From: cd@notformail.com   
      
   On Sat, 13 Dec 2025 11:09:08 -0000 (UTC), Phil Hobbs   
    wrote:   
      
   >Gerhard Hoffmann  wrote:   
   >> Am 13.12.25 um 05:47 schrieb Bill Sloman:   
   >>   
   >>> One thing to keep in mid with your constant current source is that the   
   >>> lasing region is very compact, and even a very brief over-current can   
   >>> burn it out.   
   >>>   
   >>   
   >> Yes, it is usually the frequency-selective optical reflector grid   
   >> that dies in ms. Faster than we are used from semiconductors.   
   >>   
   >> Gerhard   
   >>   
   >>   
   >   
   >A nice juicy carpet shock can blow the front facet off much faster than   
   >that (although the fragments will still be moving for awhile afterwards.   
   >   
   >Cheers   
   >   
   >Phil Hobbs   
      
   No one seems to have come up with a viable solution, so I've been   
   giving it some extra thought. I considered the use of a semi-silvered   
   mirror at 45 degrees to the plane of the beam and sampling the light   
   level off that reflection, but then realized the loss through the   
   mirror would be unacceptable. The only other idea I can think of is to   
   use a mirror just off the plane of the beam which can swivel around   
   for a split second every few seconds to deflect the beam into the path   
   of the diode. That seems cumbersome and clunky but it's the only thing   
   I can come up with, not being a designer of any description.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)