Diode Lasers
Definition: semiconductor laser devices based on laser diodes
More general term: semiconductor lasers
More specific terms: high brightness laser diodes, diode bars, diode stacks, vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers, external-cavity diode lasers, fiber-coupled diode lasers, mode-locked diode lasers, direct diode lasers
German: Diodenlaser
Categories: optoelectronics, laser devices and laser physics
Author: Dr. Rüdiger Paschotta
Cite the article using its DOI: https://doi.org/10.61835/sie
Get citation code: Endnote (RIS) BibTex plain textHTML
Diode lasers are semiconductor laser devices based on laser diodes. Although the terms diode laser and laser diode are often used with the same meaning, it is appropriate to distinguish the terms: the diode laser is a laser device, which may sometimes consist only of a single laser diode, but may also contain additional items:
- The laser diode may be combined with an external optical resonator, so that the device is an external-cavity diode laser.
- A diode laser device may contain multiple laser diodes with some optics for beam combining (for example spectral beam combining).
- A diode laser may also include additional optics outside the laser resonator, such as a beam collimator or a beam shaper, means for coupling the light to an optical fiber (→ fiber-coupled diode lasers or pigtailed diode lasers), or means to provide optical feedback, e.g. in order to reduce the emission linewidth.
- In some cases, a device for nonlinear frequency conversion is also included.
- A diode laser may be provided with a housing, which may also contain means for temperature stabilization of the laser diode and a laser diode driver. See also the article on laser diode modules.
Applications of diode lasers are mentioned in the article on laser diodes.
More to Learn
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Suppliers
The RP Photonics Buyer's Guide contains 100 suppliers for diode lasers. Among them:
Sheaumann Laser
Sheaumann Laser offers a wide range of laser diodes, ranging from low-power single-mode emitters to multimode high-power lasers. Many different packaging options (with free-space output or fiber-coupled) are available. Emission wavelengths range from 785 nm to 1710 nm.
RPMC Lasers
Serving North America, RPMC Lasers offers one of the broadest wavelength selections of semiconductor laser diodes available. Our diode laser products include single-mode and multimode laser diodes, single emitter and multi-emitter multimode laser diodes, laser diode bars and stacks, and quantum cascade laser diodes. We also offer wavelength-stabilized and narrow linewidth laser diodes utilizing distributed feedback (DFB) and volume Bragg grating (VBG) technology, and multi-wavelength laser diodes and tunable laser diodes. We offer free-space and fiber-coupled options on most devices, with many package options including but not limited to chip on carrier, TO can, HHL, butterfly, MCC, and turn-key systems. Standard and custom options available. Let RPMC help you find the right laser today!
Alpes Lasers
Alpes Lasers manufactures laser diodes emitting at wavelengths from 1.45 to 2.15 μm with powers up to 50 mW. They are offered either as chip-on-carrier or encapsulated in a low power TO-66 package with collimated or divergent free-space beam output.
CNI Laser
CNI offers a wide wavelength range of diode lasers with wavelengths from 375 nm to 1.9 μm, including TEM00 mode diode lasers, multi-line diode lasers, wavelength-tunable diode lasers, narrow linewidth lasers, long coherent diode lasers and others. They are all widely used in many scientific and industrial applications.
Integrated Optics
There are more than 150 CW laser configurations in the MatchBox product family. It offers a wide range of diode lasers, ranging from 375 nm to 1550 nm, coming in regular or narrow spectrum versions, having multiple options of output: MM/SM/PM fiber coupled, free space or SMA port. Fiber coupling is inside the sealed housing and temperature stabilized. MatchBox lasers have a very compact housing, which contains optical layout, driver electronics, that can enable up to 10 MHz externally triggered modulation and TEC temperature control. MatchBox lasers can also combine up to 4 different diode-wavelengths in one single housing with the same record-small footprint of 30 × 50 × 18 mm.
Focuslight Technologies
Focuslight Technologies produces a wide range of high power diode lasers, including both bare laser diodes and packaged lasers (modules). Free-space and fiber-coupled versions are available.
TOPTICA Photonics
Diode lasers combine plug-and-play operation, compact form factor and maximum performance. TOPTICA offers single-mode diode lasers, multi-color lasers, single-frequency lasers, and tunable diode lasers for demanding applications in biophotonics, industrial metrology and quantum technology. TOPTICA provides the widest wavelength coverage of diode lasers on the market (190 – 3500 nm).
Vescent Photonics
Vescent Photonics offers the D2-200 DBR-based tunable single-frequency diode lasers for precision spectroscopy of alkali metal vapors.
Lumibird
Lumibird manufactures a wide range of laser diodes and laser diode modules. Our offering includes QCW diode stacks, CW laser diode modules, fiber coupled QCW diode stacks, short pulse laser diode illuminators, as well as high brightness diode source, IALDA, and pulsed power supply drivers for QCW diodes.
QPC Lasers
QPC Lasers full vertical integration from epitaxy through packaging allows us to offer standard and custom diode solutions in packages ranging from C-mounts to complete OEM light engines that provide performance without compromise.
CSRayzer Optical Technology
CSRayzer provides diode laser modules in butterfly package or TO-CAN package, operating in various wavelength bands. They include DFB laser diodes, SOA laser module, SLED, and pump LDs.
HÜBNER Photonics
Some of the lasers of HÜBNER Photonics are diode lasers with fully integrated electronics, allowing for rapid power modulation (rise time <2.5 ns). They are available with emission wavelengths between 375 nm and 975 nm, free-space or fiber coupled output, and output powers between 50 mW and 400 mW.
AeroDIODE
SHIPS TODAY: AeroDIODE offers fiber-coupled laser diodes between 520 nm and 1650 nm as stock items or associated with a CW or pulsed laser diode driver. They are compatible with our high speed nanosecond pulsed drivers or high power CW drivers (with air cooling) for the multimode high power laser diode versions. The single mode laser diodes (either Fabry–Pérot laser diode or DFB laser diode) can reach high power in nanosecond pulse regime up to 400 mW. Most turn-key diode & driver solutions are optimized for single-shot to CW performances with pulse width lengths down to 1 ns. The laser diode precision pulses are generated internally by an on-board pulse generator, or on demand from an external TTL signal. Many multimode versions are available with CW emission up to 450 W in a 200-µm core multimode fiber or up to 250 W in a 135-µm core fiber or 160 W in a 105 µm core fiber.
See also our tutorial on fiber-coupled laser diodes.
Sacher Lasertechnik
Sacher Lasertechnik offers a wide range of diode lasers. These include:
- Fabry-Pérot laser diodes
- distributed feedback lasers
- AR-coated laser diodes
- microcavity lasers
- VCSELs
Both free-space and fiber-coupled lasers are available.
Further, there are diode laser systems, e.g. for Raman spectroscopy or time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy.
Eblana Photonics
Eblana Photonics' core product offerings are based on our patented Discrete-Mode (DFB like) manufacturing technology, which delivers industry leading performance with fully scalable, consistent production and integration capability.
Eblana’s products are used extensively for trace gas sensing and environmental monitoring in the near- and mid-IR.
In addition, the inherent low linewidth performance of the DM platform in comparison to typical DFB lasers is uniquely suited to distributed fibre sensing and LIDAR applications, as well as scientific and metrology projects.
Edmund Optics
Edmund Optics offers a wide range of diode laser sources, including machine vision lasers, life science lasers, metrology lasers, industrial and point lasers, and material processing lasers.
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