual very extraordinary work..

    Steve
    Qui habet Christos, habet Vitam!
    I should have rented the space under my name for advertising.
    When I still could have...

  8. #8
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    Very nice result! Really impressive to see such a high power from a unique and well thought out design. It appears you even cast the aluminum stock for the mirror mounts yourself?

  9. #9
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    That case from an LG-75?
    Yes, it is.

    Any idea how on much average power? What Thyratron are you using?
    I expect at least 1W of multiline output. As I said, there may be present IR lines in the range of 1300-1400 nm and other green lines like 542, 547, 551, 553 nm, but they should be very weak compared to dominant 534 nm one. The thyratron is russian TGI1-1000\25, rated for 1000A pulse current and 25 kV forward and backward anode voltage.

    It appears you even cast the aluminum stock for the mirror mounts yourself?
    yes, I did.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails DSCN6231.JPG  

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  10. #10
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    This is brilliant. Great work.
    - There is no such word as "can't" -
    - 60% of the time it works every time -

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