The Photodigm family of high-power edge-emitting Distributed Bragg Reflector (DBR) lasers is based on Photodigm’s proprietary single epi growth, monolithic holographic grating DBR architecture. The DBR laser diode is uniquely suited for applications requiring high-power single-frequency performance within a well-defined operating range. Photodigm has worked with its customers to develop a family of products unmatched in the industry in terms of stability, reliability, and power for precision applications in spectroscopy, atomic physics, non-linear optics, and fiber amplifiers.
The laser is not just a component. It is the heart of a differentiated product.
Performance Matters
Precision Matters
Detail Matters
Photodigm delivers
Performance Matters
Single frequency performance of a Photodigm DBR laser over a wide operating power range.
At long last, researchers in the fields of cold atom physics, quantum computing, and atomic spectroscopy have available a stable source of highly reliable, high power single frequency lasers to support their work.
The graphic below shows the unique design of the Photodigm DBR laser. Single growth epi, combined with precision fabrication of ridges and passive gratings result in unmatched power, reliability and stability for high power single frequency applications.
Details matter
Sweating the details is an essential part of success at wafer fab. That part of the job cannot be delegated or outsourced. Photodigm is a primary manufacturer of semiconductor lasers, with a proprietary design methodology, process technology, and wafer fab tool set. These details are critical to the fabrication of precision single frequency lasers with single longitudinal mode and single spatial mode beams.
The Photodigm laser fab in Richardson, Texas. Our proprietary tool set includes several items that provide us with a unique capability that ensures leading edge performance of our products.
Precision Matters
Photodigm DBR lasers are the architecture of choice where high power within a well-defined operating range is required. The figure below shows ranges of hysteresis-free, cointinuous wavelength tunability with side mode suppression of >40 dB. Within these regions the typical thermal tuning is 0.7 A/deg C (about 25 GHz/deg C) and typical current tuning is 0.025 A/mA ((about 1 GHz /mA).
Photodigm DBR lasers exhibit a large continuous tuning range.
This figure shows the spectral stability of a Photodigm 1064 nm DBR laser with picosecond pulses. Data courtesy of PicoQuant GmbH. In this case, the laser is operating in the gain switching mode. Gain switching occurs as a large number of carriers are initially pumped into the active region of the laser. Once the laser is pumped above threshold, there is a surge of stimulated emission depleting the carriers faster than they can be injected. This surge of photons is a gain switching spike, which is typically about 50 picoseconds long. With careful engineering, the gain switch spike can be used to seed a fiber amplifier for applications such as laser ablative micromachining of polymers.
Photodigm's Spectroscopy Certified lasers have exceptionally narrow linewidths of less an 1 MHz. The curve above shows the hyperfine structure of Rb-87 in the F=2 ground state, resolved with a current-tuned Photodigm DBR laser.
Photodigm consistently delivers its Spectroscopy Certified (TM) lasers to leading customers worldwide. These devices are available in a wide range of wavelengths, powers, and package configurations to support OEM and research customers.