Thanks to technological advancements achieved during development, the operating voltage and current have been minimized, allowing the laser diode to achieve a "wall plug" efficiency of 28%. High efficiency at the 638 nm wavelength equates to high brightness with low power consumption.
In order to collimate a laser beam to a small point, the laser diode (being the light source) needs stable single-side operation. Furthermore, the emitted wavelength is very important, as the sensitivity of the human eye increases rapidly as the wavelength shortens in the red range. For example, light at 638 nm is perceived as 20% brighter than light at 642 nm, and 642 nm is the wavelength most commonly used in single-mode laser diodes.
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation has developed an innovative laser diode with an output power of 100 mW CW (continuous wave) at 638 nm in stable single-side mode operation. This is the highest output power in its class in the industry.
