Osram launches its first visible-range laser diode
Germany-based LED manufacturer Osram Opto Semiconductors has released its first commercially available visible-range laser diode.
The 650 nm laser, with an output power of 500 mW and a lateral stripe width of 100 µm, is targeting medical applications such as photodynamic cancer therapy and ophthalmology.
The laser is claimed to have a typical lifetime of 4000 hours at 20 °C, which is four times longer than the minimum requirement for lasers for medical applications.
Osram's laser is based on the AlInGaP material system that features in its red, orange and yellow LEDs. The device is fabricated on 4 inch wafers at the company's Regensburg facility.
Osram has previously released infrared laser diodes and laser bars operating at 802-975 nm, with output powers of up to 120 W.
The company has also developed GaN-based blue laser diodes (see related story), but these emitters have not been released commercially.