Alfalight Wins Government Contract to Develop Efficient Diode Sources

Under a $3.9 million, 18-month contract awarded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency for its Super High Efficiency Diode Source program, Alfalight Inc. of Madison, Wis., will investigate approaches to achieving 65 percent electrical-to-optical power conversion efficiency for semiconductor diode bar-pumped laser systems.

Currently, the systems have an overall conversion, or "wall plug," efficiency of as low as 10 percent, which is an obstacle to high performance and reliability. Alfalight's aluminum-free active-region diode laser bars now reach more than 50 percent efficiency. The program, which has a target of 80 percent efficiency in 36 months, could result in a total $5.3 million award for the company.