IR diode lasers boost telecom, material industries

Steve O'Brien and Don Scifres, SDL Inc.

Improvements to single- and multimode diode lasers have produced devices that are well suited for a diverse set of applications. During the past several years, diode lasers have achieved higher powers and higher reliabilities over an increasingly broader wavelength range. These advances have come from the combination of advanced crystal growth techniques, novel laser designs and improvements to processing techniques.