Looking for information about SDL / JDSU diode lasers
Kevin Criqui
but I haven't been able to find much information about it. One looks to be
the original SDL version of this JDSU product
http://www.sdli.com/index2.cfm?NAVCID=5&CID=5&PageName=Fiber%20Laser,%209%20
and%2015%20W&ACT=Display&ProductID=1148&G_ID=12&C_ID=343
If that huge link doesn't work, it's their IFL series fiber coupled laser.
This one appears to be a 9-10W version since the part number is
FL10-3911-004. It powers up, but the error LED lights up. I'm thinking
that there is either an interlock on the 40 pin connector or it wants a
command on the RS-232 port. I connected to it at 9600,N81 but all get from
it is "BCM" when I press enter. JDSU doesn't have any technical data on
their web site - does anyone have a users guide or other information about
this laser?
The other thing I got is a smaller diode laser box with an SDL-3450 module
mounted on the biggest TEC I've ever seen (about 2.5" square). It appears
to be complete with power supply and there is a control panel labeled
"SDL-8000 Diagnostic Unit" that I *think* plugs into the back. I haven't
powered this one up yet. Anyone have any idea what I've got here? I've
found a few references to SDL-3460 modules which are ~808nm, 16W.
I've put a few pictures of this equipment on my web server at
http://www.junktronix.com/lasers/SDL
Kevin
Richard Everett
keep that flea market location a secret! :-)
Richard
"Kevin Criqui" <use...@kce.com> wrote in message
news:PZxG9.197216$%m4.7...@rwcrnsc52.ops.asp.att.net...
Kevin Criqui
page http://www.kce.com/junk.html. Of course, it helps to have been going
for a few years and being on a first name basis with some of the vendors :)
I connected the SDL-8000 Diagnostic Unit to the smaller, black laser box and
powered it up. It seems to be working! However, it shuts down with the
current error LED lit at just over 25A. At 24.5A, it reports a bit over 1W
power, but it looks like a *lot* more than that. Those 2W fiber couple
diodes that several people have been selling on ebay will smoke a dark
colored surface when focused, but the raw fiber output from this one at
24.5A set a piece of white paper with a small dark smudge on fire.
I guess I'll revisit my homemade diffraction grating spectrometer to see if
I can figure out if this is 808nm or something else. If anyone has an old
data sheet for the SDL-3450 module that's inside, I'd love to see a copy.
Kevin
"Richard Everett" <ri...@skyko.com> wrote in message
news:n0yG9.24399$%r6....@nwrddc02.gnilink.net...
bob
>If that huge link doesn't work, it's their IFL series fiber coupled laser.
>This one appears to be a 9-10W version since the part number is
>FL10-3911-004. It powers up, but the error LED lights up. I'm thinking
>that there is either an interlock on the 40 pin connector or it wants a
>command on the RS-232 port. I connected to it at 9600,N81 but all get from
>it is "BCM" when I press enter. JDSU doesn't have any technical data on
>their web site - does anyone have a users guide or other information about
>this laser?
what you have is a diode pumed FIBER laser, not a fiber coupled laser...
it'a a yb couble clad fiber, 10w output in a tem00 beam... not to shabby....
the controlelrs for the fiber laser systems seem to be somewhat problamatic,
with alot of them failing in the reprographic feild, so my guy tells me...
you would be better off probably to rip off the diode pump module and the
spool of fiber up top and run the diodes with your own controller..
conviniently since the fiber laser is a yb laser you dont need temperture
control over the diodes, just fire um up ,and keep um cool via the huge
heatsink and fan they are attached to and away she goes...
as you suspect the laser is looking for either a controller on the 40 pin
conenctor OR a serial connection.. even if you use the serial conncetion you
have to have an interlock jumper on the 40 pin, IIRC... i ahve the list of
commands somewhere for the serial conenctor, i'll see if i can dig them up
for you...
>The other thing I got is a smaller diode laser box with an SDL-3450 module
>mounted on the biggest TEC I've ever seen (about 2.5" square). It appears
>to be complete with power supply and there is a control panel labeled
>"SDL-8000 Diagnostic Unit" that I *think* plugs into the back. I haven't
>powered this one up yet. Anyone have any idea what I've got here? I've
>found a few references to SDL-3460 modules which are ~808nm, 16W.
yup... 16w, 800u, IIRC
bob
>what you have is a diode pumed FIBER laser, not a fiber coupled laser...
>it'a a yb couble clad fiber, 10w output in a tem00 beam... not to
shabby....
>the controlelrs for the fiber laser systems seem to be somewhat
problamatic,
>with alot of them failing in the reprographic feild, so my guy tells me...
>you would be better off probably to rip off the diode pump module and the
>spool of fiber up top and run the diodes with your own controller..
>conviniently since the fiber laser is a yb laser you dont need temperture
>control over the diodes, just fire um up ,and keep um cool via the huge
>heatsink and fan they are attached to and away she goes...
i didnt bother looking at the pics throughly... the unit you ahve uses a
single pump diode, so it WILL need some cooling to properly dissapate heat,
a heatsink prolly isnt going to be sufficent.. the other sdl fiber lasers i
have seen use 20 or so much smaller fiber coupled diodes to serve as a pump,
and are spread over a large heatsink, allowing for simple forced air
cooling...
Kevin Criqui
news:KVEG9.25794$%r6.2...@nwrddc02.gnilink.net...
> >what you have is a diode pumed FIBER laser, not a fiber coupled laser...
> >it'a a yb couble clad fiber, 10w output in a tem00 beam... not to
> shabby....
That explains the label on the back that reads:
Fiber Laser 1112nm 20W max
Diode Pump 916nm 40W max
> >the controlelrs for the fiber laser systems seem to be somewhat
> problamatic,
> >with alot of them failing in the reprographic feild, so my guy tells
me...
> >you would be better off probably to rip off the diode pump module and the
> >spool of fiber up top and run the diodes with your own controller..
> >conviniently since the fiber laser is a yb laser you dont need temperture
> >control over the diodes, just fire um up ,and keep um cool via the huge
> >heatsink and fan they are attached to and away she goes...
>
> i didnt bother looking at the pics throughly... the unit you ahve uses a
> single pump diode, so it WILL need some cooling to properly dissapate
heat,
> a heatsink prolly isnt going to be sufficent.. the other sdl fiber lasers
i
> have seen use 20 or so much smaller fiber coupled diodes to serve as a
pump,
> and are spread over a large heatsink, allowing for simple forced air
> cooling...
You can't tell from the pictures, but the SDL-6460 module is mounted on a
heat spreader that sits on two 2.5" square TECs - 12.5 square inches of
active cooling - then the huge heat sink and fan. I assume the module needs
35A or more and those huge TECs must be pretty power hungry also so I'd like
to try to use the built-in power supply. Do you know if the SDL-8000
Diagnostic Unit will work with this laser? The 40 pin connector on the back
matches the connector on the diag unit. If not, any information you can
find about defeating the interlock and controlling it over the serial port
would be much appreciated. One other question. What is the point of that
spool of fiber?
> >The other thing I got is a smaller diode laser box with an SDL-3450
module
> >mounted on the biggest TEC I've ever seen (about 2.5" square). It
appears
> >to be complete with power supply and there is a control panel labeled
> >"SDL-8000 Diagnostic Unit" that I *think* plugs into the back. I haven't
> >powered this one up yet. Anyone have any idea what I've got here? I've
> >found a few references to SDL-3460 modules which are ~808nm, 16W.
>
> yup... 16w, 800u, IIRC
I did power this one up and it's working. However it has a couple of
strange behaviors. When turning up the power, is shuts down with the
current error LED lit at about 25A. I can hold the override button in and
it'll keep operating up to a max of about 35A with a noticeable increase in
output. Also, at 24.5A, it reports just over 1W output and over a watt of
"refl power" Is it possible that I'm using the wrong type of fiber? It's
labeled "raycom systems 00-0544-po16b optical fiber cable" and was the
only cable I had with the correct connector - a screw on type that looks
like an SMA connector. At 24.5A, it appears several times more powerful
than a 2W fiber coupled eBay diode at 1.5A (approx. 1W) despite the control
panel reading just over 1W.
Kevin
Sam Goldwasser
You need to make sure the optical fiber is correct. There are many types
with an SMA connector. The core diameter and NA has to be large enough
to accept what is being provided by the laser or else there will be
major reflections and loss of power. A sure indication would be that the
connectors are getting warm as you run it now.
--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ Home Page: http://www.repairfaq.org/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/
+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasersam.htm
| Mirror Site Info: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_mirror.html
bob
Kevin Criqui wrote in message ...
>You can't tell from the pictures, but the SDL-6460 module is mounted on a
>heat spreader that sits on two 2.5" square TECs - 12.5 square inches of
>active cooling - then the huge heat sink and fan. I assume the module
needs
>35A or more and those huge TECs must be pretty power hungry also so I'd
like
>to try to use the built-in power supply. Do you know if the SDL-8000
>Diagnostic Unit will work with this laser? The 40 pin connector on the
back
>matches the connector on the diag unit.
sdl has a custom controller for the fiber lasers.. the pics you ahve dont
look like the controller i have, so i, to be safe, wouldnt advise connecting
it that way.. I should be able to get you that list of commands tonight.. if
you can connect to it via rs 232 your controller may very well be
functional...
If not, any information you can
>find about defeating the interlock and controlling it over the serial port
>would be much appreciated. One other question. What is the point of that
>spool of fiber?
>
the spool of fiber *IS* the laser... it's a fiber laser... the fiber is a
double clad... the inner core is a doped material with yb as the lasant...
there is another outter 'core' that conducts the pump light from the diode
unit. .the inner core absorbs the pump light and lases single mode.... then
finally there is an outter cladding to keep the pump light in....
the way these guys are put together, there is a fiber brag reflector between
the pump diode and the spool of fiber (the brag reflector is fiber it's
self, and is fusion spliced into the laser) this acts as a hr at the laser
wavelength.... sone fiber lasers ahve enough gain that ASE will allow for
lasing, others have a partial brag reflector spliced on the distal end that
forms the OC...
>> yup... 16w, 800u, IIRC
>
>I did power this one up and it's working. However it has a couple of
>strange behaviors. When turning up the power, is shuts down with the
>current error LED lit at about 25A. I can hold the override button in and
>it'll keep operating up to a max of about 35A with a noticeable increase in
>output. Also, at 24.5A, it reports just over 1W output and over a watt of
>"refl power" Is it possible that I'm using the wrong type of fiber? It's
>labeled "raycom systems 00-0544-po16b optical fiber cable" and was the
>only cable I had with the correct connector - a screw on type that looks
>like an SMA connector. At 24.5A, it appears several times more powerful
>than a 2W fiber coupled eBay diode at 1.5A (approx. 1W) despite the control
>panel reading just over 1W.
>
if you are running the diode at tens of w of power, and your fiber is
improperly matched, you will INSTANTLY smoke the input end of the fiber.. if
you arent getting some major power out of the diode, the thing is probably
at or past the end of it's usefull life.... a word of caution 35 amps is
close to 1.5x spec current... if you run the diode too hard you can blow it,
keep in mind... if you are running it that hard to get any apreciable output
however the diode probably is a goner anyways... :/
bob
here the you probably need.. much more than I'm willing to type in by hand
:)
bob wrote in message ...
Kevin Criqui
>
> Kevin Criqui wrote in message ...
>
>
> the spool of fiber *IS* the laser... it's a fiber laser... the fiber is a
> double clad... the inner core is a doped material with yb as the lasant...
> there is another outter 'core' that conducts the pump light from the diode
> unit. .the inner core absorbs the pump light and lases single mode....
then
> finally there is an outter cladding to keep the pump light in....
>
> the way these guys are put together, there is a fiber brag reflector
between
> the pump diode and the spool of fiber (the brag reflector is fiber it's
> self, and is fusion spliced into the laser) this acts as a hr at the laser
> wavelength.... sone fiber lasers ahve enough gain that ASE will allow for
> lasing, others have a partial brag reflector spliced on the distal end
that
> forms the OC...
Wow - you learn something new every day. So what's the point of using a
~20W laser at 919nm to pump a ~10W laser at 1112nm? Or is the SDL-6460
module just a 20W incoherent light source (like a big LED)?
I thought these guys were 35A max - so I guess the automatic shutoff at 25A
is proper behavior then.
I made an interlock cheater on my lathe so I could see what the raw output
looks like. With that installed instead of the fiber, the "refl power"
drops to 0.07 with an output power of 1.00. I'm assuming that means
reflected power, even though it is labeled (V) rather than (W). My handy
dandy LaserCheck says that there's more like 0.9W when the control panel
says 0.2W. Still that works out to only 4.5W @ 24A. Fortunately, I have a
couple of SDL-3460's in other equipment in the garage that I'll end up
testing in this box once I determine if they have similar power
requirements. You don't have data sheets for the SDL modules floating
around there do you?
Kevin
bob
Kevin Criqui wrote in message ...
>Wow - you learn something new every day. So what's the point of using a
>~20W laser at 919nm to pump a ~10W laser at 1112nm? Or is the SDL-6460
>module just a 20W incoherent light source (like a big LED)?
nope, it's not incohernet, infact it's highly coherent.... the ouptut of the
diode is highly multimode.... ie if you tried to focus it down, you MIGHT be
able to get a focal spot a few hundred microns in diameter... however the
output from the fiber laser is tem00, ie VERY good beam quality.... so even
thought the output power is 1/2 that of the output power directly from the
diodes, you can focus it down easily to a spot size a few microns wide, so
your power density is many thousands of times higher, meaning you can do
more serious work with the laser.. these things were primarily intended for
light marking aplications on stuff like ceramics, anodized aluminum, wood,
plastic, and the like...
>I thought these guys were 35A max - so I guess the automatic shutoff at 25A
>is proper behavior then.
35a is over spec current at end of life.. as a general rule of thumb, a 20w
diode will take a bit over 20a to get out the power.. with a fiber coupled
laser you normally ahve 75 to 80% efficency so for a 16w output you shouldnt
have much more than 20a input... about 24a is normal...
>I made an interlock cheater on my lathe so I could see what the raw output
>looks like. With that installed instead of the fiber, the "refl power"
>drops to 0.07 with an output power of 1.00. I'm assuming that means
>reflected power, even though it is labeled (V) rather than (W). My handy
>dandy LaserCheck says that there's more like 0.9W when the control panel
>says 0.2W.
what current is this at? keep in mind your diode prolly thresholds from 6 to
8 amps, and at near threshold levels output power is much lower when looked
at fromt he standpoint of watts per amp.. you cant simply scale a reading at
say 8 amps up to what you would get at 20a.. the relationship isnt linear
untill you get up to much closer to max current..
Still that works out to only 4.5W @ 24A. Fortunately, I have a
>couple of SDL-3460's in other equipment in the garage that I'll end up
>testing in this box once I determine if they have similar power
>requirements. You don't have data sheets for the SDL modules floating
>around there do you?
you mean the little fiber coupled diodes, as seen on the bottom of your page
of pics???
nope... they are just diodes.. no real specs other than the norm..
btw, did you see my other post in this thread about the fiber lasers?
the info you need is maybe 10 pages worth.. more than i want to retype
here.. do you have a fax number i can send the stuff to you at?
Kevin Criqui
> btw, did you see my other post in this thread about the fiber lasers?
> the info you need is maybe 10 pages worth.. more than i want to retype
> here.. do you have a fax number i can send the stuff to you at?
I emailed my fax number to an email address I had for you. At the risk of
getting fax spam, my fax is
4 0 8 5 1 9 1 1 0 2 (maybe the spaces will keep this from being used for
spam) If you have a complete manual, I'd be happy to pay to have it
photocopied and sent to me.
Kevin
Kevin Criqui
>
> Kevin Criqui wrote in message ...
>
> >Wow - you learn something new every day. So what's the point of using a
> >~20W laser at 919nm to pump a ~10W laser at 1112nm? Or is the SDL-6460
> >module just a 20W incoherent light source (like a big LED)?
>
>
> nope, it's not incohernet, infact it's highly coherent.... the ouptut of
the
> diode is highly multimode.... ie if you tried to focus it down, you MIGHT
be
> able to get a focal spot a few hundred microns in diameter... however the
> output from the fiber laser is tem00, ie VERY good beam quality.... so
even
> thought the output power is 1/2 that of the output power directly from the
> diodes, you can focus it down easily to a spot size a few microns wide, so
> your power density is many thousands of times higher, meaning you can do
> more serious work with the laser.. these things were primarily intended
for
> light marking aplications on stuff like ceramics, anodized aluminum, wood,
> plastic, and the like...
That makes sense. I guess this laser won't be very interesting without some
sort of scanner or actuator to move the head around. Probably a bad idea to
use it to excercise the cats :)
> >I thought these guys were 35A max - so I guess the automatic shutoff at
25A
> >is proper behavior then.
>
> 35a is over spec current at end of life.. as a general rule of thumb, a
20w
> diode will take a bit over 20a to get out the power.. with a fiber coupled
> laser you normally ahve 75 to 80% efficency so for a 16w output you
shouldnt
> have much more than 20a input... about 24a is normal...
>
> >I made an interlock cheater on my lathe so I could see what the raw
output
> >looks like. With that installed instead of the fiber, the "refl power"
> >drops to 0.07 with an output power of 1.00. I'm assuming that means
> >reflected power, even though it is labeled (V) rather than (W). My handy
> >dandy LaserCheck says that there's more like 0.9W when the control panel
> >says 0.2W.
>
> what current is this at? keep in mind your diode prolly thresholds from 6
to
> 8 amps, and at near threshold levels output power is much lower when
looked
> at fromt he standpoint of watts per amp.. you cant simply scale a reading
at
> say 8 amps up to what you would get at 20a.. the relationship isnt linear
> untill you get up to much closer to max current..
The threshold seems to be less than 1A (I can see a small amount of light at
1A so threshold is probably even lower) I figured 4.5W based on the
diagnostic unit power reading being off by a factor of 4.5 (0.9/0.2) and
reading about 1W at 24A. The cheater is just a bit of steel turned to just
fit into the output coupler and center drilled with as large a hole as I
dared. It gets too hot to touch when I run the laser at 24A for a short
time. The fiber I was using didn't get noticably warm despite the high refl
power.
> >Still that works out to only 4.5W @ 24A. Fortunately, I have a
> >couple of SDL-3460's in other equipment in the garage that I'll end up
> >testing in this box once I determine if they have similar power
> >requirements. You don't have data sheets for the SDL modules floating
> >around there do you?
>
> you mean the little fiber coupled diodes, as seen on the bottom of your
page
> of pics??? nope... they are just diodes.. no real specs other than the
norm..
Thanks. I haven't worked with anything quite so large so I was not familiar
with the norm. Do you have any idea what's inside the module? Maybe a bar
diode with fiber coupling optics?
Kevin
Mike Poulton
> The threshold seems to be less than 1A (I can see a small amount of
> light at 1A so threshold is probably even lower)
Big laser diodes have significant incoherent emisions below threshold. The
lasing threshold is where the output begins to increase dramatically and
becomes more coherent. The threshold is definitely much more than an amp,
probably around 8A. Be careful looking at these diodes. If you can see
the 808nm light, you may be in danger of getting eye damage. I would
definitely be wearing goggles at that power level. The output of the fiber
laser is even worse, since it will be completely invisible and have higher
beam quality.
> Thanks. I haven't worked with anything quite so large so I was not
> familiar with the norm. Do you have any idea what's inside the
> module? Maybe a bar diode with fiber coupling optics?
A 16W fiber coupled diode has a 20W diode bar (typically 15 or 20 emitters
in parallel) and coupling optics. For fiber bundle outputs, each emitter
on the bar has a fiber positioned right in front of it, often with a
cylindrical microlens to reduce fast-axis divergence. For single-mode
fiber outputs, the optics are much more complicated, possibly involving
anamorphic prisms or lens ducts.
--
Mike Poulton
MTP Technologies
Not only do I speak for my company, I AM my company!
Live free or die!
http://www.indefenseoffreedom.org/
Kevin Criqui
Did you see the fax # in my previous post? No rush, but I've got time this
weekend to mess with lasers and would love to give the FL10 a shot.
408-519-1102. Thanks!
Kevin
"bob" <nom...@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:RJZG9.32062$%r6....@nwrddc02.gnilink.net...