Ultra Compact Drivers for Improving the Performance and Lifetime of Efficient Laser Diode Arrays

In this SBIR, Science Research Laboratory, Inc. (SRL) will develop revolutionary, ultra-compact, intelligent drivers for improving the performance and lifetime of efficient Laser Diode Arrays (LDAs). The goal is to develop supplies with specific power densities of 12 kW/liter, which is a factor-of-six higher, and as a result six times more compact, than conventional technology. In addition, should wide bandgap SiC technology currently being developed under DARPA's High Power Electronic program come to fruition, the specific power density of SRL's drivers will increase by almost another factor-of-two to 20 kW/liter. SRL's breakthrough driver technology will incorporate intelligent circuitry that has demonstrated a factor-of-40 increase in LDA lifetime. In Phase I, SRL will demonstrate the technology can be scaled to 7 kW/liter and improve the lifetime of nLight's Super High Efficiency Diodes (SHEDs) LDAs by a factor-of-10. In Phase II, we will deliver to the OSD/Navy an intelligent LDA driver that has a specific power density of 12 kW/liter.