Ams OSram launches a new generation of color lasers with higher beam quality

Ams OSram, the global leader in optical solutions, has introduced improved blue and green lasers based on a new generation of diode emitter chips. The chip's superior performance allows manufacturers to increase the value of laser modules and devices for applications such as leveling and scanning. The enhanced features of the new laser include a smaller power supply, a more uniform beam, and more efficient fiber coupling.

The improved PLT3 products are packaged in TO38 Metal Can® and the PLT5 products are packaged in TO56. The blue laser has an optical power output of 100 mW, and the green laser has an optical power output of 10 mW to 50 mW.

The optical power output, wavelength options and beam shape remain consistent with the previous generation PLT3 and PLT5 products, but the new version offers improved beam quality and a narrower distribution of key operating parameter values across the production unit.

Martin Wittmann, Senior Director of product Marketing for Visualization and Sensing at AMS OSram, said: "By choosing the latest version of the popular PLT series of laser diodes, customers can benefit from excellent beam quality and tight tolerances, making it easier to produce better product laser module devices.

The improvements in beam quality in the new AMS OSram chip mean that laser module manufacturers can gain coupling efficiency when the light is coupled to waveguides or glass fibers, providing greater flexibility in the specifications of the required output power of the laser source. In addition, the new PLT3 and PLT5 lasers have a more uniform beam. This improves the laser module's ability to illuminate surfaces or objects uniformly.

Tighter tolerances reduce maximum power requirements

Ams Osram has enhanced its laser diode manufacturing technology to narrow the distribution of key operating parameter values throughout the production cell. This makes it easier for laser module manufacturers to maintain the tolerance required to drive the circuit.

In addition, the operating current and voltage of the new laser and the maximum value of the threshold current are lower. For example, the maximum threshold current of the 30 mW green laser PLT5 518FB_P has been reduced from 60 mA in the previous generation of PLT5 products to 45 mA in the latest version, a reduction of about 25%.

The new diode has tighter tolerances and lower operating currents, which means that the laser's power supply can be shrunk. Using the new PLT laser diode can save space and power, which is especially important for portable battery-powered devices.

Enhanced scanning applications with high-performance green lasers

A typical application benefiting from the new AMS OSram chip is the use of a green laser for barcode scanning. Large warehouses or open-air storage units can run into problems with traditional red laser scanners because red dots are difficult to see over long distances or in bright daylight. This increases the risk of the operator scanning for the wrong item.

However, the human eye is more sensitive to green light than red light. This means that green laser scanners are less affected by ambient light interference and are therefore becoming increasingly popular in laser leveling and scanning applications. Many laser scanners are mobile, battery-powered products: the new PLT-series green laser diodes benefit greatly from them by reducing the maximum operating current and thus extending the operating time between battery charges.

Ams Osram will be showcasing new PLT3 and PLT5 laser diodes at stand A2.526.1 at the Laser Photonics World Fair (Munich, Germany, 27-30 June 2023). The display includes a mobile data terminal with an integrated barcode scanner using the new PLT5 520EB_Q (20 mW green laser diode).

New product launch

Typical peak wavelengths for PLT3 and PLT5 single-mode lasers based on the new AMS Osram diode chip are 450 nm (blue) or 520 nm (green). The products include blue lasers with optical power outputs of 100 mW, and green lasers with output options of 10 mW, 20 mW, 30 mW and 50 mW. They can now be ordered in bulk and will replace the existing blue and green single-mode laser products. A new 110 mW green laser diode will be introduced later.

Source: Laser Network