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There are a lot of choices when it comes to selecting a laser diode, but how do you get the best diode for your application?
When selecting a laser diode, here are a few top tips:
1. Choose your vendor with care
It sounds obvious, but it is critical to choose your laser diode vendor carefully. What makes a good vendor? A good vendor will offer a wide range of laser diodes from several different manufacturers. They will know their products and have the ability to provide you with as much technical support as you require. A good vendor will have strong relationships with their laser diode manufacturers and will be able to keep you up to date with the latest in laser diode technology. The best vendors will have sample quantities of many laser diode parts available for sampling and qualification.
2. Ask your vendor about the ideal laser diode for your application
Selecting the optimum laser diode can have a significant impact on both the performance and the cost of your product or solution. A quality vendor will recommend the best laser diode in terms of technical performance, laser lifetime, laser diode cost, lead time and other criteria important to you, guiding you through the selection process. In some cases, they will offer more than one option. They should certainly not be restricted to laser diodes from a single manufacturer.
3. Consider laser safety carefully
The laser safety classification your application requires is often the starting point in terms of output power. You should choose a laser diode rated for use with output high enough to allow for losses through any optics used in your product or solution. You should also select a laser diode capable of delivering the output power required for your application without being over-driven as this may reduce laser diode lifetime. At the same time, over-specifying a laser diode could result in increased cost, without improving the performance of your overall application, and should be avoided.
4. Ask your vendor about your specific requirements
Whether your requirement is for laser diode binning to exceptionally tight technical specification parameters, additional test data for each individual laser diode or flexible stocking, packaging or logistics, the ideal vendor will understand and respond to your needs.
With over 20 years’ experience in distributing and integrating laser diodes, as well as manufacturing laser diode modules to customer specifications, ProPhotonix will help you select the optimum laser diode for your application and provide the service you need. For more information, contact us.
