Trumpf has released a passively-cooled laser diode module, capable of 100W of output from a single optical fibre, with a divergence of less than 120mrad. The TMT556 TruDiode module is the basis of the recently launched Trumpf TruDiode direct diode laser series. The high beam quality makes the TruDiode laser suitable for welding applications, even in the multi-kW range, in which lamp-pumped lasers may currently dominate.
The TruDiode has a wall plug efficiency of 40 per cent, which is far higher than that obtained when using smaller lamp-pumped systems. TruDiode systems have a service life in the region of 50,000 hours. The diode module's dimensions are 8 x 6 x 3cm, alowing it to be accommodated in systems where space saving is a pre-requisite.