Setting Up a TO Can Laser Diode (Viewer Inspired) | Thorlabs Insights

Installing a TO can laser diode in a mount and setting it up to run under temperature and current control presents many opportunities to make a mistake that could damage or destroy the laser. This step-by-step guide includes tips for keeping humans and laser diodes safe from harm.

Protection from the considerable risk of electrostatic discharge (ESD) is provided by an ESD strap, but only if the strap is grounded and worn correctly. Wearing the strap as demonstrated makes it easier to keep the strap's metal plate in constant skin contact. Moisturizing the skin with lotion formulated for use in electronic and cleanroom environments can also help.

A laser diode can be damaged by attempting to force it into a socket that is the wrong size. To avoid this, find a suitable mount by referencing the physical dimensions of the pins identified in the video. Since current flow in the wrong direction is also dangerous to laser diodes, it is critical to correctly orient the laser in the socket, as well as properly set the polarity of the mount's switches. Current drivers typically also have a polarity setting. The diode orientation and mount and driver settings can be determined using information included in the laser's pin diagram and electrical diagram, whose symbols are decoded and explained in the video.

Excessive operating temperatures and drive current are both risks that can be mitigated using correctly configured current and temperature controllers. Their setup is demonstrated. The proper use of two frequently misunderstood parameters, maximum power and maximum current, in configuring the current driver is also shown.

00:00 - Introduction
00:42 - How to Reduce the Risk of ESD
03:03 - TO Can Dimensions Used to Choose the Mount
04:59 - How to Read and Use the Laser's Pin Diagram
06:24 - Orient and Install the Laser in the Mount
07:27 - Set Laser's Polarity on Mount and Controller
09:03 - Other Controller Settings that Safeguard the Laser

Components used in this demonstration include:
- LDC202C Current Controller: https://www.thorlabs.com/newgrouppage...
- TED200C Temperature Controller: https://www.thorlabs.com/newgrouppage...
- WS02 ESD Strap: https://www.thorlabs.com/newgrouppage...
- TO Can Laser Diodes (L852P100 Shown): https://www.thorlabs.com/newgrouppage...
- LDM90 Mount for TO-9 Laser Diodes: https://www.thorlabs.com/newgrouppage...
- BA2F Flexure Clamping Base: https://www.thorlabs.com/newgrouppage...
- TZ1 Tweezers: https://www.thorlabs.com/newgrouppage...
- LG1B Laser Safety Glasses: https://www.thorlabs.com/newgrouppage...
- S142C Integrating Sphere Photodiode Power Sensor: https://www.thorlabs.com/newgrouppage...
- PM400 Power Meter: https://www.thorlabs.com/newgrouppage...

For more photonics how-to videos, visit https://www.thorlabs.com/newgrouppage...