Circular beam cuts laser diode system costs

A range of 635nm laser diodes from Photonic Products incorporatesHitachi circular beam MARU diodes.

With circular output beams of2.2mm diameter, output power from 0.9 to 4.4mW and cylindrical orflange mount packages, the range is designed for applicationssuch as automotive, construction and industrial alignment whereprecision and high reliability are of major importance.

The newrange of 635nm circular beam laser diode modules requires aninput voltage from 2.7 to 6V at a typical operating current, of31mA, circularity ratio is typically 1.2:1, beam divergence0.6mrad, operating temperature from -10 to +50C and a standardflying lead length of 300mm, Hitachi's "MARU beamseries" of red laser diodes offers the world's firstcircular beam with a 1.2 (typical) aspect ratio for laser diodesin the 635nm wavelength band.

The shift from the previouselliptical beam to this circular beam makes it possible tosimplify the beam-forming optics required in products such aslaser levellers, scanners and fibre checkers, resulting insignificant cost savings.