NUBM44 - High Power Laser Diode

NUBM44 - High-Power Blue Laser Diode

NUBM44 is a 445 nm, 6 W laser diode. This is the highest power blue laser diode currently available. In comparison, other laser diodes at 445 nm and 450 nm have a lower specified optical power, such as the Osram PLTB450B (1.6 W) and PLPT9 450C (3.0 W). Note that NUBM44 is also considered a 450 nm laser diode, and the two wavelengths are often used interchangeably to describe it.

Products Originally Based on NUBM44 Laser Diodes 

Laser Applications for NUBM44

There are many applications for the Nichia NUBM44 laser diode due to its unique lasing wavelength of 445 nm. These include engraving, RBG laser, fluorescence laser, phosphor pumping, microscopy and imaging, optogenetics, art and architecture, illumination and Thulium-doped fiber pumping. For example, low-etendue broadband (white) light sources can be made by pumping phosphor with this 450 nm laser. This GaN laser is also an excellent choice for engraving laser heads because the optical power, power density, operating temperature, and material absorption are all higher than for a typical GaAs or CO2 laser. The price of a blue laser is also lower. There are also many applications for 450 nm being developed at the present time.

6 W Blue Laser Diode by Nichia

This 450 nm semiconductor laser is relatively unaffected by increased heating at the P-N junction compared to other high-power laser diodes. This permits an operating temperature (T-case) to be specified over 0C to 65C. It also allows a lifetime (typ.) specification of 20,000 hours, a smaller emitter (narrower etch width), higher current density, and increased optical power than any other multimode laser diode available. Performance almost impervious to operating temperature is possible largely due to a novel blue laser diode technology that uses a Gallium Nitride laser structure.

In comparison to Gallium Nitride (GaN) laser devices, Gallium Arsenide devices (material classification used for red and NIR semiconductor lasers) tolerate power densities of at 1 to 2 orders of magnitude lower than GaN devices. This limitation affects the red and NIR laser diode performance in several ways. The power of a blue laser diode is 5x to 10x higher than a red or NIR laser. The waveguide is also typically 10x smaller, which significantly improves the ability of the laser to be collimated and focused. Furthermore, the lasing chip can also be much shorter for a blue diode, resulting in a lower threshold current. Although the overall efficiency of a multimode GaN laser chip is lower than its GaAs counterpart, it has many significant advantages such as a reduced need for temperature control. This is because the semiconductor gain media has a greater ability to tolerate high thermal loads and gradients.

The Nichia NUBM44 6 W laser diode is packaged in a custom TO-5 (9 mm) can that integrates a larger heat spreader for a lower thermal resistance, which results in improved conduction of heat. This is achieved by shifting the position of the anode and cathode pins by 1mm where they protrude from the bottom of the TO-header. Without these developments, it would not be possible for the blue laser chip to be packaged inside a hermetically sealed 9 mm TO-can. Instead, it would require a C-mount, in which the exposed facet would be subject to possible COD failure from contamination. In contrast, high-power NIR and red diode lasers usually require a C-mount package. This affects the ease of handling, severely limits the operating temperature, requires assembly in a cleanroom environment. A GaAs laser also typically necessitates the integration of a TEC element. These factors tend to increase the package and housing dimensions as well as the complexity of the product they are used inside, compared to the 9 mm TO package.

About NUBM47 Laser Diode

NUBM44 is similar to the Nichia NUBM47 laser diode. However, our tests indicate that the ‘44 has higher efficiency and lower threshold than the ‘47, as well as a similar lifetime. Both having an operating power of 6 W. The ability of both 450 nm 6 W laser diodes to be focused or collimated is nearly identical. For these reasons, as well as proprietary ones, NUBM44 is presently the best option for a high-power blue laser diode.

You can see other laser diodes in our offer at the Laser Diodes category page.

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