SBIR Phase I: Ultra-Compact Driver Technology for Extending the Lifetime of High Power Laser Diode Arrays

这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目是开发紧凑的全固态驱动器，为激光二极管阵列供电，从而延长其使用寿命。 新的超高电流半导体开关技术将与新的专有二极管保护电路相结合，将二极管激光器的使用寿命延长十倍。 这直接导致每年激光器运行成本降低十倍。高功率半导体技术的最新突破，即GCT（门极换流晶闸管）开关，也提供了比现有商业设备的速度和功率提高十倍。SRL（科学研究实验室）建议开发一种先进的，紧凑的脉冲功率模块，基于这些技术，具有可靠驱动高功率激光二极管阵列所需的功率，速度和保护电路。 这种基于GCT的功率调节技术在系统紧凑性、可靠性和寿命方面提供了改进，这对于许多新的商业应用中激光二极管阵列的经济可行性至关重要。 GCT技术加上专有的SRL快速保护电路，使二极管激光器阵列的尺寸和重量减少了十倍，二极管寿命增加了十倍。 这项新技术对于开发关键医疗应用所需的脉冲功率也至关重要，包括SRL和其他实验室正在开发的新的和改进的检测转移性癌症的方法以及新的癌症疗法。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project is to develop compact, all-solid-state drivers for powering laser diode arrays and thereby increase their lifetime. New ultra-high-current semiconductor switch technology will be coupled with new proprietary diode protection circuits to extend diode laser lifetime tenfold. This leads directly to a tenfold reduction in annual laser operating cost. Recent breakthroughs in high power semiconductor technology, namely the GCT (Gate Commutated Thyristor) switch, also offer a tenfold improvement in speed and power over existing commercial devices. SRL (Science Research Laboratory ) proposes to develop an advanced, compact pulsed power module based on these technologies that has the power, speed and protection circuitry needed to reliably drive high power laser diode arrays. This GCT-based power conditioning technology offers the improvements in system compactness, reliability and lifetime that are essential to the economic viability of laser diode arrays for many new commercial applications. GCT technology coupled with proprietary SRL fast protection circuitry offers a tenfold decrease in diode laser array size and weight and a tenfold increase in diode lifetime. This new technology is also essential to developing the pulsed power required for critical medical applications including new and improved methods of detecting metastatic cancer and new cancer therapies now under development at SRL and at other laboratories.