K40 laser tube lights up but outputs nothing

Lasers
1

Hi,

I’m new to lasers and just recently bought a used K40 from eBay.

When I tried to use it for the first time nothing happened. My first thought was to adjust/align the mirrors using some painters tape, but there were no burn marks at all on the tape over the first mirror or anywhere around it. Even if I put tape directly at the end of the tube no marks could be seen.

I then set up my phone to safetly see whether the tube was lighting up at all and it was with a pink beam.

Any help or advice getting my laser working, or just explaining what is occurring would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

2

The pink is part of the reaction and is expected in a working tube.

The beam is IR which is invisible to humans.

This would indicate that the tube is getting power from the lps (Laser Power Supply), but it isn’t producing an output.

The Amplification in lAser occurs between the mirrors in the tube. If they become mis aligned, it won’t/can’t lase.

Did you look, physically, at the mirrors in the tube to see if there is any visible anomaly?

If you have no output at the end of the tube, the only thing you can change out is the tube.

You do have coolant running?

Good luck

:smile_cat: