60 Watt Coherent Laser Diode Test

This is a test of a Coherent laser diode array module. Although small, this laser duode module is capable of producing up to 60 watts of 808nm infared light. This is enough power to be able to cut paper, cardboard, wood glass or even steel! The laser runs on only 2.5 volts but requires a lot of current to be able to generate that kind of output. The laser also requires water cooing at a stabilized temperature to create peak output power and keep the laser diode from burning up.
I'm eventually planning on using this laser as a pump source for a YAG and frequency doubling the output of the YAG with a KTP to achieve around 10-30W of 532nm green.
Please feel free to post a comment if you have any questions.
Enjoy!

[@OpinionValid]

When infrared light becomes visable, you know shit just got real.

[@rrealmezz]

poor snakes xD

[@misspianoer]

Finally a laser video with somebody not afraid to TALK!

[@squeezemypimple]

Super video...And pleased that you highlighted the eye ware as being THE most important element of the whole test!...great stuff.

[@unlokia]

Translation chart: "Gaggles" = "Goggles" "Eeeeaaaammppps" = "amps"

[@chaos1ao]

I am new to the laser field and appreciate they way you put this video together. Thanks for sharing!!! :)

[@TonyWeiss]

best part about this video is your half drank bottle of Jack Daniels in the background and you're piece of cardboard is from a Milwaukees best ICE box. lot of lonely nights in the laser lab XD

[@wupme]

Nice to see somebody talking about safety. I'm a laser enthusiast myself, but it sometimes pisses me off when people work with high power lasers liker they are some toys for 2 year olds. Even tho, i still never used infrared lasers. And i prefer gas lasers :)

[@punishedexistence]

It's not ironic I am drinking a Milwaukees best ice right now, Death ray. Very cool video!

[@mikesrandomchannel]

Laser video with safety advice. YES. Thanks for a proper laser video, fascinating stuff!

[@hightechstuff2]

@thatoneguy99100 Thanks! I later learned this laser is actually around 830nm so it's inefficient as an Nd:YAG pump. Still fun to experiment with though. I sold this rig a few years ago but have a 180W array I plan to get running in the near future.

[@hightechstuff2]

@MPaulHolmes That is exactly correct sir. The laser has about 30% efficiency, the rest of the energy is waste heat. The laser head needs approximately 90A to output the full 60W.

[@madcyborg]

Your insistant on safety... glad to see that.. Cause you know some kids would get all the hardware and be like "Oh I don't see any light. Look in there Johnny - It's a little red... Wait! I am blind!!!" Safety is for the win

[@000AKBASS000]

thumbs up for that bottle of JD in the back.

[@hightechstuff2]

Thanks! Yes, Just like LED's are made from semiconductors, lasers can be as well. Every day there is a search for more wavelengths in the semiconductor laser industry. Why IR? Because that is what was needed for the original application of the laser diode. Also, IR wavelengths are easier to produce by diode lasers at high output powers.

[@hightechstuff2]

Hey Tom, The power resistors and a 5V supply would work but it is best to have a current limiting power supply. In ether occasion, when not using a laser diode driver, you should use a crowbar circuit to prevent spikes form hitting the diode during power up and power down of the supply.

[@hightechstuff2]

Your logic is correct but you need to account for diode breakdown voltage characteristics along with the fact that current to photon conversion in a semiconductor is not 100% efficient. Look at the big chiller connected to the laser diode array, that heat dissipated accounts for a percent of the input energy. Thanks for thinking.

[@hightechstuff2]

Hi Dave, I don't think I quite understand but If your question is.... The camera is picking up the IR radiation and then re-transmitted in the video.... Then the answer is no. The camera only responds to the visible spectrum and your monitor does the same. However, even if your monitor was capable of reproducing the 808nm wavelength, the image would be safe for viewing. This would be the same concept as looking at the sun versus looking at a picture of the sun on your monitor.

[@zachtac]

pretty neat, made me know how much i do not know about lasers, in general lol cool video

[@high1voltage1rules]

That is amazing!! How can anyone thumb this down?? It's so awesome!! Mate that's the best setup iv seen. And the power supply you was turning the Amps up with' is so cool. Id love one of them lol. Love that laser too ;-) Thanx for sharing, THUMBS UP*

[@speeddemon467]

Very, very cool!! I bought a 1w handheld blue laser (Dragonlasers), a couple months ago and have had a great time with it. I'd really like to learn more and eventually get into bigger lasers.

[@Cyberplayer5]

I am in the process fo building a YAG laser using a Capacitor Bank and Xenon Flash tube. This is an instructive video on powering a high output laser.

[@jinchurikekyuubi]

i dont understand anithing of lasers but i like it man :) subbed

[@kuboss007]

@hightechstuff2 Thank You for Your answer and good luck with your future experiments!

[@hightechstuff2]

@kuboss007 Well, two things. In the title, Coherent is the manufacturer of this laser array. Coherent radiation also means that all the photon waves follow each other in step.

[@hightechstuff2]

@dtiydr Thanks! You should give it a try. The biggest issue with pumping KTP at that kind of power level and getting good results is cavity design. It's just not as simple as pumping the KTP in a pointer without thermal lensing. You need an L fold or Z fold cavity to do it correctly.

[@hightechstuff2]

@cruzz2316 Useful enough, Coherent charges $30,000 a piece for them. If you have ever read a national or large city newspaper. One of these lasers were used to print it.

[@Renegade30]

@Fandalg convential mirrors have a certain % of reflectability, mirrors used with lazers have to be designed to be almost 100% reflective, if you use a household mirror it would heat up and fry.

[@hightechstuff2]

@67tr876 The simplest answer is that a laser diode is a dead short. It will take as much current as you can throw at it until it blows. Thus the need for current regulation.

[@0ddinary]

can you imagine what this could do if it had a stronger power supply, and a really good lens? mannnnn... i want one

[@hightechstuff2]

@juliogbox Wrong, This camera is a high quality Sony VX-2000. It has a built in IR filter.

[@barrasin1]

dude that is sum power

[@hightechstuff2]

A big one! I'd suggest a 100W carbon dioxide laser for cutting plywood.

[@hightechstuff2]

@Plan3SkIPP3R This array consists of 19 individual diodes in a stripe array with quite a few correction optics to produce a very thin stripe about 3 inches from the output window. I use a PC lens in front of that to produce a fairly decent focal point about 5 inches in front of the laser. In short, the internal part of the head is all Coherent's magic.

[@Mosfet510]

Great video! I like that laser, would never really know it's on but would sure find out quickly by crossing in front of it.. That power supply sure packs a lot of amps.

[@1000000volts]

Lasers can't live with them can't live without them

[@punishedexistence]

Yeah, I'd need a few cans of the Beast in order to give me the balls to operate a machine like this... Seriously though very nice presentation and that is quite a bit of wattage. Cool video!

[@IlluminatedWhiteGuy]

I am in the process of designing/building a 3D CNC multi machine with a 2' x 2' x 2' work space. It will print 3D in all the filaments as well as carbon fiber. I also designed a 360 degree/90 degree 400 watt liquid cooled spindle motor for 5 axis milling fun. It will also easily wield my 60 amp plasma cutter torch too. I would like to add laser cutting/machining capability to this already amazing piece of equipment as well. I was looking at 80 watt CO2 laser tubes and need some pointers on fiber optic relocation and culmination of the photonic fury to the working head. There's not much publicly available info on the meaty details, though I haven't gone overboard searching yet. If you could point me in the right direction it would be greatly appreciated... I have been scoring some amazing deals so far on the components for the project so far. I bought full case of 24 4 wire NEMA 23 size stepper motors with Philips optical encoders new old stock still in the Styrofoam cases for only $5 bucks each! The 3D printer controller complete with the LCD and SD card option was only $58 delivered direct from China and it even came with the 5 stepper drivers! I'm using 3/4" black pipe for the framing at $12 bucks per 10 foot length and Lowe's custom cuts and threads to length for you FREE! I gave the poor clerk that drew the short straw a $5 tip for making all the cuts at least. That cheered him up because he was a little bummed when I handed him the list! lol A surplus store near me had all the 3/4" T's, couplers and elbow fittings for only a buck a pop saving me a small fortune! That surplus store also gave me a great deal on amazing quality 1/2" 10TPI threaded rod for use as Acme lead screws for only $4 bucks each for 3 footers. They were from an old hardware store that went out of business 30 years ago that he bought out. They do not even sell threaded rod of this quality anymore. It looks better machined then actual cheap modern manufacture Acme screws! My linear bearings are home designed from 1/2" polished hardened hex stock I just found today FREE for 6 six foot lengths of it. I'm going to manufacture my own linear bearings from Teflon square stock drilled then machined out to perfectly ride the hex stock toolmaking the cutter from the actual hex stock I'll be using. I'm also machining my own anti backlash nuts from Delrin stock. I'm blessed to have 3 laths, a mill and several other shop machines in my home. If I had to buy all the shaft couplers, mounts and timing pulleys this would easily become an expensive endeavor. I doubt I have $200 bucks in it so far and will come in well under a grand when finished. It's amazing how close technology is getting to the foreseen replicators in the original Star Trek series way back in the day. Our smart phones make their communicators look stupid now! lol Anyway, Great video,thanks for sharing...

[@hightechstuff2]

@GinoJerry86 The tan tubing? Yes. Also, I actually had to double up on the 10 gauge wire for the diode because they were getting hot.

[@Z-Ack]

Jeebus, the dude who made the video commented more than the viewers did..

[@JaroslawFiliochowski]

Depending on what you shine it at, it gets even worse: metal reflectivity at most visible frequencies goes easily over 60% (that's 600mW for a 1W laser), while certain combinations of material and frequency, like Copper vs 800nm lasers, go over 90% reflectivity. That's almost like shining the laser straight into your eye.

[@hightechstuff2]

@seriouslyWeird Oh, it ignites completely, just in a small localized spot. If i was to leave the cardboard there long enough, the whole piece would eventually be engulfed. Fire is a chemical reaction and consumes as it moves. Using light as the ignition catalyst does it a little differently than a lighter due to the localized ignition. Hope this helps.

[@wupme]

@PsychoticBovine expensive/high quality cameras filter the IR light, because even the natural IR sources are actually lowering the quality of the picture. Those "Nightvision" Cameras have a switch to remove that IR Filter.

[@thatoneguy99100]

you should get two more and make a huge DPSS white laser with 532 and 473 nm YAG and corrisponding mirrors... then you could just use a high power visible red laser and you'd be set!! either way, awesome vid!!! and a 532nm yag with this as the pump would be awesome! maybe q switched?

[@Flaminglog]

It would sear all tissue in the beam. Instant blindness and likely clotting due to internal veins being instantly cauterized.

[@hightechstuff2]

@ThePizzahero1 60W is the max optical output power. The rest is dumped via inefficiencies as waste heat. Thus the reason for the chiller. Yes, it is very dangerous to look at the diffused radiance as your eye will not feel the pain until damage is being done. I wear goggles when dealing with powers at this wavelength.

[@hightechstuff2]

@nucleochemist It's AR coated for IR and the other corrective optics in the head would absorb the last 1% of the reflection.

[@hightechstuff2]

Yes, this camera had a very good IR filter. I'd imagine a cell phone cameras CCD would fry quickly just from the scatter.

[@dann9865]

Thumbs up for Miller box! :D

[@hightechstuff2]

@ba3cool Ebay special, They are Uvex brand. I got them new for about $60. Not bad for a $300 pair. They are OD5 @ 795-800nm.

[@Feryanti]

AAAAAHH MY EYES!!!! I CAN'T SEEE!! I didn't put on my laser goggles lol >.

[@Philios2Glory1]

@hightechstuff2 Oh i see you are using 19 emitters via Transverse waves and using Constructive Interference to get the out put power to 60watts. That is very neat thanks for replying.

[@hightechstuff2]

@razblack I'm not sure about plating, but etching ABS would definitely be in the IR region.

[@MarshalBeard]

i like the noise the cardboard makes wen it catches on fire it sounds really cool =D i think u shudove zoomed in on the white spot on the brick tho it wudove been cool to see it start to melt up close :( still if youtube had the stars rating system i wudove gave it a 5 :)

[@hightechstuff2]

Sure am! I need another one of these power supplies so I can run them in parallel. They even support a master/slave function.

[@Zakerath]

so cool! I was hoping the brick would (...moltenize?, molt?, melt). though...

[@theorangeninja6486]

Have you any Idea how hard it is to melt bricks?

[@Zakerath]

+patrick costigliolo all silicates melt at 1200*C. (just about all rocks, like granite) (and I just learned this from checking my facts, so I realized it's not that easy to melt bricks afterall) but since bricks are clay, which does have quite a big percentage of silica, but also has a lot of alumina in it, so it's more like 1800*C due to the alumina. I'm not sure whether half of it melts between 1200 and 1800, or if it is resistant until 1800. Although in welding we use fire bricks for when we need something to take heat, they are designed to be very porous (air pockets) so it's difficult to get them to that temperature. It's like how you make a metal heat sink, but with clay. They will melt at that 1200-1800*C range if it can be obtained. It's easy to get them yellow hot, but difficult to get them to melt. I made that comment two years ago, before I started welding, and I now know that the laser would have to be hitting that spot for long enough to heat the whole brick to get too hot to touch, before the spot would start dripping the molten material.

[@hightechstuff2]

@Philios2Glory1 Exactly. There are 19 emitters.

[@magx1]

I'm surprised that the output is not at least partially visible with your camera - especially with the kind of power you have there. My video camera can see 1064nm when placed on it's 'night' setting.

[@dtiydr]

Nice vid! "I'm eventually planning on using this laser as a pump source for a YAG and frequency doubling the output of the YAG with a KTP to achieve around 10-30W of 532nm green." I have a 180W CW 1046nm nd:YAG laying around and have been the last year pretty tempting to test that with a big KTP to get what i guess would be pretty strong 532nm..

[@hightechstuff2]

Actually, I found out they make terrible pump lasers as the operating wavelength is centered around 830nm. These lasers were developed for huge, high speed typesetters.

[@hightechstuff2]

No, it is not a quantum cascade laser. They operate in the far IR region. Some people can feel the strain of IR on their eyes. My guess it that was your brains reaction. Just like when I think about heights, I feel tense.

[@sklefenz]

That would be the input to the system, however part of the energy is dissipated by the cooling unit

[@DriftingTaco]

At first I thought the brick looked like solid rocket fuel and I was like "bitch u crazy" but them I was like ooooooohhhhhhh

[@physicmad]

make your own paint removal system. laser -> fibre optic cable -> light management -> piezo galvo

[@LexxK]

60-ваттный лазер поджёг бумажку, просто офигеть!

[@hightechstuff2]

@thekingsora New? A lot! Used, not that much if you know how to hunt for deals. All the parts were bought separately and patiently over time.

[@adam010289]

Nice neat setup. What brand/model power supply is that?

[@hightechstuff2]

@67tr876 No, first the voltage is proportional to the current draw and over 4 volts will blow the diode.

[@damagemaniac]

I would probably be the first person to stick my hand through it really quick just to see what would happen xD

[@petermines]

@SpeedDemon46 Learning about lasers is the key. They are remarkable instruments and fascinating experiments with stunning results can be achieved when used properly. I've worked with lasers since 1975 and I still have sight in both eyes. Follow Hightechstuff2's advice and be safe to yourself as well as others.

[@hightechstuff2]

@dajakesta1234 Nanometers. Its a measure of wavelenght AKA, the color of the light in this case.

[@solarflare6753]

Wow that was awesome

[@rrealmezz]

Use an spot welder and a (full bridge rectifier) with an big big resistor for 90amp and 2.1volts

[@markp8295]

Full bridge rectifiers would be expensive for 90 amps. Also they aren't fast acting A very large Maxwell super capacitor could help smooth that as they are rated to 2.5V and a couple of hundred amps. But not as easy especially for sensitive tech as described.

[@hightechstuff2]

@Feryanti Thanks! I have an IR filter on the camera for your safety. ;D

[@hightechstuff2]

Thanks! Good question, all lasers are harmful to the eye. Even something in the microwatt range can do damage. Generally, lasers under 4.99mW are considered safe as "toys" because the human reflex of closing your eyelids or looking away is enough to prevent damage. The laser in this video is even more dangerous because the eye cannot precieve the brightness of the scattered light and damage can occur from just looking at a faint glow.

[@NOTy0urPUPPET]

Sweet power supply and cooler, but be careful with those safety glasses, I use that type of safety glasses with my 445 lasers and if you turn your head sideways you can see a gap at the bridge of your nose ( try it with a bright lightbulb and see what I mean ) and with a 60 watt 808nm at close range you could burn your retina so fast YIKES. I recomend getting the goggle type, I have some 12 watt coherent fac lasers that I wont even try to power up until I get some goggle style safety glasses.

[@hightechstuff2]

@vondeliusc Well said. Thank you for your comment. If you are into light shows, check out the photonlexicon forum. We are always looking for enthusiasts to join us. I'm 300EVIL on the forum. See ya there!

[@ThePizzahero1]

2 Questions: -Is 60 Watt the total power consumption of the laser, or only the output power (power of the laser beam) (80A*2.5V=200W) -Isn't it dangerous to look at the point where the laser hits its target, even if you cant see the light? Thank you and nice vid!

[@MPaulHolmesMPH]

That is awesome. What does the 60w mean? The power supply was 2.2v at 50 amps or so, which is over 100w. Is the 60w the possible power output after the heat loss?

[@hightechstuff2]

@TheDentroy I'm not sure about a trap but it's great as an invisible window for killing mosquitoes in mid air.

[@hightechstuff2]

@ChrisBiever About 40 or 50W (50000mW). The PS couldn't make more than 60A of current.

[@akaDragon]

It would be interesting to see what application this coukd be use for

[@hightechstuff2]

@redbullkoff Not more than a couple hundred because I fixed the parts and got them on a deal. I'm patient and buy smart. The beam is not white, it's actually dark red. So dark, you can't see it. AKA infrared. You can manipulate the wavelength with nonlinear crystals but I'd need more than 500 characters to explain that.

[@LaserGadgets]

@hightechstuff2 A 1-2m long fibre guiding the light...you will get a small spot. Or get a GRIN lens...should help as well.

[@ibleed1]

mod-yule guys OK, not mod-you-ull. Great. Thanks for watching.

[@nucleochemist]

You need to offset the angle of the lens you have on the end there just a few degrees so that reflections from the first surface of the lens dont enter the diode module and damage the sensitive emission surface.

[@mustafaelgharib]

Thanks for the gr8 video, HOW could I got a Laser beam over tunable wavelength (800-1200 nm)?!

[@BrilliantDesignOnline]

I have the same 60w module. I have not gotten around to 'firing' it up yet. I have a pumped cooling system and a 5v-150amp Scientific PS. I think most people have no idea how dangerous, or how expensive a diode module like these are. PEOPLE-These are V E R Y dangerous! Wear professional laser safety goggles. I also do show lasers- a bunch of 5mw, 100mw, 200mw, a 400mw 532nm Laser World 2 galvo, and a 500mw RGB 2 galvo with a couple diff. USB show driver softwares. Lasers are SO cool-

[@jackdhoupe]

I have the same diode and a current regulated power supply, I was considering using a optical relay for switching. Do you think the diode can be switched without damage? Also where did you get your optics to collimate the flat beam? Very professional video. I have built CO2 a raster engraver but have some questions regarding this wavelength and what materials it will react to. Is there a forum for guys like us?

[@mustafamohammed3834]

nice video , can you make a tutorial on how to operate & use it

[@hightechstuff2]

@tasnimultaseen No, if it was, you'd see a halo from the incoherent output. Also, if it were an incandescent filament, it would be MUCH brighter in appearance since it would be mostly visible spectra.

[@magx1]

@hightechstuff2 Makes Sense then. I cannot imagine 60 Watts (or 50) of continuous laser output. It would probably be blinding to a cheap, filter-free camera, such as a web-cam or cell phone camera. The thing with the penny was really impressive! I'm surprised that the copper surface (I know they aren't solid copper) didn't reflect too much energy to enable this. I guess it had to be a slightly tarnished penny for best results, correct?

[@JohnWallaard]

Really nice vid! Thanks!

[@AFrayedKnotMate]

Nice laser. What sort of pulsed output could you get from that one? And the question everyone wants answered, what kind of pulsed output would be needed to make 1-5mm holes in say 1/4" steel plate instantly (microseconds to milliseconds), are there any diodes or diode arrays capable of that?

[@hightechstuff2]

Because that's the capability of the diode based on the PN. Does it really matter? You can't really tell the difference anyway.

[@hightechstuff2]

@skooterkid11 Hey! I take offense to that! No, not really. I am a nerd and proud of it.

[@hightechstuff2]

Typically you'd be looking at a 30% conversion efficiency so.... around 500-600A. And yes, they do make some HUGE arrays. The biggest problem with them is cooling. Most of them run in a pulsed mode to keep them from frying. If you are looking to run a 300W diode array, let me know I have the power supplies you need for dirt cheap.

[@zwischendurundmoll3968]

I mean 12 years is 12 years but u still got those 300 watt power supplys for sale? :d

[@geoffW1997]

Hello, Really nice video. What powder supply and laser diode did u use?

[@smartguy9765]

@HahahahahaSQUARE Fair enough, we'll call it a tie.

[@ZacMacTV]

so awesome

[@fredyang04]

Good demo. what is the max output power of a green color laser diode?