Advancements in High-Power Diode Laser Stacks for Defense Applications

This paper reports on the latest advancements in high-power diode laser stacks, which deliver the most compact footprint, power scalability and highest power/bar of any diode laser package. Electro-optical (EO) data on water-cooled (micro-channel) stacks with wavelengths ranging from 7xx nm to 9xx nm and power levels of up to 5.8kW, delivered @ 200W/bar, CW mode, and power-conversion efficiency of 60%, with both-axis collimation will be presented. Also, presented is E-O data on a compact, conductively cooled, hard-soldered, stack package based on conventional CuW and AlN materials, delivering average power/bar 15W operating up to 25% duty cycle, 10ms pulses @ 45C. Results from a 300W, 200mm core/0.22NA fiber coupled package that meets the critical kg/kW metric for directed energy systems will be detailed. These devices can be used as pump-sources for diode-pumped alkali lasers (DPALs), for more traditional DPSS lasers which are power/brightness scaled for directed energy weapons applications, as conductively-cooled arrays for illuminators and as diode pump sources for high brightness fiber lasers.