I recently bought 10 laser diodes and I am wondering how I should drive them.
This is the spec sheet for the laser diode
http://www.laser66.com/html/DL-6353TL.pdf
It needs 2.15V and 30mA current, well the pdf file has everything.
I have read some stuff that says the good and bad of using the photodiode inside the laser diode to regulate its current and i'm wondering if i should use it or not in the circuit.

I have 10, and the minimum i need is 4, so i'm expecting things to break :O

as a side question, how should i put a heatsink on these if i chose to?

 

Hi Hyperian,

Have you read this document yet? Any time I have a question on lasers I usually find something useful in Sam's Laser FAQ.

I should admit that my experience with diode lasers so far extends to ripping them out of $2 laser pointers and powering them using just the included series resistor from a regulated supply. They work OK for my purpose (beam-break detectors for a foosball scoring circuit).


Torben

 

http://pcbheaven.com/handbook/archive/index.php?s=L&cat=Laser

 

Thanks for the links, I've been to them before but i guess i did not read them with a good enough eye.

but the sites doesnt say how to mount or how to heatsink laser diodes, anyone know?

 

Thanks for the links, I've been to them before but i guess i did not read them with a good enough eye.

but the sites doesnt say how to mount or how to heatsink laser diodes, anyone know?

I'm afraid I don't know, as the ones I have pulled out of laser pointers already have a heat sink attached.

However, the www.laser66.com site says that if you have a question which isn't answered on the site, to email them with the question. Perhaps you can fire them off an email while you wait for those more experienced than I to answer you here.


Good luck on your quest,

Torben