Near-IR VCSEL illuminator emits 108 kW of optical power

June 1, 2015
A VCSEL-based illuminator unveiled by Princeton Optronics emits 108 kW of optical power at a 1064 nm wavelength.

Military applications that require high-power near-IR illumination will benefit from a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL)-based illuminator unveiled by Princeton Optronics (Trenton, NJ) that emits 108 kW of optical power at a 1064 nm wavelength. The fan-cooled unit consists of 8 modules, each emitting 16 kW (see photo for individual module). The individual VCSEL arrays in the modules emit 200 W continuous-wave (CW) power and have a chip size of 5 × 5 mm. The electrical-to-optical (wall-plug) efficiency of the individual VCSEL arrays are about 50% and their operation temperature is about 50°C. Cylindrical lenses are located in front of the arrays to tailor the divergence angle to what is desired for the illuminator. The illuminator is operated at a 30 Hz repetition rate, producing pulses with a 1 ms duration.

The module has an overall wavelength spec of ±7 nm for the arrays it contains, which allows for rejection of background light via a narrowband optical filter fitted to the camera used to capture the illuminated scene. This narrow-wavelength illumination capability sets VCSELs apart from other illumination sources, says Chuni Ghosh, CEO of Princeton Optronics. Even so, the speckle from the illuminator is very low due to the arrays of VCSELs and the fact that there are multiple arrays in the module. The illuminator modules were mounted on a curved frame so that the light was focused at the required distance within a certain effective divergence angle. Contact Chuni Ghosh at [email protected].

About the Author

John Wallace | Senior Technical Editor (1998-2022)

John Wallace was with Laser Focus World for nearly 25 years, retiring in late June 2022. He obtained a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and physics at Rutgers University and a master's in optical engineering at the University of Rochester. Before becoming an editor, John worked as an engineer at RCA, Exxon, Eastman Kodak, and GCA Corporation.

Sponsored Recommendations

Brain Computer Interface (BCI) electrode manufacturing

Jan. 31, 2025
Learn how an industry-leading Brain Computer Interface Electrode (BCI) manufacturer used precision laser micromachining to produce high-density neural microelectrode arrays.

Electro-Optic Sensor and System Performance Verification with Motion Systems

Jan. 31, 2025
To learn how to use motion control equipment for electro-optic sensor testing, click here to read our whitepaper!

How nanopositioning helped achieve fusion ignition

Jan. 31, 2025
In December 2022, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's National Ignition Facility (NIF) achieved fusion ignition. Learn how Aerotech nanopositioning contributed to this...

Nanometer Scale Industrial Automation for Optical Device Manufacturing

Jan. 31, 2025
In optical device manufacturing, choosing automation technologies at the R&D level that are also suitable for production environments is critical to bringing new devices to market...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Laser Focus World, create an account today!