STOP PRESS  This is my old site last updated June 2005.  Enjoy the pics here but it is best to shift direct to the new site. Looks the same but lots more stuff and regularly updated.  The full size pictures  are only available there.

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Diode laser projects on this page include:

Diode lasers  Everyone has these in class IIa common laser pointers. I have made a small supply that gives a regulated 5 V to supply a couple of lashed up 1 and 5 mW red lasers and a photodetector.  Both are underperforming and may be damaged.

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Green diode laser 5 mW.  The class IIIa 532nm 5 mW green diode module is lashed up in an old red laser pointer case that takes AAA batteries. Not fancy but effective and still gives me access to the power lines and switch. The light is 50 times as bright as a 1mW red laser pointer (5 times the power and green is 10 times the visual brightness of red). 

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At a current of 400 mA the little AAA batteries are struggling to keep up the voltage much above 2.4 V and the brightness is reduced . For the shots below I have set my power supply to deliver 3.05 V and the head does get warm.  The beam is visible in normal night air.  The photo on the right is a comparison of the green laser when it has diverged to about 1 cm compared with my green ring which is 14,000 mCd and seems much brighter. I had understood that the output of the LED was about 5 mW.  This would suggest that the diode is underperforming.

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These photos were taken on a foggy night and compare the 5 mW green diode laser and the 10 mW red HeNe laser which interestingly seem of equal brightness to the eye as well as the camera.  The first two photos are the same but taken from a different perspective and with different lighting.

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A shot through my green laser safety glasses to show the effectiveness for green (but not red).