High-power grating-coupled surface-emitting diode lasers

Both government and industry have a long-standing interest in developing low-cost high-power semiconductor lasers for a variety of applications. These include material processing, long range sensing, and long-range communications. Key development goals are high brightness and high efficiency. This paper will review some of the applications, key laser performance features desired, and some of the past accomplishments in high power diode lasers form the High Power Semiconductor Laser Technology program. One of the primary outgrowths of HPSLT was the Grating Coupled Surface Emitting Laser (GCSEL). GCSEL progress will be highlighted.