Compact, Rugged, Multiple Spectral Band Laser

nLIGHT proposes the development of a multiple spectral band laser head that is based on a vertically stacked array of single emitter laser diodes. A key design aspect of this device is that the proposed laser head is largely based on a multi-emitter pump module that is currently under commercial development at nLIGHT. The commercial laser product, upon which the proposed system will be based, has already undergone the process development, thermal characterization, and environmental testing, thus significantly improving the development time, product development risk and likelihood of program success. At the heart of the proposal is nLIGHT"s capability of producing single emitter laser diodes from 639 to 2100 nm. nLIGHT currently produces high performance single emitter diodes that achieve the following performance at wavelengths at or near the solicitation specifications. While each device is rated for>2 year reliability under CW, as will be shown later in the proposal by increasing the emitter stripe width and by using pulse operation it is expected that the output power could be increased by a factor of 2-4x, thus enabling the pulse requirements of the program (2-8 W) from a single laser device at 639, 80x and 1700 nm.