High-Power Vertical-Cavity Laser Diode Arrays for Fiber Lasers

Aerius Photonics proposes to develop a fiber-pump module built upon an array of VCSELs emitting over 200W at either 975 nm or 798 nm. Aerius principals have been designing and fabricating VCSELs for over 15 years, developing them first for data communications, and more recently, for high-power applications. Vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) are processed on wafers from wafer growth through to device testing. After wafer-level screening, they are diced, and the arrays are mounted on a single carrier via a single solder interface. The reduction in solder interfaces also improves the reliability of the arrays. In addition, VCSELs emit a circularly symmetric beam which requires simpler optics for fiber coupling. The overall result is that VCSEL arrays are inherently less costly, and have a smaller size and weight, while delivering equivalent powers.