Stacked diode laser array assembly

• Main Authors: CROSS; PETER, HARNAGEL; GARY L, SCIFRES; DONALD R
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 29.12.1987
• Edition: 4
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION; ELECTRICITY

A diode laser array assembly made from a plurality of linear diode laser array subassemblies stacked one above the other. Each subassembly is an array of individual laser beam emitters, such as a laser bar, mounted on a support plate. An electrically conductive path goes from one major surface of a support plate, through the linear laser array, to an opposite major surface of the support plate. Each subassembly is connected physically and electrically to adjacent subassemblies to form the final assembly. In one embodiment, the support plates are electrically insulating and partly coated or covered with conducting material. The plates are either rectangular with projections and directly connected, rectangular with metal plates between each other, or rectangular and connected in a staircase configuration. Alternatively, the support plates may be electrically conducting with an insulating layer and a conducting layer disposed in a sandwich configuration. The plates may also be made up of an electrically insulating support plate and an electrically conducting spacer plate.