Progress in the Development of Active Heat Sink for High-Power Laser Diodes

摘要

We report on the development of a novel active heat sink for high-power laser diodes offering unparalleled capacity in high-heat flux handling and temperature control. The heat sink receives diode waste heat at high flux and transfers it at reduced flux to environment, coolant fluid, heat pipe, or structure. Thermal conductance of the heat sink is electronically adjustable, allowing for precise control of diode temperature and the output light wavelength. When pumping solid-state lasers, diode wavelength can be precisely tuned to the absorption features of the laser gain medium. This paper presents the AHS concept, scaling laws, model predictions, and data from initial testing.