Alfalight to Produce Multiwatt Diodes

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has awarded $4.7 million to Alfalight Inc. of Madison, Wis., for an 18-month effort to produce a multikilowatt diode laser system. The company hopes to develop devices that can generate near-diffraction-limited output powers of 50 W per emitter and then to combine the smaller components to create the final product. The project, known as Architecture for Diode Energy Laser Systems, includes a nine-month follow-on option, which could reach a value of $6.1 million.