A six-month effort is proposed to utilize the author's expertise in semiconductor laser diodes and fiber-optic technology to develop a design for a 50 to 100 watt fiber-coupled laser-diode source. A proprietary technique is described for achieving high power and high power density in the fiber which makes the most efficient use of the laser energy in a bar. The approach taken will use the fewest diode bars, which achieves the lowest production costs. The Phase I effort will produce a deliverable prototype for a 10-watt-cw output power, as well as a final report containing the design details for the higher power system. The fiber-coupled output power of the prototype will be concentrated in a fiber 300um in diameter, and the 50 to 100 watt-cw output of the Phase II design will be concentrated in a 500um diameter fiber for a power density above 25kw/cm sq. The design approach taken enables low cost production, which, in turn, opens applications heretofore prohibitively expensive.
