Our 473 nm lasers were manufactured for B & W Tek, a company
still actively selling similar lasers today. These are intracavity
frequency-doubled diode-pumped solid-state lasers. Typical laser
output power is 5 mW in a clean Gaussian TEM00 (round) beam.
Laser Characteristics
When the lasers were new, their specifications were:
- 10 mW max output power
- Class IIIb laser product
- CW operation w/o modulation
- 110-250 V, 50-60 Hz, Universal Input Power Supply
- Laser interlock
The output power can sometimes be varied over a small range
by
adjusting a potentiometer on the laser
driver circuit board.
Safety Precautions
This is a class IIIb laser product. It can cause permanent
damage
to your eyes. But probably electrical safety is the more pressing
safety consideration. The power supplies are open frame. Line voltages
are exposed in several places. You will need to be careful not
to touch these exposed voltages or allow them to be otherwise
grounded.
Permanent damage to the user and laser may result.
Laser Operation
The laser is shipped with everything you need to start using it immediately.
A standard (US) electrical power cord is included. The safety/interlock consists
of a white and black wire that are twisted together. If you are not going to
use the interlock feature, you might want to solder these together or use a
small wire nut for a more secure connection.
Non-functioning Units
We have a few non-functioning units that can be used for spare parts or can
be used by laser hobbyists. These units have low power or an output laser
beam that is not uniformly round. They are offered at a significant
discount.
Inside the laser head
The optics inside the laser head include a c-mount 808-nm (typical) 1.4 W (typical) diode laser
a collimating lens, an anamorphic prism pair, a focusing lens, and the semi-monolithic laser cavity.
The diode laser and 946/473 nm laser cavity are mounted on separate peltier coolers for
independent temperature control. The temperatures are monitored using thermisters.
We do not have specifications on the performance of these individual components. The
functionality is controlled by the power supply and control unit shipped with the lasers.
We similarly do not have specifications or pin connections on the control parameters.
PricingThese lasers typically range in price from $25 - $75 depending on the mode quality and power. Our available inventory is listed on ebay as we process the heads. | 