The 3 Most Common Industrial Applications for Laser Diodes

The 3 Most Common Industrial Applications for Laser Diodes

Laser diodes are used in various devices worldwide for numerous industries and purposes. Instead of simply emitting light, they emit optical power to create varying effects, depending on the industry and type of laser diode used. Read on to learn a few of the many industrial applications for different laser diodes.

Metal Processing

Metal processing is one of the biggest industries using laser diodes in everyday operations. High-power laser diodes are widely used in these manufacturing industries because, when working with these significant pieces of hard metal, you’ll need something to cut and weld them. Diode lasers have emerged as an excellent choice as they are economical and serve as a compact heat source that operators can use for welding, hardening, or even brazing. Lasers are the perfect choice for this industry because many shops need to join metals and plastics, and beam welding does this in a way that results in fewer thermal distortions. You can find examples of laser welding in the production of lithium batteries, automotive components, and electronics packaging.

The Medical Industry

Laser diodes are also increasingly popular in the medical industry. They have multiple industrial applications, such as in surgery, dermatology, and in the micromachining of implantable devices. The micromachining of smaller and smaller devices has become increasingly important in many industries, including the medical field, as implantable devices are now much smaller while being more effective. In addition to these implantable devices, medical staff use lasers in surgery for coagulating blood vessels, removing cancer cells, or even cutting tissue. They’re also common in dermatology and ophthalmology, where they treat skin and eye issues respectively.

Telecommunications

Laser diodes are also widely prevalent in the telecommunications industry. They are used in fiberoptic telecommunications, in the test and measurement field, and as pump lasers in erbium-doped amplifiers (EDFAs). With high-powered laser diodes, the need to use electrical amplifying circuits is no longer needed. Instead of converting light signals to and from electrical signals, telecommunications experts can simply amplify the optical signals directly. These optical signals can also transmit much faster than electricity and consume much less power as well.

These three most common industrial applications for laser diodes only represent the tip of the laser technology iceberg. At Arroyo Instruments, we know everything there is to know about lasers and pledge that the technology works correctly for every industry. We are a laser driver manufacturer, so we can help you get the specific equipment you need and supply you with any other equipment to ensure your lasers work properly.