Advanced Photonic Sciences is Now Offering Laser Diode Micro-Modules
Introduction:
Advanced Photonic Sciences (APS) has introduced a new product line of Laser Diode Micro-Modules (LDMM’s) that address the need for a simple, robust, reliable, and cost-effective platform on which to mount, provide heatsinking for, collimate, and power semiconductor laser diodes. The use of laser diodes in scores of applications has become ubiquitous, and our new products make mounting, collimating, heatsinking, and providing power leads for such applications easier than ever.
The LDMM comprises an anodized aluminum body, a rear aluminum diode plate that is used to secure the diode into the body and provide heatsinking, and a square printed-circuit board that is mounted directly adjacent to the diode plate to which leads are soldered. The body contains a threaded cylindrical hole accessed from the front (output) face of the module, that is used to provide mounting for and the axial adjustment of the collimation lens. The LDMM also has two threaded mounting holes on the bottom face of the module for mounting on a heat sink, and four threaded mounting holes on the output face for the same purpose. The LDMM has the following important attributes:
- Small-Size, Precision Machining
- Lightweight
- Inexpensive
- Will Accommodate 3.8. 5.6, and 9.0 mm Laser Diode Packages
- Excellent Heat Removal Properties
- Easy Solder Connection of Power Wires
- Simple Mounting
- Accommodates Any M9x0.5 Collimation Lens
Stand Alone and Integrated Applications:
Our LDMM’s can be used for stand-alone applications, or can be easily integrated into customer devices. For example a stand along LDMM can be used in the laboratory to provide an alignment laser for a wide variety of applications and in the wavelength range from 375-2000 nm. Our modules may also be used as educational tools, to teach students about the use of laser diodes, how they are connected and driven electrically, how to collimate the diode output, and how to provide heatsinking. Modules can be provided that are eye-safe and CDRH compliant, making their use as educational tools easy. Commercial, military, and medical and bio-medical applications abound. The following applications are a natural fit for our LDMM devices:
LDMM Applications
- Optical Pumping of Solid-State Lasers
- Alignment Applications
- Pointing Applications
- Night Vision Illumination
- Covert Illumination
- Laser Flashlights and Dazzlers
- Medical Alignment
- Signaling Systems
- Warning, Safety, Hailing Systems
- Laser Alignment
- Cell Sorting
- DNA Sequencing
- Microscopy
- Drones
- Robotic Systems
Standard LDMM’s are supplied with a gray finish. Red, Blue, and Green finishes are also available.
Our Current Offerings:
APS offers the following initial LDMM products in the visible spectral region:
The following acronyms are used in our part numbers to fully describe the diode contained within the LDMM:
STM: Single-Transverse-Mode
MTM: Multiple-Transverse-Mode
CC: Constant Current
APC: Automatic Power Control
Z: Zener Diode Electrostatic Protection
Our part numbers also specify the operating wavelength (nm), the power out in mW, and TO can diameter as 3.8, 5.6, or 9.0 mm. The offered diode modules are fully assembled, pigtailed for easy electrical connection, and fully tested before shipment.
Diodes that are listed as APC devices can also be run CW. We have fully tested all the modules above, and test data may be found in the product Datasheets by clicking on the model number in the list above. We provide measurements and plots of the output power as a function of diode current, diode voltage and heat generated as a function of diode current, “wallplug” efficiency, which assumes a 100 % efficient laser diode power supply, as a function of diode current, and the spectral output of the laser diode at the maximum operating current.
It can be noticed from our product datasheets that the blue diodes have the highest efficiency, allowing us to offer modules containing them at high powers that have excellent heatsinking properties. For green diodes operating near 520 nm, however, the diode efficiency is far lower, and at the 1000 mW output power level, we notice some slight efficiency degradation due to the larger heat generation. This will be addressed in future designs by utilizing copper rather than aluminum parts, and by adding other obvious heat removal aids.
Custom LDMM Offerings:
Virtually any diode that is mounted in a 3.8, 5.6, or 9.0 mm TO can can be mounted and collimated using our LDMM. We can provide any quantity of custom modules, collimated or uncollimated, to customers on a proprietary basis, using APS or customer bought laser diodes. We will characterize any laser diode in our LDMM package without cost to any serious customer, at any wavelength from 375 to 2000 nm. At present, we limit our green output power levels to < 1000 mW due to low diode efficiency. We provide the complete assembly, wire pair pigtailing, and full testing of each LDMM.
Contact:
For all inquiries regarding our LDMM’s, including technical information, price and delivery, and application support, please contact: info@apslasers.com Tel: (570)-553-1120
We welcome inquiries for single units as well as quantity orders!