This multi-ridge structure is what is known as a diode array or diode bar, and can contain as many as 100 emitters in a single structure producing over 300 watts of power. The figure below shows a typical structure of a laser diode array. High power laser diodes (>10 Watts) are available at wavelengths from the near infrared through roughly the 2000nm region. Common uses of high power laser diodes include the pumping of the gain medium in solid state lasers, fiber. It is, for example, much easier to find a power supply for a 10-mW visible laser diode than for a 40-W diode array designed for pumping solid-state lasers. In this article, we will discuss the basics of high power. The Tall-TO series with standard TO-9 package offers cw laser diodes up to 600 mW in a space-saving, compact design.
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