Progress on Coherent Laser Diode...

Anatomy:

    A laser diode system contains the following components:

• Laser diode module -- Produces a line.   In Coherent modules, this lives in a nitrogen environment to keep the lenses clean.
  
• Optics -- to focus into a fiber.   Optionally, the fiber may be integrated into the optics.
• Cooling Module -- Diodes are sensitive to heat.   This may be done with a solid state cooler, or in our case, water cooling.

Supply Chain:

    Coherent supplies many laser diodes that are incorporated into other modules.    The modules are as follows:

• FAP-I -- 40 Watt Unit -- Contains cooler, lens, temp sensors, and a calibration eprom.
  
  
• FAP-800-40W -- Contains diode, lens, enclosure.

• Diode module -- 40 Watt -- Contains diode, outputs a line -- no optics.
  

Advantages:

• Can drive power through fiber, reducing need for flying optics.
• Small enough that the laser could be mounted on the head of a machine directly.

Test Runs:

   Managed to run both laser diode modules with a 20A HP lab supply.    Due to the small cables, the diode was starved for power.   Doubling up larger cables, we got the cardboard to SMOKE!

  
If success is smelling like burning cardboard, then we are doing well!

Box with a hole after first experiment with the FAP-I Coherent module.

Second hole from the second (FAP800 ) module.

The enclosure contained most of the smoke.   When removed, the cardboard was still smoking, so I dowsed it with water.

Data:

These tests were run with the diode using about 35 watts (1.7 volts at 20 amps).

Supply Chain:

Also talked to Coherent, and they were helpful, but requested the information not be made public.     I will discuss in class.

Other Status:

Power supply board is in progress.   Initial wiring diagram sketched.

Mechanical:

Dave is working on a cool mechanical design for a larger workspace than an Mtm snap.   Think coreXY meets MTM snap, with a laser!