Laser diode sources (Where to buy)

[SteveBzzz]

Hi,

Does anyone know of a source to buy laser diodes? I am interested in the red 650 nm used in laser pointers. The ones I find are usually expensive, while a laser pointer costs about 4 dollars, but I can not find the diodes at this price or less. Also, I am looking for green laser diodes that I can purchase for less than the price of a green laser pointer.

Thanks

 

[Thorn3]

What you are fighting here, is bulk pricing in manufacturing. If you cannot source such laser moduals, for less money, then simply buy the pens. You will actually save money, as long as you don't mind having to salvage them from the pens.
Not only do you get the laser modual, but you also get the lens, the driver circuit, the adjustment spring and housing. You can't beat that for the price, really.
How many laser diodes do you need? Only a very high bulk price will enable you to purchase such diodes at the kind of price you are looking for.
As far as green goes, well, they are not just a laser diode. They use an infrared laser diode, at 808nm to pump a small crystal of vanadate to get an output of 1064nm, which is then frequency doubled through a non-linear optical process to 532nm. It is a DPSS laser, or diode pumped solid state laser. It is better to just buy the pens, for the money. As far as I am aware, they do not yet sell green laser diodes.
Hope this helps.

 

[SteveBzzz]

Thanks for the response. I have long since given up on that experiement )

Thanks again,

Steve