Scalable Coherent High Power Vertical Cavity Diode Laser Array

Aerius proposes a Mutually Injection Locked VCSEL Array (MIL-VCSEL) system architecture to achieve a scalable 100kW coherently phased diode laser array. Aerius’ approach addresses the historic challenges with coherently phased beam combining of large-format diode laser and VCSEL arrays. The proposed approach improves upon the narrow injection locking range deficiencies of most VCSEL designs and requires no moving parts or dynamic stabilization. Aerius’ approach eliminates the impact of growth rate variation across the entire VCSEL wafer and also eliminates the impact of the thermal gradient across the packaged 2-D VCSEL array. This will ultimately allow for 100 kW VCSELs arrays to be housed in a single package with electrical serial interconnections and with all the pixels in the array within the injection locking range under high power operation. The simplicity of Aerius’ MIL-VCSEL supercavity approach will allow for 50% efficient operation and system level power scaling to 100kW. Aerius’ VCSELs have demonstrated the efficiency and polarization control necessary for the approach to be successful.