Ultra-High Reliability Laser Diode Packages

High pulse energy lasers are a critical part of missile defense systems. Typical lasers deployed in missile defense applications require between 100mJ and 1 Joule of pulse energy and use diode pumped solid-state master oscillators typically based on a Neodymium doped crystal. To meet the laser system performance requirements, typically many individual laser diodes are needed to provide the necessary pump energy. Unfortunately, current laser diode packaging technology does not offer either the performance or reliability that is required for next generation missile defense applications; due to packaging limitations related to the availability of materials and assembly techniques. To meet the reliability requirements for these mission critical laser applications, we propose to utilize the best learning from the current state of the art in laser bar packaging and telecommunications laser package design. We intend to design and demonstrate a “common carrier” laser sub-mount that is applicable to a wide range of CW and QCW laser bar applications. We intend to design these carriers in such a way as to be applicable to a variety of conductively cooled packages, and to be compatible with water or cryogenically cooled high power stack systems.