nLIGHT Demonstrates Milestone in 8xx Diode Laser Devices

Vancouver, WA  January 24, 2006

nLIGHT, the leading manufacturer of high-power semiconductor lasers, has demonstrated over 400 W from a 1 cm long 8xx Cascades™ diode laser array equivalent to >60 mW/µm of emitting aperture. It is ideal for next generation diode-pumped solid-state lasers and direct applications in industrial and defense markets.

Manufactured with nLIGHT’s proprietary semiconductor laser growth, processing, cleaving, coating and packaging technology, the bar power levels are well above the facet power densities previously reported in the 808 nm regime.

Test results showed Cascades™ bars provided over 50% power conversion efficiency, even at elevated temperatures. The proprietary cooling technology behind Cascades™ thermal resistance, which is less than 0.3 °C/W, is the foundation for the unit’s field lifetime. To date, nLIGHT has accumulated over 220,000 device hours of life test data to support this product line.

The product line’s flagship is the 100 W Cascades™ 80% fill-factor bar. Typical drive current and compliance voltage to achieve 100 W at room temperature is 110 A at 1.8 V. The typical spectral width is less than 2.5 nm, FWHM, and beam divergence is less than 36 degrees by less than 10 degrees, FWHM.  nLight’s internal state-of-the art lensing capabilities can reduce divergence in the fast and slow axes to less than 0.2 and 3 degrees, respectively. 

“Growth in our industry has been driven by continuous improvements in power, and the volume production of 100 W devices with megawatt-hour lifetime is a major milestone,” said Joe DeBartolo, nLIGHT’s VP of Sales and Marketing.  “This significant increase in power, backed up by strong reliability data, will open up many new market opportunities.”