Panasonic announced that it has developed a simplified three-wavelength semiconductor laser for Blu-ray Disc (BD) drives and players.
For more information visit: www.panasonic.com
Unedited press release follows:
Panasonic Develops the Industry’s First Lateral Hybrid Three-Wavelength Semiconductor Laser
Osaka, Japan – Panasonic Corporation has developed the industry’s first*1 lateral hybrid three-wavelength semiconductor laser. This developed laser simplifies the optical system of an optical pickup by laterally arranging the laser emitting points of blue-violet, red and infrared semiconductor lasers. The laser will be launched in September 2012 with monthly production of 300,000 units depending on demand.
Conventional three-wavelength semiconductor lasers combine three types of lasers, with the red laser and the infrared laser vertically stacked on the large blue-violet laser. As a result, the emitting points are arranged on a two-dimensional face. Therefore, an optical pickup’s optical system is very complex.
Panasonic’s newly developed three-wavelength semiconductor laser (model number: LNCS01MR), with its one-dimensional emitting point arrangement, allows optical pickups for Blu-ray DiscTM drives or players to be miniaturized and improves their quality.
Panasonic’s newly developed laser offers the following advantages:
– The adoption of a lateral hybrid structure allows the light-emitting points of a blue-violet laser and a two-wavelength (red and infrared) laser to be integrated laterally and at equal intervals, simplifying the optical system of an optical pickup.
– The reduction in the efficiency of using the two-wavelength (red and infrared) laser due to the optical design in which the blue-violet laser is used in the priority is offset by increasing the two-wavelength laser output. As a result, the optical pickup performance can be improved.
– The adoption of a five-pin D-cut CAN package (diameter 5.6 mm) with high heat radiation enables the optical pickup to be thinned.
The laser has been achieved through the following key technologies:
– The junction-down assembly technologies for the blue-violet laser and the high accuracy assembly technologies allow the light-emitting points of a blue-violet laser and a two-wavelength laser to be mounted laterally and at equal intervals (accuracy of the light-emitting point intervals: ±10 μm, approximately half in comparison with our conventional accuracy), which are required to achieve the lateral hybrid structure.
– The technologies for increasing the output of two-wavelength lasers for playback provide a stable optical output which has 3 times higher output power than that of our conventional products.
– The three-wavelength semiconductor laser incorporates high density package design technology which allows the three lasers to be driven independently and the monitor photo diode to be built in, realizing both miniaturization and high heat radiation.
*1: According to our data as of May 21, 2012
*2: Blu-ray™, Blu-ray Disc™, and Blu-ray 3D™ are trademarks of Blu-ray Disc Association.