HeNe Laser Kits - Basic, Zeeman, Stabilized with or without Arduino Controller for Sale

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HeNe Laser Kits - Basic, Zeeman, Stabilized with or without Arduino Controller For Sale

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HeNe Laser Kits - Basic, Zeeman, Stabilized with or without Arduino Controller:
$99.00

HeNe Laser Kits - Basic, Zeeman, Stabilized with or without Arduino Controller
These are various combinations of bare HeNe laser tubes, power supply bricks, and DC power packs or wall adapters to use for experiments or research, as well as parts to construct an Arduino controller to stabilized some of the tubes to produce a single frequency or Zeeman laser for use in interferometer applications.
Note: The Basic and Zeemen kits now have either 4-3/4 inch (~12.1 cm) or 6 inch (~15 cm) tubes. My choice but if you have a strong preference, contact me before ordering. The output power may be slightly lower for the shorter tubes (though barely perceptible by eye), but they have cathode-end output and low divergence. And for the Zeeman kits, the maximum split frequency can be higher (typically >1.5 MHz). And they are really cute. ;-) The photos have not been updated yet.If a particular kit you\'re interested in is \"Out of Stock\", please contact me. Sometimes these things don\'t get updated. :( :-)Here are detailed descriptions of all the types of HeNe Laser Kits available. Please contact me with any questions.Basic HeNe Laser Kit: The Basic HeNe Laser Kit ncludes a GUARANTEED WORKING red (633 nm) HeNe laser system consisting of:

Short JDSU, Melles Griot, Siemens/LASOS, or Spectra-Physics random polarized HeNe laser tube with a power output of greater than 0.5 mW (the spec for this tube is 0.4 mW).
HeNe laser power supply brick that runs on DC, with ballast resistor, and tube mounting brackets. (The label on the power supply may be discolored but it will work just as well.)
DC wall adapter which runs on 100-240 VAC that will power the brick (not shown). Styles may vary. Includes DC jack - see diagram for wiring.

These are similar parts to what would be found in an $800 laser if purchased new.The tube is\"Hard-seal\" which means it doesn\'t decay on the shelf so no periodic running is required to keep it healthy.Random polarized means that for this length tube there are up to 2 longitudinal modes present that are usually orthogonally polarized.
The output is from the cathode-end of the tube for the 4-3/4\" tubes but from the anode-end of the tube for the 6 inch tubes. This is critical for the hookup - powering the tube backwards will ruin it. Please pay attention to the wiring instructions in the construction manual which may be found at repairfaq.org/sam/manuals/ . Note that the anode-end of the tube MUST go to the mount with the red wire and ballast. Some of these tubes emit from the cathode-end (including all the 4-3/4 inchers). If using the mounting brackets, a hole will need to be drilled in the cathode-end bracket. I will usually have done that for you but just in case I forget, it can be done with a hand-drill and 1/8-1/4 inch drill bit. Of critical importance is that the tube be installed with the correct polarity. The tube may light and appear to work even if installed backwards, but it is likely to fail quickly. And yes, it\'s possible to tell that the cause of failure was reverse polarity. Failure of the tube due to incorrect wiring is not covered by the 30 day warranty.
This is basically a \"turn-key system\". No key :) but the only assembly required is installing the tube in the brackets and connecting the brick to the wall adapter.The laser tube and brick are used but fully tested; everything else is new.Here\'s your chance to own a real gas laser (not a laser pointer!) that can be used for all sorts of laser and optics experiments. The beam from a HeNe laser is of much higher quality than a diode laser - TEM00 with a near perfect Gaussian profile.The system can easily be mounted on a plastic or wood base with clear Plexiglas cover for display purposes (not included).A possible layout of a mounting base is shown above.Also available for all the kits are:

4X-6X HP beam expander. Cost is +$25.

Contact me before buying if interested and I will send an offer with the selected option(s).
Basic+ HeNe Laser Kit:
This substitutes a 9-10 inch Spectra-Physics or Siemens tube for the short tube. It runs on the same power supply and the output power is greater than 0.8 mW.Deluxe HeNe Laser Kit: The Deluxe HeNe Laser Kit has all the parts in the Basic HeNe Laser Kit but it has a higher power tube and a couple of additions:

A higher power tube with a minimum output power of greater than 0.7 mW.
Power supply/wiring with Alden connectors so tube and power supply can be easily detached.
Variable beam attenuator (not shown) that may be installed in the output end-bracket, or used separately.

As a practical matter, the difference in output power will be barely visible by eye even if the tubes are powered side-by-side, so the additional cost to build a higher power laser lamp is probably not worth it. ;-)
Deluxe+ HeNe Laser Kit:
This substitutes a 9-10 inch Spectra-Physics or Siemens tube for the short tube. It runs on the same power supply and the output power is greater than 0.9 mW.Zeeman HeNe Laser Kit:The Zeeman HeNe Laser Kit includes a laser tube that is guaranteed to be suitable for Zeeman and includes the following:

Short JDSU, Melles Griot, or Spectra-Physics random polarized 4-3/4 inch HeNe laser tube with a power output of greater than 0.4 mW (the spec for this tube is 0.4 mW). (A 6 inch tube is shown but those that are shipping now are 4-3/4\".)
HeNe laser power supply brick that runs on 12 VDC or 21-31 VDC depending on type, with ballast resistor, and tube mounting brackets. (The label on the power supply may be discolored but it will work just as well.)
Compatible wall adapter which runs on 100-240 VAC that will power the brick. Styles may vary. Includes DC jack - see diagram for wiring.
Set of 50 rare earth magnets to use for tests of the Zeeman behavior of this tube with various configurations of magnets.
A plastic sleeve into which a tube will fit secured with two slices of bicycle inner tube (or something similar).
Polarizer and photodiode for viewing of the Zeeman beat with an oscilloscope or frequency counter (not included).

One of the photos shows 49 of the 50 magnets arranged surrounding a plastic sleeve into which a tube will fit. They are secured with tape and two slices of bicycle inner tube. :)The laser will also work without the magnets as a normal (non-Zeeman) HeNe. Viewing the Zeeman behavior will require an oscilloscope with a bandwidth of at least 2 MHz or a sensitive frequency counter (not included). A similar tube with magnets and my test setup is shown below: Tube Installed in Zeeman Magnet for Testing (Left) and Scope Display of Zeeman Beat (Right)The beam from a HeNe laser is of much higher quality than a diode laser - TEM00 with a near perfect Gaussian profile. And you can impress your friends by talking about Zeeman beats and split HeNe gain curves. ;-) With the included Zeeman parts, the behavior of the tube inside a magnetic field can be characterized. While not part of the kit, inexpensive magnetic field sensors are readily available from an electronics distributor so that a Gauss meter can be built for under $10.
Using the rare earth magnets, a peak Zeeman beat frequency of between 0.8 and 1.2 MHz should be achievable. It should be possible to add soft iron pole pieces to the magnets to boost the field. With the addition of a Scanning Fabry-Perot Interferometer (see my other listings), the longitudinal mode behavior with and without the magnets can be characterized.
With the addition of a means of stabilizing the laser with the split Zeeman modes locked in position, this setup can form the basis for a precision laser interferometer measuring system. See Stabilized Zeeman HeNe Laser kits, below, and my other listings.
Zeeman+ HeNe Laser Kit:
Similar to above but the tube may be 4-3/4 or 6 inches with a minimum output power of 0.6 mW. As a practical matter, the power doesn\'t really make much difference for experiments and doesn\'t imply anything about life expectancy. Higher power may result in a lower split frequency.
Zeeman++ HeNe Laser Kit:
Similar to above but with a minimum output power of 1.0 mW.
Custom Zeeman Kits with New/NOS Tube 1-3This is included in all of the stabilized kits with Arduino. It can also be purchased separately.This adds parts to build an Arduino-based digital controller for any of the stabilized HeNe laser kits above to enable them to be used in an interferometer for precision measurement, wavelength reference, and similar applications. The Arduino-based µSLC1 controller consists of:

Atmega 328 Nano 3.0 Arduino compatible microprocessor board with the latest µSLC1 firmware preloaded.
Short (8 inch to 3 foot, my choice) USB A male to USB male Mini B cable
A BLANK Rev 1.1 µSLC1 PCB.
Most other parts to construct a digital controller - socket, LEDs, resistors, connectors, etc.
12 VDC wall adapter for controller - styles may vary (not shown).
Links to µSLC1 GUI, firmware, and assembly and operation manual.

A photo shows my prototype controller constructed on a solderless breadboard but using a PCB is much more reliable. Solderless breadboards are readily available if desired.A BLANK PCB Rev 1.1 will also be included. The completed controller using the PCB is shown in another photo. Displacements and other measurements down to nanometer resolution can be achieved using one of the stabilized Zeeman lasers in a heterodyne interferometer and the µMD1 or µMD2 Micro Measurement Display, or using one of the single frequency stabilized HeNe lasers with µMD0 or µMD2. (See my other listings.)
The Atmega board will be preloaded with Micro Stabilized Laser 1 (µSLC1) firmware that automagically locks a dual-mode frequency stabilized (normal, axial, or transverse Zeeman) or single mode intensity stabilized HeNe laser in optical frequency based on a digital control loop using signals from the photodiodes and the heater attached to the tube. Source code is written in C and may be compiled and uploaded to the board using the Arduino IDE or UECIDE, among others.The µSLC1 Windows Graphical User Interface (GUI) may be used to show laser status, monitor and plot the locking parameters, display the REF frequency, and save data to a file for analysis of stability and other esoteric stuff, but it is not essential to run the laser. The plot in the photo shows a similar laser at the end of warmup and then just after locking. The Command window of µSLC1 may also be used to modify locking parameters to optimize or screw up performance. :) The system may be run stand-alone once it has been tested.A photo shows the prototype axial Zeeman laser built from parts similar to those in the kit. This is as an example of what\'s possible with a bit of resourcefulness and determination.The diagrams above show the hookup for powering the tube itself and the general scheme used for stabilization . Detailed instructions may be found at repairfaq.org/sam/manuals/.
Thanks for looking at all these!
Note that where a AC line voltage input is required, kits sent to international destinations will be compatible with 100-250 VAC BUT the plug will be a US plug if part of the adapter. If it takes a detachable cord, there will be none since it won\'t fit your AC socket!International shipping via the Global Shipping Program. If your country isn\'t included, contact me for alternatives.--- sam