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Cranbury, N.J., February 1, 2005
Princeton Lightwave, Inc. (PLI), a producer of
near-infrared high-power diode lasers and application
specific detectors for communications, defense, and
sensing applications, announced two breakthrough results
involving (i) the development of record high-power 1530
nm diode laser bars as well as (ii) the first prototype
of eye-safe 1.6 um Er:YAG solid state lasers (SSLs) with
resonant, ultra-low photon defect pumping at 1530 nm.
These results have been achieved as part of an R&D
contract supported by the Department of Defense’s High
Energy Laser Joint Technology Office. The goal of this
BAA contract, started in June 2004, is the development
of highly scalable eye-safe solid state lasers with InP-based
ultra-low photon defect diode pumping. PLI has partnered
with scientists at the Army Research Laboratory in
Adelphi, MD as collaborators for this research.
In support of this SSL development program, PLI has
demonstrated world record powers of 44 W in continuous
wave (CW) operation and 80 W in quasi-CW (QCW) operation
for single 1-cm long 1530 nm laser diode arrays.
Additionally, two-dimensional stacks of 10 arrays with
microlens collimators have yielded powers exceeding 300
W CW output at 1530 nm. The energy brightness for these
uniquely lensed 2-D stacks reaches 1 W/ cm² (mRad)cm²
= 80 kW/cmcm² Sr.
Resonant pumping of Er:YAG SSLs with InP-based 1530
nm diode lasers has been demonstrated using single-mode
fibered pump modules as well as using 3-array
mini-stacks. The significance of this SSL pumping scheme
lies in the very small difference between pump photon
energy and output photon energy: due to this very small
“photon defect,” minimal energy dissipation in the
SSL gain medium should yield superior beam quality and
the potential for scaling to architectures capable of
multi-kW eye-safe output powers.
Initial results using single mode pump modules
demonstrated threshold powers as low as 80 mW with FBG-assisted
pump spectrum narrowing and allowed PLI scientists to
reveal fundamental features of resonant diode pumping
and the fluorescence dynamics of the Er:YAG gain medium.
Details of these results have been accepted for
publication in Applied Physics Letters. The use of 1530
nm single mode pump lasers in miniature Er:YAG SSLs
promises to provide high-efficiency sources for eye-safe
laser designation and ranging (ladar) applications.
Following the experiments with low-power single mode
pumps, a first prototype of a high-power SSL with
resonant 1530 nm diode array pumping was assembled using
a high brightness, lensed mini-stack of 3 diode arrays
pumping a 3 cm long, 2 mm diameter Er:YAG rod. The low
divergence of the pumping beam allowed for the use of
external mirrors, avoiding the lens duct approach. An
initial peak power of 3 W in QCW regime has been
achieved without heat sinking of the Er:YAG rod, and
further experiments will lead to increased peak power
and CW operation. In later stages of this program,
PLI’s two-dimensional pump laser stacks will be
instrumental in realizing greatly increased resonantly
pumped SSL output power.
“We believe that the results achieved so far in
this program are paving the way for the development of a
new generation of eye-safe solid-state lasers with
resonance diode laser pumping,” says Dmitri Garbuzov,
PLI’s Chief Scientist and Principal Investigator for
the program. “This record low photon defect 1530 nm
pumping should provide extremely high beam quality at
high-power operation for next generation diode-pumped
solid state lasers, and PLI’s accomplishments on 1530
nm high-power laser diode arrays will be a critical
factor in DPSSL beam quality optimization at maximum
output power.”
About Princeton Lightwave, Inc.
Headquartered in Cranbury, New Jersey, PLI provides
leading edge semiconductor lasers and detectors as well
as sub-systems based on these components for optical
communications, defense, and sensing applications. PLI's
extensive product capability is based on unique InP and
GaAs optical chip development, packaging and integration
technology, and system-level optical and electronics
design. Its multi-disciplinary team designs and delivers
components and system-level products based on high power
pump modules, single-mode and multi-mode light sources,
and high performance photodetectors.
For more information visit http://www.princetonlightwave.com
PR Contact: pr@princetonlightwave.com
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