Newer Blu Ray lasers.

[KA5PIU]

Hello.

As you are aware, a while back I got a pair of HD DVD write lasers from drives.
Now we have used and defective Blu Ray drives turning up.
Got the laser from a Blu Ray recorder, was after the hard drive for another project.
I did the exact same mods as for a HD DVD recorder.
Since this was a 4X machine the power levels are higher, much higher.
I have no idea as to the actual power levels but have set focus and tested things.
I am not sure of the correct voltage settings or what is maximum, I simply get the thing in the write mode for a second and measured it with a peak reading voltmeter and scope.
I am running a flat 5VDC at 780mA, 3.9 watts!
I have a large heatsink and even this gets hot is just a minute so it is not that effective.
At 4.5 volts it drops down to 410mA, still way more power than the HD DVD laser.
Remember that the faster the drive the more powerful the laser needs to be.
The hard drive out of this thing is good, the trouble was in the transport.
There was also a nice switching power supply that does +5VDC and +12VDC that is an independent board.
Now to come up with a collimating lens for this thing, the optical array has several lasers and all sorts of mirrors and such.
If I can get this thing down to size I will install it in a Maglite housing and call it good. :-D

[KG4CGC]

How does it work on toe nail fungus?

[NQ6U]

How does it work on toe nail fungus?

Only works on Smurfs.

[KA5PIU]

Helo.

Since I do not have a lens to focus it, not well at all. ;)

[n2ize]

Without a collimating lens you aren;t going to have much luck. But, it is rather easy to "steal" a collimating lens from an inexpensive red laser pen. I was thinking of experimenting with lasers salvaged from used to malfunctioning drives as well.

[KC2UGV]

Drop the voltage down to 3V. That's what most solid state digital stuff in PC's run at now.

[WØTKX]

Don't most LED's care more about limiting the current than the voltage? :dunno:

[KA5PIU]

Don't most LED's care more about limiting the current than the voltage? :dunno:

Hello.

Yes and yes.
First, the proper read voltage seems to be around 3.3 voltage input but the write voltage is a bit higher, but not 5VDC.
And, yes, it is the current that that is what it is rated at, as well as a maximum voltage, but as one provides more voltage the more current flows.
And yes, a lens from a laser pin would work except for the mounting, remember that I need to first understand how the pickup works, what parts from the optical assembly I can remove and what is needed, this is nothing like a HD DVD pickup.
I may order a lens for prescription glasses and have that edged for a Maglite.
The trick is to have bifocals with the main part plano and the second part at the diopters desired.
But this makes the Maglite look less and less stock, defeating the whole point of the Maglite.

[K7SGJ]

Hello

Your gonna put your eye out.

[KA5PIU]

Hello

Your gonna put your eye out.

Hello.

At the power levels in question that can easily happen.
But I now understand, the thing is intended to run hot! 176 degrees worth of hot!
The actual optical power output is on the order of 250 mW for the 1X laser, this is a 2X laser.
This is out of a 2X drive and so can run nearly 4X the power of the original Sony laser diode referenced in the link!
Maximum power in is in fact 1200 mA, the same as the laser diode in my prior project, but far more efficient!
Maximum voltage is not to exceed 9 in peak pulse service and 7.2 in CW mode.
Dialed that in and observes the diode, when it hit 155 degrees I decided to scale back.
5.5VDC is perfect.
at 5VDC nominal it stays at around 140 degrees in CW service.
I still have the task of providing it with a lens, but like the other project, there are 3 laser light spectrum ranges to deal with.
The 2 of interest are the red and blue, the IR laser is low power and is used to adjust focus to the disc.
Again, when finished I will have a 2 color very high power burning laser.
In the prior project I can turn both lasers on and have an impressive beam indeed.
That is my goal with this also, but clearly I am going to get more than 4 times the energy in the beams.
The other one can set things on fire from several hundred feet away.

[W7XF]

Hello.

Cowthief sure wants to be the next Darwin Award recipient!

[w2amr]

Hello

Your gonna put your eye out.:rofl:

[n2ize]

Or , you could just buy one of these.

http://wickedlasers.com

But, it's more fun to hack your own...

Have they come out with a green diode yet ? I have a green pen but it uses a YAG xtal pumped by an IR diode.

[KA5PIU]

Hello.

True, wicked lasers are cute, but expensive.
Remember that my cost on the laser is a grand total of zero.

[n2ize]

Hello.

True, wicked lasers are cute, but expensive.
Remember that my cost on the laser is a grand total of zero.

That's why I say i5t;s nicer to hack your own. A few parts salvaged, some lenses and you have a "wicked laser" for 0 cost or very low cost.

[KA5PIU]

Hello.

Based on this new information I went back and researched the HD-DVD laser and found that it also is designed to operate at 170+ degrees.
So since I have a good heat sink I brought the current up to 2/3 maximum and tried this again, perhaps 100% increase in power?
There is no question whatsoever that this is now a dangerous device.
It will burn into meat, acting as a light scalpel.
I have tried this on a very much damaged bullet resistant vest, it simply slices through the thing. (Kevlar K129)
The never laser may put out a 300% increase in power, again a very non scientific test of simply burning things.

[NA4BH]

Can it cut through aluminum?

[KA5PIU]

Can it cut through aluminum?

Hello.

Due to safety constraints I have no plans at this time, but my guess would be no.

[KA5PIU]

Hello.

Got the laser mounted in an AA Maglite and powered by a pair of 3.6 volt Lithium cells.
As was suspected, the energy output is greater than the prior unit.
The red write beam is at the level of the prior units blue beam.
The blue beam on the Blu Ray device is at least 3 times that and easily more.
Yes, it will cut through aluminum.
At 50 feet car tires are no match, while the car is moving! ;)
Simply put, this is far more than I could have expected.
I figure that a few seconds at most will have done all the damage needed.
The fuel tank on a modern automobile is plastic, a good aim and there is a slice.

[n2ize]

Hello.

Got the laser mounted in an AA Maglite and powered by a pair of 3.6 volt Lithium cells.
As was suspected, the energy output is greater than the prior unit.
The red write beam is at the level of the prior units blue beam.
The blue beam on the Blu Ray device is at least 3 times that and easily more.
Yes, it will cut through aluminum.
At 50 feet car tires are no match, while the car is moving! ;)
Simply put, this is far more than I could have expected.
I figure that a few seconds at most will have done all the damage needed.
The fuel tank on a modern automobile is plastic, a good aim and there is a slice.

Of course as a responsible laser experimenter you're NOT going to aim the laser at any of those things.

[KA5PIU]

Hello.

This was done under somewhat controlled conditions.
The moving car thing is to get a piece of chit car that will not run and roll it down Castano St.
Remember that this is perhaps the worst of the worst but there is no question that this is going to be constructed by others.
At least now it is understood how much of a weapon this thing really is.
The FBI has been aware from the start but the USMS is lead.
At some point the Texas DPS will be brought in, observe only, no questions.
Again, I am not the first to pull the laser out of a discarded home appliance and will not be the last.

[NQ6U]

WART

[VE7DCW]

WART a way to go!