Laser Diode(LD)

Product and Technology HL63642DG: Ushio releases improved 639 nm, 200 mW, single-mode laser diodes

2022.01.13

■New high-efficiency LDs for levelling, show lasers, and measurement applications Ushio Inc. (Head Office: Tokyo; President & CEO: Koji Naito; hereinafter referred to as "Ushio") is pleased to announce a new 200 mW, high-power, single-mode laser diode (LD) series. Emitting a wavelength of 639 nm, the HL63642DG series boasts improvements to efficiency and features low power consumption. Initial shipments of the HL63642DG series began in January 2022.

■Ushio acts on customer feedback to drive red laser diode technology improvements Thanks to their high visibility, red LDs with oscillation wavelengths between 630 nm and 640 nm are widely used in devices such as levelers, distance meters, laser projectors, and show lasers. Since 2018, Ushio saw great success in those markets with its 639 nm HL63392DG series, which also features an optical output power of 200 mW; however, customer feedback revealed a demand for continuous improvement in the characteristics and efficiency. 

In the market of levelers and rangefinders, for instance, vigorous investment in housing and infrastructure has led to a demand for products that operate stably for longer periods in a wide range of outdoor temperatures. 

■HL63642DG improves operational capabilities and efficiency characteristics In response, Ushio successfully reduced the threshold current and operating current by further optimizing the active layer structure and chip structure parameters, resulting in a significant improvement in WPE* compared to conventional products. In addition, Ushio’s engineers extended the previous operating temperature range (-10°C to 60°C) to -40°C to 60°C. This not only reduces power consumption, downsizing, and extended battery life of devices using this product, but also expands the usable environment, such as use in extremely cold regions.

As a key part of Ushio's long-term vision for 2030, which includes a mission to mitigate the demands of the market and solve social challenges, Ushio has committed to the development of eco-friendly features in its products, such as improved efficiency, to contribute to sustainability and preserving the environment for the future.

■Features of HL63642DG series (1)    Achieved even higher efficiency and lower power consumption by reducing threshold current and operating current by more than 10% each and improving WPE* from 28% to 33% compared to conventional products.
(2)    Three types of internal circuits are available: cathode common (HL63641DG), anode common (HL63642DG) with a photo diode (PD), and without a PD (HL63643DG).

* WPE: Wall Plug Efficiency, conversion efficiency from input power to optical output power.

■HL63642DG red laser diode technical specifications
　Optical output power (CW) 　200ｍW (25℃), 125mW (60℃)
　Lasing wavelength 　639nm
　Wall Plug Efficiency (WPE) 　33%
　Operating Temperature 　-40 to 60°C
　Transverse Mode 　Single transverse mode
　Oscillation mode 　TE mode oscillation
　Package 　5.6mm CAN package

■Intended applications for HL63641DG, HL63642DG, HL63643DG
  • ・Levelers & rangefinders
  • ・Measurement light source
  • ・Show Lasers
  • ・Medical Light Source
  • ・Laser Module