The laser assembly in the PC-FX is a HOP-E1, similar to the HOP-M3 used in the Duo line, however the E1 seems to be much more robust and less prone to failure compared to the M3.
I recently acquired a "broken" PC-FX in a bulk deal which, just as I suspected, simply needed some calibration on the laser to function properly.
The FX is interesting though-- there are a total of 6 (SIX!!!!!) pots that control the laser. Tuning the damn thing is quite a chore because each one needs to be in a unique optimum position for peak performance. After much trial & error I got the thing running better than any FX I've ever owned, but I'm curious. Does anyone know the technical function for each of these pots-- sensitivity, gain, etc? I haven't had any luck finding a technical schematic for the optical system but it'd be nice to get some information together for a home DIY guide we could put up here or something.