Use of microchannel cooling for high-power two-dimensional laser diode arrays

A significant challenge for achieving higher average power two-dimensional diode lasers lies in effectively removing the enormous heat flux generated by these devices. Packaging based on microchannel cooling offers a practical means of addressing the thermal management problem. Microchannel coolers are capable of extracting high heat fluxes ( > 60 Watts/cm 2 ) while maintaining a highly uniform surface temperature. These coolers require less than 0.5 1pm coolant flow and operate with nearly constant thermal impedance over a range of 10 to 50 psig fluid pressure. State-of the -art performance of two-dimensional arrays mounted on microchannel plates confirm the thermal characteristics of the coolers. The thermal impedance of the entire package (cooling fluid to diode junction) is less than 0.33 °C.cm 2 /W. Arrays exceeding 1500 W peak power at duty cycle of 2% routinely exhibit less than 4 nm bandwidth with accurate control of center wavelength.