Flexible Manufacturing Strategies for Epitaxy, Heatskins, and Diode Array Bar Packaging

Performance and utility of high power semiconductor laser arrays have exploded in recent years. Wavelength ranging from .6 um to 2 um, power in excess of 10 kW/cm2, and brightness in excess of 100 MW/cm /SR are now possible. This has spawned a proliferation of commercial, military, industrial and medical applications and associated pump array products. This demands development of flexible manufacturing techniques if costs are to be minimized and markets fully exploited. SDL Inc. proposes a total manufacturing strategy that insures maximum manufacturing flexibility in four major levels of diode array manufacture. Aluminum free quaternary growths will be developed so as to allow common reactor technology to be used for all wavelength products. Next an advanced array submount will be developed capable of highest duty cycle of operation and lowest cost allowing a common submount for all products. Common lithography-based cooler technology and common high brightness optics technology will be defined and developed for the full range of packaged products. Finally, the common precision fixturing required for diode array manufacture will be adapted to a common and flexible lithography based technology. Together, these symbiotic advances in flexible manufacturing will allow the cost advantages of scale in this dispersed marketplace. Anticipated Benefits/Potential Applications - Reducing cost and lead time for producing new diode array packages would eanble system designers to incorporate laser diodes in ways that would otherwise be impractical due to time and/or monetary constraints. This would expand markets, stimulate growth of the technology and benefit both DoD and commercial users by allowing lower price due to larger volume markets. It would also allow technoloqy advances to be more readily incorporated into products.