During the last year the high power laser diodes jumped over the 1 kW level of CW power for a stack, and the commercial 1 cm bars reached 100 W output optical power at the standard wavelengths around 800 nm and 980 nm...During the last year the high power laser diodes jumped over the 1 kW level of CW power for a stack, and the commercial 1 cm bars reached 100 W output optical power at the standard wavelengths around 800 nm and 980 nm. The prices are reaching the industry acceptable levels. All Nd∶YAG and fiber industrial lasers manufacturers have developed kW prototypes. Those achievements have set new requirements for the power supplies manufactuers-high and stable output current, and possibilities for fast control of the driving current, keeping safe the expensive laser diode. The fast switching frequencies also allow long range free space communications and optical range finding. The high frequencies allow the design of a 3D laser radar with high resolution and other military applications. The prospects for direct laser diode micro machining are also attractive.展开更多
文摘During the last year the high power laser diodes jumped over the 1 kW level of CW power for a stack, and the commercial 1 cm bars reached 100 W output optical power at the standard wavelengths around 800 nm and 980 nm. The prices are reaching the industry acceptable levels. All Nd∶YAG and fiber industrial lasers manufacturers have developed kW prototypes. Those achievements have set new requirements for the power supplies manufactuers-high and stable output current, and possibilities for fast control of the driving current, keeping safe the expensive laser diode. The fast switching frequencies also allow long range free space communications and optical range finding. The high frequencies allow the design of a 3D laser radar with high resolution and other military applications. The prospects for direct laser diode micro machining are also attractive.