Development of a Laser Module Applicable to Wide-Ranging Industrial Fields
--- 900-nm Multimode Laser with the World's Highest Output of 4 W ---

July 7, 2003

Furukawa Electric has recently developed a semiconductor laser module that is applicable not only to communications but also to wide-ranging industrial fields. The module incorporates a 900-nm multimode laser diode in a butterfly-type package with a built-in cooler, and has achieved the world's highest output of 4 W.
Furukawa Electric has established an excellent reputation worldwide for developing and manufacturing of optical communications components. In terms of 1480-nm pumping light sources for optical amplifiers specifically, the company is enjoying the top share in the world market. The 900-nm multimode laser module has been developed based on the proprietary technologies of the company, and the product is applicable to, besides optical communications, many industrial fields such as processing, printing, welding, and medical care, as a pumping light source for fiber lasers.

Whereas gas lasers and solid-state lasers constituted the mainstream of lasers conventionally used in the industrial fields, they have been gradually replaced by optical fiber lasers ^(*1) that permit easy optical design, compact size, and low power consumption. 900-nm semiconductor laser modules are widely used as a pumping light source for optical fiber lasers, but they have the tasks of improving the output power and lifetime, reduction of power consumption, and downsizing of packaging.
The 900-nm (915/940/975 nm) multimode laser module developed here has achieved, thanks to the technology and experience that were fostered in the communications field where high performance is always demanded, three features of high output power, long lifetime, and low power consumption. The product is applicable to, besides pumping light sources for optical fiber lasers, e.g., processing fields such as direct marking taking advantage of its high output power. More specifically, the product features:

• Improvements in output power and service lifetime: It is essential to improve the output power of the laser diode incorporated and the coupling efficiency into the optical fiber. A high-output power, high-reliability multimode laser diode ^(*2) that was developed by MC-FITEL INC., a joint company of Furukawa Electric and Mitsui Chemicals, Inc., has been mounted on a package based on a communication-adapted structure with an established track record. Moreover, the end of an multimode optical fiber^(*3) has been formed into a lensed fiber ^(*4) of optimal shape thus realizing high coupling efficiency.
• Improvements in power consumption: Peltier element was optimized through the heat radiation design of the module thus reducing power consumption.

The 900-nm multimode laser module is going to be presented, by a technological presentation accompanying sample exhibition, at an international conference of "Optical Amplifiers and their Applications" held in Otaru-city from July 6. The 1.5-W class product has already begun to be supplied on a sample basis, and is scheduled to be in volume production this September. The 4-W class product is scheduled to be in volume production in January 2004 after its reliability is confirmed.