980 nm laser diode performance and reliability

Reliability estimates for commercially available 980 nm single spatial mode laser diodes exceed the requirements for terrestrial deployment as optical pumps in Er⁺³-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs). Near term development will produce devices operating at higher powers with even better reliability resulting in simplified amplifier design and reduced cost. New device designs, such as the master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA), have demonstrated radically higher single-mode fiber coupled powers. Recently, coupling efficiencies into single-mode fiber of 68% have been achieved with total fiber coupled power in excess of 800 mW. This represents more than an 8 fold increase over the maximum commercially available power of 90 mW, and should open new applications to fiber amplifiers. These fiber coupled powers are available at both 980 nm and 1017 nm