Cyonics Uniphase 2201-15SLB 20mW Argon Ion Laser - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: oz2cpu
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 31, 2023, 08:01:43 am
content: I did a few searches in this group, it looks like we have some laser experts herei just scoredCyonics Uniphase 2201-15SLB 20mW Argon Ion Laser unittogether with its power supply at a local flea marked,all details here,https://youtu.be/Z9Y36XSjaYUit drives my nuts the power supply is for 115V AC 20Aa step down transformer is double as big and heavy as the entire unit, and it cost also 10 times as much as i payed for the laserany one got schematics of the power supplyor know if any tricks exist to rewire it for 230V AC

author: LaserSteve
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 31, 2023, 01:29:54 pm
content: SLB. = tem00 mode single line 488 nm blur.Power consumption is roughly 1760 watts @ 120V.⁹JDSU never, never released the schematics of the PSU.It like 95% of the small ion laser power supplies in the world, is a constant current buck switcher. You have a first generationCynics Uniphase, ie very old and way before they they were bought by venture capital and turned into JDSu.I'm not sure of the conversion steps.Later models require a "personality" board and a power factorcontroller to be swapped out, plus many jumpers to be changed to switch to 220.Your cathode transformer may or may not have taps.Nominally it is a 2.65vac 5-1/2 turn dispenser cathode, and that one is too old to be a scandate cathode.I max for the tube is 8.5, maybe 9 amps. I mind would be set for 3.5 to 4 ampsThat psu may or may not have been a design made by a 3rd party in Pennsylvania. That bunch is even more secretivethen JDSu. Newer JDSU have a switching cathode psu.I suggest you find a Lasos PSU. Lasos in Germany made some backward compatable heads and psus to compete in the replacement market.I'm the fellow who when much younger, was the principle contributer to the Ion Laser Chapter of the FAQ. Some of which, after 20+ years in industry and academia, I would very much like to rewrite.Your tube is pure argon, and most likely has a drop of 96 to 100V when lit.I'd see if I could join Laserfreak.de and see if anyone has a 220V psu or a Lasos and work from there.Cost new on your beautiful blue dinosaur was 5000-7000 USD.I dare you to find a direct diode laser with the pure mode and beam quality of an Ion Laser. Hint: You won't.Lasos sales may be of help in suggesting a model # to find used.You need at least 250 cfm for your fan, Pabst was/is the maker of Ion Laser fans in Europe. Dayton 4C40 or was it 4c440 comes to mind as a potential part number to compare toArgons are still made, for many reasons.Euro versions of the PSUs of that era would have 4 instead of two FETs controlling the constant current. Even if the PSU was dual mode, the pwm chip would require adjustments of its calibration potentiometers.Those tubes need 5R0 or more equivalent in series with the plasma for 120V operation, at 220 the virtual series resistance would be 10 or more ohms. I am by no means suggesting you build a current limiting resistor. Purely resistive PSUs lead to plasma instability and vastly shortened tube life.Gruss,Steve

author: LaserSteve
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 01, 2023, 01:33:44 am
content: Seehttps://www.repairfaq.org/sam/laserasc.htm,scroll down to cyonics for the models and differences in the heads and PSUs.. Letters in the model matter for indicating 220-250 operation.You could try emailing Lumentum with your supplies model and serial number...Try!Lumentum, JDSU , Cyonics, Uniphase, Lasos, Martek Power, Laser Drive Inc. are your search keywords. Eaton bough Martek and kept only the OEM company sales.Steve

author: S57UUU
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 01, 2023, 05:44:06 pm
content: Are all these small argon lasers single line? I remember that most HeNe were multi line, because the plasma gain curve was much wider than the line spacing of the 30..60 cm long resonators. To be single line, these needed an additional device (resonator) in the beam, called an etalon, if I remember right.I have a couple of ceramic argon tubes, and a glass one with an adjustable prism at one end, bought many years ago at the Friedrichshafen HAM fleamarket. I manged to get one of the ceramic ones light, with a supply made of a big (biiig) 230/115 step down transformer, bridge and big capacitor, followed by a crude dissipative current regulator made with a number of parallel FETs on a big heatsink. Used the ignition circuit that came with the glass tube. Minimum current at which it gave light was about 2A.The other ceramic didn't strike, the glass one did, but no light, maybe the mirror and prism are out of alignment.No plans to do quantum entanglement experiments :-) For other things, diodes should suffice, just fun to play with these Frankenstein tubes.