Diode Laser

A diode laser uses a semiconductor as the active medium in its operation. They are powered by injected electrical current and thus sometimes referred to as an “injection laser diode”. They are considered the most commonly used form of laser in existence.

The diode laser is used extensively throughout the telecommunications industry as a source of light for many fiber optic networks. They are also commonly used for bar code scanners, rangefinders, and even laser pointers. The low cost of manufacturing these lasers is one of the primary reasons they are so ubiquitous.

The diode laser was first introduced by General Electric in the early 1960’s. Since then these lasers have greatly improved due to advances in semiconductor material technology. Today these lasers are found in many of the devices we use everyday, including laptop computers.