I just got a laser power meter and was measuring the output of some
20+year old HeNe laser tubes. These tubes were used in early 80's
Pioneer laser disc players. The service manual for one of the players
gives the spec on the tubes to be at 1mW at 633nm.
I tested 3 tubes all after about 15 minutes of warm up and on one tube
I get 1mW the other 1.2mW and one gives 0.8 mW, all using the same
power supply.
What would be considered too low for the out put on these tubes?
Do these tubes normaly exceed the 1mW spec? If so, usualy by how much?
Maybe Sam G. could give me an Idea?