QPC announces high-power 2-D array of surface-emitting laser diodes
Sylmar, CA, June 18, 2004--Quintessence Photonics Corporation (QPC) announced that it has developed a two-dimensional (2-D) monolithic high-power laser-diode array based on surface-emitting laser diodes. The optical output of 75 laser diodes arranged in three rows of 25 exceeded 100 W during the demonstration and is scalable to over 1000 W.
This level of performance sets the stage for a demonstration of direct diode welding in the fourth quarter of 2004. These miniaturized and brighter components have attracted substantial interest from the industrial and defense industries.
"This surface emission of high-power optical radiation will allow miniaturization and cost-reduction of laser-diode components used in numerous industrial and medical tools," said Jeffrey Ungar, chairman of the board and president of QPC. "Our unique surface-emitter designs will also permit higher optical brightness and reliability."
Features of the QPC design, possible only with surface emitters, will also permit higher optical brightness and reliability to be achieved. Conventional laser diodes are laborious to fabricate, require separation from each other and processing before use, expose the ends of the cavity to atmosphere, dust, and moisture, and require individual, delicate coolers to be stacked on top of each other--one for each laser "bar" holding only a single row of diodes. The 2-D QPC array emits 270 W/cm2. While this brightness approaches the limits of conventional laser designs, the QPC platform is scaleable to 1000 W/cm2 or more.
The emitter can be used to pump solid-state lasers such as Nd:YAG lasers and for direct materials processing (a result of the emitter's high brightness, producing kilowatt-level beams focusable to sub-millimeter-diameter spots).
On the first of this month, QPC announced the completion of a secured-note financing. The size of the offering was initially $2.5 million, but was increased to $3.25 million to accommodate an oversubscribed offering. Previous investors in QPC purchased the majority of the notes.