Development Successful for LD Bar Achieving World-Class Output of 2.0 kW

We have succeeded in achieving a world-class quasi-continuous wave output of 2.0 kW at room temperature from an LD bar with a width of 1 cm, by adopting our accumulated high-power laser diode (LD) technology and new manufacturing techniques. This achievement is expected to lead to applications in power lasers, such as industrial laser processing equipment and excitation light sources for solid-state lasers, as well as future deployment in advanced fields requiring high-energy light sources. This result was achieved under consignment from the "Pioneering Research Program / Frontier Development Business" of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (NEDO). It is scheduled to be presented at the "Workshop session 1: Advances in Semiconductor Laser Industry" during "The 30th International Semiconductor Laser Conference 2026," to be held in Tampere, Finland, starting June 14, 2026. *1 Quasi-continuous wave: An emission method that repeatedly outputs light intermittently for short durations at high speed, possessing characteristics intermediate between continuous wave and pulsed emission. ■Integration of LD Bars ■Extreme High-Power Output of LDs Essential for Power Lasers An LD bar is an emitting element created by arranging multiple LD structures side-by-side. It is used in industrial applications such as laser processing, along with LD bar stacks formed by laminating these LD bars. In particular, since numerous LD bars are used for exciting high-power solid-state lasers, there is a strong demand for higher output from individual LD bars. Furthermore, high-power LDs are expected to contribute to the miniaturization and increased efficiency of laser systems, as well as the advancement of manufacturing processes in products for cutting-edge fields requiring high-energy light sources, and the expansion of new applications in space and advanced science fields. We have been working on increasing the output of LD bars by devising improvements in LD crystal structures, device structures, crystal growth technology, and assembly technology. In addition to these efforts, through consignment research in the 2025 "NEDO Pioneering Research Program / Frontier Development Business," we have advanced our work on facet treatment technology to suppress degradation at the LD facet. As a result, we have now achieved a peak output of 2.0 kW in quasi-continuous wave operation at room temperature from a single-junction type*2 LD bar with a width of 1 cm. To the best of our knowledge, this surpasses the 1.9 kW achieved by a German research institution in room temperature operation in 2022, setting a new world record. Moving forward, we will apply this achievement to accelerate research and development of multi-junction type*3 LD bars for further increases in output power. *2 Single-junction type: A structure where the semiconductor junction, which is the core of light emission, consists of a single unit. *3 Multi-junction type: A structure where multiple semiconductor junctions, which are the core of light emission, are stacked to increase light output. Width: 1 cm LD bar Structure: Single-junction type Wavelength: Approx. 940 nm Operation: Quasi-continuous wave (QCW) Pulse: 200 μs / 10 Hz Temperature: Cooling water temperature 18 °C (room temperature) The Frontier Development Business defines research areas that are crucial for future industrial development but are too risky for private companies to undertake alone as "frontier areas." NEDO commissions businesses challenging R&D in these frontier areas, including research and development related to extreme materials (power lasers) within the "NEDO Pioneering Research Program / Frontier Development Business." This achievement is a result obtained within that program. Through this research, we aim for extreme high-power output of LDs, targeting the creation of new industries utilizing power lasers by 2040, while also developing new applications and aiming for early commercialization in the process. LD bar (left) and evaluation unit (right) Contact for Inquiries Regarding This Matter Corporate Communications Department, Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. 325-6 Sunayama-cho, Chuo-ku, Hamamatsu City, 430-8587 Japan Life Hamamatsu Station Building TEL: +81-53-452-2141 FAX: +81-53-456-7888 E-mail: hpk-koho@hq.hpk.co.jp Keywords: