A brief history of high-power semiconductor lasers

Author

Welch, David F.

Author_Institution

SDI Inc., San Jose, CA, USA

Volume

6

Issue

6

fYear

2000

Firstpage

1470

Lastpage

1477

Abstract

The following is a historical perspective of the significant technological demonstrations that shaped the history of high power semiconductor lasers. The article is not meant to be a review article, as there are much better review articles and reviewers available, nor would the article try to cover all of the contributions to such a rich technology. Nonetheless, the article, anecdotally, presents a perspective on the technological advances that resulted in the enabling technology of high power semiconductor lasers for applications such as fiber optic communications, data storage, and material processing.

Keywords

history; laser beam applications; laser beams; laser materials processing; optical communication equipment; optical fibre communication; optical storage; semiconductor lasers; applications; brief history; data storage; enabling technology; fiber optic communications; high power semiconductor lasers; high-power semiconductor lasers; historical perspective; material processing; perspective; technological advances; technological demonstrations; Distributed feedback devices; Fiber lasers; History; Laser feedback; Optical materials; Power lasers; Quantum well lasers; Semiconductor laser arrays; Semiconductor lasers; Space technology;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1077-260X

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/2944.902203

Filename

902203