Nov 22 2007
Research and Markets has announced the addition of High Power Diode Laser Sources and Their Impact on Industrial, Medical, and Military Laser Industries to their offering.
Examines practical implementations and limitations for lasers in the 100 W to 100 kW range and roadmaps and developments anticipated over the next five years.
High power semiconductor laser diodes are used in several different market segments today. The technology continues to advance and improvements in efficiency and power are reported each year. Semiconductor laser diodes are used either directly or indirectly to enable new applications or as a replacement for older technology approaches.
The main market segment traditionally addressed by semiconductor laser diodes has been the communications sector. With the telecommunications bubble and crash, alternative long standing segments in which other technologies have traditionally dominated are being slowly populated with direct diode or hybrid diode laser solutions. As semiconductor diode sources have become more efficient and as thermal management and design technologies continually improve, new fields and applications are being realized and implemented.
The need for higher efficiency laser diode sources was recognized by the Defense Advances Research Projects Agency (DARPA) as an area requiring investment. Currently, DARPA has a major program in this area, aptly named Super High Efficiency Diodes Sources (SHEDS). Several companies that attended this forum have produced devices that have directly benefited from this program.
The following three questions on diode laser and packaging technology were the focus of the Optoelectronics Industry Development Association (OIDA) forum:
- What are the technology barriers for generating high powers and efficiencies for fiber and diode lasers?
- Are fiber lasers going to impact the industrial, medical, and military markets? Do the disc and diode approaches hold better promise?
- What are the issues surrounding packaging and thermal effects for these laser sources and what can be done in terms of standards?
The scope of this report is to review the technology, market applications, future developments, and direction of high power diode lasers. It begins with relevant background information and then incorporates the output from the OIDA forum. This report reviews the issues raised and provides a summary of recommendations from the meeting.