Blu-Ray Laser Pointer
I was sitting in the basement of the Siebel Center one day when Matt Sparks mentioned the Blu-Ray Laser Phaser project, made possible by the Sony Blu-Ray replacement drive assembly for the PS3. I impulsively purchased one such module on eBay and set out to build the best possible Blu-Ray Laser Pointer.
I focused on building a high quality device. I am really happy with the size and quality of the case, and current-limited power supply, as opposed to the simple resistor based design some other designs suggest. I also opted for rechargeable Li-Ion batteries for great performance and size. This necessitated the installation of a charging jack on the back of the pointer as well.
Parts:
- Sony KES-400a replacement Blu-Ray drive module for PlayStation 3
- Pomona Electronics Size "B" Die Cast Aluminum Box with Cover, Baked Blue Enamel finish, Model# 2417
as seen on page 53 of their catalog. All of their other products are great too. Highly Recommended. - 650nm 5mw 12X30mm laser module from Aixiz. This company, on the other hand, is as sketchy as you get, but I've always had great services, so, if you need cheap lasers, it works.
- (2) AAA Li-Ion cells with solder tabs.
- Protection Circuit Module for Li-Ion cells.
You'll need some other items as well, such as a jack for charging the device, wires, a breadboard PCB, and various components for the power supply. You can pick those out from the schematic below though.
There's lots of great info regarding the Blu-Ray diode on a page at Sam's Laser FAQ. This was the source of the power supply circuit, and information about the amount of current that could be run through the diode. Unfortunately, the construction quality of the power supply isn't the greatest, and I find the case design for the pointer at the bottom rather wasteful. The circuit is, however, of sound design.
(Schematic Credit: Sam's Laser FAQ)
It is only somewhat difficult to fit the power supply on to a suitably small breadboard to fit in the case. I think a smaller package version of the LM317 would be better suited than the TO-220 packaged one I chose.
The experience using the Blu-Ray laser pointer is rather interesting. It is clearly extremely bright, and for this reason I must underscore the importance of being extremely careful to avoid eye exposure. However bright it is, sometimes it appears quite dim because the color is very near UV and normally much more deep violet than it appears in the photo above. On paper and bleached targets it does appear very blue, or even white on orange fluorescent surfaces. Occasionally there is even some eye-strain associated with looking at the beam incident on a light colored surface.
In a completely dark room it is even possible to see the beam in air, which is rather interesting, because the dot appears less bright than a cheap 5mw red laser pointer might in a well-lit room. I don't have the appropriate equipment to properly measure light output, but I have chosen not to run it at maximum current in order to prolong diode life. It is plenty bright at it's current level of ~30-40ma.
Soon I hope to label the box with appropriate warnings and specifications for the charging port on the back, but I need to prepare appropriate stencils for painting first. I think it is built such that I can expect many years of service before needing to service it.
I'd love to hear if you're building one or have any questions about mine.