Tout sur les Diode laser.-Mozilla Firefox. DIY Homemade laser diode driver - Laser Pointer Forums - Discuss Lasers & Laser Pointers. Controlling 3V laser with arduino. What is it that you need the laser to do, and how fast does it need to do it? Is it a variation of a few % of 40mA, or a full 0 to 40mA? I am told (but not tested it yet) that it is tricky to modulate low-cost lasers much faster than 5KHz. It can be done, but the electronics gets more complex. This looks like a good source of info Sam's Laser FAQ which might help. The laser will need a limit on the current to 40mA. The laser modules I have are relatively relaxed about using higher voltages (an Arduino pin is only 4.2V), but they were more sensitive to current.
Also, I would be nervous about trying to source 40mA from a single pin for long periods. Have you access to a copy of the Art of Electronics? If it is relatively coarse modulation (i.e 8 levels), you could try using a bunch of Arduino pins, each limited to, say, 5mA with a resistor, and just modulate by switching them between on and high-impedance.
I have found the owner very helpful. Sam's Laser FAQ - Diode Laser Power Supplies. {*style:<b>Sam's Laser FAQ, Copyright © 1994-2012, Samuel M. Goldwasser, All Rights Reserved. I may be contacted via the Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ Email Links Page . </b>*} Back to Sam's Laser FAQ Table of Contents . Sub-Table of Contents Laser Diode Drive Requirements Alternatives - Diode Laser Modules, Laser Pointers Laser Pointers and Diode Laser Modules - The Low Stress Approach Power Regulators in Laser Pointers Laser Pointer with a Resistor for a Regulator Substituting Batteries in Laser Pointers Powering a Laser Pointer From an External Source Blinking Laser Pointer or Diode Laser Module? Integrated Circuits for Driving Laser Diodes Laser Diode Drive Chips Caution About Cheap Laser Diode Drivers Comments on Some Commercial Drivers and Detectors More on Laser Diode Characteristics and Drivers Comments on Driver Education for Laser Diode Driver Designers Variations in Laser Diode Monitor Photodiode Current Sensitivity Response Time of Laser Diode and Monitor Photodiode Art's Laser Diode Simulator.
Laser hacks. How to use a Laser diode. Ok - wait a minute - he's referencing the laser -diode- offered on that page - not the laser MODULE. A laser -diode- is going to need a little more than that circuit to operate properly (without it burning out); it needs the proper voltage and current control... What that circuit shows that the OP posted is a control for a laser module, but shows a diode in place of the module (which is incorrect).
The OP is referencing the data for the diode on futurlec's page - which is not what is called for in the circuit. The OP should either use the laser -module- that futurlec sells on that page, or investigate how to properly build a power supply for a laser diode (which can then be controlled by the circuit already posted). Simple laser diode supply schematics can be found here: ...and here: ...among other places on the net (google "laser diode driver").