Semiconductor lasers available in 5, 10, and 15mW versions feature low operating current, a compact can housing, a wide operating temperature range, and MTTF of over 150,000 hours
Blue Sky Research has announced the availability of three new 635nm red laser diodes manufactured at the company's in-house semiconductor foundry.
Available in 5, 10, and 15mW versions, the BRLD-635 family of semiconductor lasers feature low operating current, a compact 5.6mm TO can housing, a wide operating temperature range, and an estimated MTTF (mean time to failure) of over 150,000 hrs at 25C.
Applications for the BRLD-635 include construction and alignment equipment, biomedical and metrology instrumentation, and bar code readers.
"The release of the BRLD-635 laser diode, which is produced at Blue Sky Research's Silicon Valley foundry, marks a significant expansion of capabilities," said Al Shugart, chairman of the board of Blue Sky Research.
"The company is one of a select few US-based laser manufacturers with integrated facilities for everything from semiconductor fabrication and optical systems development, to control system design and electronic packaging. "Leveraging laser design and engineering expertise with in-house production facilities gives Blue Sky Research a definite advantage in a very competitive market." The BRLD-635 red laser diodes utilises a unique design and structure that maximises power output over lifetime while increasing device reliability via low operating current.
Test results demonstrate 5, 10, and 15mW power output at operating temperatures up to 50C with a minimum MTTF of 10,000 hours, which translates to over 150,000 hours at 25C.
The laser is housed in a small DVD grade 5.6mm TO can with integrated monitor photodiode, hermetically sealed for high reliability.
"This expansion of our in-house foundry allows us to better service our custom laser manufacturing operations, which demand a lean manufacturing infrastructure and consistent, on-time delivery," said Chris Gladding, president and CEO of Blue Sky Research.
"We can now quickly develop customer-specific lasers, fab the chips internally, and integrate them into any platform the client requires.
"Combined with our partnerships with high volume manufacturers, we're able to cost-effectively span the range between limited quantity, R and D volumes, or large OEM quantities." The BRLD-635 laser family complements Blue Sky Research's existing product lines that include fiber-coupled lasers, free space lasers, and circularised or VPSLs (virtual point source) lasers, and OEM laser diode sub-assemblies.
In addition to the BRLD-635, Blue Sky Research manufactures its 980nm laser at the Silicon Valley foundry, and will continue to expand in-house capabilities to include wavelengths from visible to near-infrared.
