Home hologram kit

badhorsey · Jun 2, 2008

Has anyone had a crack at one of these:

http://litiholo.com/hologram_kits.htm

Looks like a lot of fun - I've emailed the chap to find out what the actual wavelength of the laser is (and, I suppose, the output). Maybe I could use my 200mw DX instead and shorten the exposure times... or I've got a very nice HeNe that should be stable enough.

The_LED_Museum · Jun 2, 2008

If I were you, I'd opt to use the HeNe, as plasma lasers like the HeNe usually have much longer coherence lengths than diode lasers - and good coherence length makes for better holography.

badhorsey · Jun 3, 2008

You're right, of course. I've since found out that the supplied laser outputs at 635nm, and my HeNe outputs at 632.5nm, so it's eminently do-able... Maybe I'll order some film and see how I get on.

AJ_Dual · Jun 3, 2008

Unless your beam paths are really long, I'd suspect you'd see more degradation in the hologram quality from the external vibration in the average home or apartment people like us would have to work with, than from the quality of the laser, unless the TEM mode was really way off 00. Of course, everything you can do to make it as accurate as possible will help. IIRC, the main advantage to HeNe is that due to the way the lasing happens in the tube, it's well collimated without any extra optics. (i.e. one less thing to go wrong or adjust) Although OTOH, because of the diode revolution, many of the HeNe tubes the home experimenter has access to are factory seconds, or used, or simply old, and nearing the end of their service life.

A diode laser with a shorter coherence length might give you less backscatter, so (shrug)… But what I'm saying is that there's so many variables that cut both ways with the lasers, that as long as it's a decent stable laser, I think the actual holography rig you build to make the hologram will impact the quality of the final product much more.

For a home holography table, the best possible place/time I can think of that would have some of the work done for you already would be a time where you're alone in a house that's away from any busy streets, on a heavy slate pool table of quality construction, sitting on a concrete slab with the feet lifted onto rubber blocks of some kind. Above and beyond that, a tarp on top of the pool table filled with a few inches of clean playground quality sand to imbed the bases of your mirrors and optics, the subject matter, the film plate, and the laser would be even better. I'd also think about turning off any motors or appliances in the house that could start up unexpectedly, like a heater/air conditioner, or sump pump.

I'd also rig up remote switches on a wire for the laser power supply as well, so there's no need to walk up to the table during the exposure.

Here's another take on a DIY holography table using concrete blocks, plywood, innertubes (where do you even get them anymore? Motorcycle/tractor shops?), and many layers of shag carpet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiJ7XvlFmuo

ted_park · Jun 10, 2008

badhorsey said:
Has anyone had a crack at one of these:

http://litiholo.com/hologram_kits.htm

Looks like a lot of fun - I've emailed the chap to find out what the actual wavelength of the laser is (and, I suppose, the output). Maybe I could use my 200mw DX instead and shorten the exposure times... or I've got a very nice HeNe that should be stable enough.

My experience has been that diode lasers hop too much - you can get good results, but it's hit and miss. If you've got a good HeNe, use that. I did get holograms using the litiholo kit, but the results you get from the integraf kits are far superior, but you have to work with somewhat scary chemicals in the dark. I haven't done any holography recently, as I've got too much going on to do that

. holographyforum.org has some good information from active holography enthusiasts.

Home hologram kit

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