>400mW @ 980nm

I received the >400mW 980nm laser from CNI this morning. The serial number ends in 0001, which I assume means this is the first one they've sold. This unit takes 2 AAA batteries, and is about the size of a Leadlight (same diameter, 1/4" longer).

I wanted to get a power reading, but I don't have protective goggles for 980nm. I lined up the laser and the Coherent LaserCheck, one in each hand, then looked away, closed my eyes, and simultaneously pressed the power button on the laser and the power check button on the meter. I waited two seconds, released both buttons, and looked at the meter. No reading on the meter, but a tiny deep hole bored right through the black plastic on the LaserCheck next to the probe window! Oops, one of my hands must have slipped when I wasn't looking. So the second time I braced the meter and the laser on the table, then took another reading while looking away. 520mW. That means the Class IIIb sticker on the laser is wrong. It's a Class IV laser. I offered this for trade last week, but I think it's too dangerous for me to pass on to anyone (even though I know some people who responded are very qualified to handle a dangerous IR laser). CNI sells them for only $100. Don't even think about ordering one unless you know what you're dealing with. I've removed the batteries from this one, and it will most likely never get turned on again.

sweet... heh..
i wonder how many mW my moddel leadlight is !
The leadlight is only a "spot" of IR light..
The current from my laser is 450mA, so i guess it`s a high power output of IR..
But DAMN 400mW is alot (use it for LONG distance comunication system)

I did light my IR laser to a house 400-600 meters away from me, and i se the light shine up the house with my camcorder /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif


IR light from 600 meters is not dangereous to the eye ? is it ? (have always used it alone, but just curious)

you know, that really sucks. powerful handheld lasers is sort of a dead end hobby, you know what i mean? It sucks because it's so cool to have such an incredible amount of power in your hand----but you can never use it if you value your eyesight!! thats kind of how i feel about the pgl-3 im getting, and thats "only" ~150mW! It will be lots of fun, but it will also be more dangerous than some of the guns i have! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon23.gif

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif

For only £50, thats way too low.

What could that be possibly be used for in a pointer format?

I have one suggestion... for Splinter Cells who need to point out their targets to the other team members (wearing night vision).

At that power even the dot on a white wall from a couple of meters away will be harmful.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jpshakehead.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jpshakehead.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jpshakehead.gif

Not practical and a stupid invention.

It could be used to build a remote monitoring system. If it was pointed at a glass window, the reflected beam would be modulated by any vibration on the glass, like from sound inside the room on the other side of the window. So you could build a system to listen to people in a room 1/4 mile away.

From what I've read, a 980nm laser like this can possibly be used to produce a blue beam by directly doubling it (it has been done). It can also be used to produce a green DPSS laser using Yb:KGW (1,025nm to 1,045nm) and then doubling with KTP. These are not projects that I have time for, but they might be very interesting for someone to play around with.

So there are legitimate uses.

id be very interested in building this thing into another case with crystals.... how much would you want for it shiftlock?

Please, Don't turn this into a BST! Use PM. we don't want another perfectlly good thread down the drain! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Shiftlock, what is the current?

I don't know what the current draw is, and I don't want to run it anymore. Since it's just a diode, I imagine the current is very low.

Does the device have an led ON/OFF indicator? I know CNI offers this as an optional feature for their pen style lasers at a $4.00 cost per device.

I think ShiftLock should simply donate this it me for a little while. See if our optics department can turn it into a blue pointer. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Write it off on your taxes. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

woot, did you buy it straight off their website ?
that's a crazy little thing for $100

portable laser for burning... damn, that is my dream to get one

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slovensko said:
portable laser for burning... damn, that is my dream to get one

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Portable laser for cooking eye-burgers more like it.......... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

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DaFiend said:
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slovensko said:
portable laser for burning... damn, that is my dream to get one

[/ QUOTE ]

Portable laser for cooking eye-burgers more like it.......... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

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In the hands of fool is everything dangerous...

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QuestionDUDE said:
woot, did you buy it straight off their website ?
that's a crazy little thing for $100

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Hey QuestionDUDE- you've been dormant for a bit. Welcome back.

So Shiftlock, you mean by doubling the frequency straight away with a suitable frequency-doubling crystal and an IR filter will produce blue @ 490nm.

Hmmm. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif I very much doubt a standard greenie KTP will do it as they are designed for an input frequency of 1064nm.

I somehow think it's not as simple as that given the high prices of blue lasers, am I right?

If it will work I'll chop the KTP off from a green pointer and see what happens...lol.

490nm would be this colour laser... mint! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Raccoon - yes, it has an LED indicator. What it does not have a key switch, or other way to disable it from operating, which I think is a necessity with a laser like this. Can you imagine if it accidentally went on while in your pocket? Or if someone picked it up thinking it was a regular laser pointer and looking into it wondering why it's "not working"? That's why the batteries should always be removed from this laser when it's not in use.

is the beam colliminated? you can check that with digital camera

The dot appears to be about 1/2 inch at 15 feet when viewed through the LCD of a digital camera.

I doubt it's gonna work.
Not every frequency can be doubled with these crystals; as LM said, if it's designed for 1064nm, then there's a good reason for blue lasers to be so expensive.