DIAMOND HEAT SINK IN A LASER
A laser has a laser material in thermal contact with a diamond, such that the diamond is operable to carry heat away from the laser material. In further embodiments, the diamond has a reduced nitrogen content, is a reduced carbon-13 content, is a monocrystalline or multilayer low-strain diamond, or has a thermal conductivity of greater than 2200 W/mK.
1 . A laser assembly, comprising:
a laser material to couple to an energy source to generate or amplify radiation;
a chemical vapor deposition formed monocrystalline diamond in contact with the laser material, the diamond operable to transfer heat from the laser material.
2 . The laser assembly of claim 1 , wherein the diamond comprises less than 1 ppm impurities.
3 . The laser assembly of claim 1 , wherein the diamond has a thermal conductivity of greater than 2200 W/mK.
4 . The laser assembly of claim 1 , wherein the diamond has a thermal conductivity of greater than 2700 W/mK.
5 . The laser assembly of claim 1 , wherein the diamond has a thermal conductivity of greater than 3200 W/mK.
6 . The laser assembly of claim 1 , wherein the diamond is isotopically enhanced with carbon-12 such that the resulting carbon-13 concentration is less than 1%.
7 . The laser assembly of claim 1 , wherein the diamond is isotopically enhanced with carbon-12 such that the resulting carbon-13 concentration is less than 0.1%.
8 . The laser assembly of claim 1 , wherein the diamond is isotopically enhanced with carbon-12 such that the resulting carbon-13 concentration is less than 0.001%.
9 . The laser assembly of claim 1 , wherein the diamond is has a nitrogen concentration of less than 50 ppm.
10 . The laser assembly of claim 1 , wherein the diamond is has a nitrogen concentration of less than 10 ppm.
11 . The laser assembly of claim 1 , wherein the diamond is has a nitrogen concentration of less than 5 ppm.
12 . The laser assembly of claim 1 , wherein the diamond is a low-strain multilayer monocrystalline CVD diamond, wherein the multiple layers of the multilayer diamond comprise different atomic composition.
13 . The laser assembly of claim 1 , wherein the laser material is a gas laser material.
14 . The laser assembly of claim 1 , wherein the laser material is a chemical laser material.
15 . The laser assembly of claim 1 , wherein the laser material is a solid laser material.
16 . A semiconductor laser, comprising:
a semiconductor p-n junction;
a laser active region; and
at least one layer of chemical vapor deposition formed monocrystalline diamond coupled to the p-n junction or the laser active region.
17 . The semiconductor laser of claim 16 , wherein the at least one layer of diamond comprises at least one p-type material used to form the p-n junction, n-type material used to form the p-n junction, and the laser active region.
18 . The semiconductor laser of claim 16 , wherein the at least one layer of diamond is a substrate on which the semiconductor p-n junction and active region are constructed.
19 . A method of constructing a laser assembly, comprising:
configuring a diamond in contact with a laser material, the laser material to couple to an energy source to generate or amplify radiation, wherein the diamond is operable to transfer heat from the laser material.
20 . The method of constructing a laser assembly of claim 19 , wherein the diamond is a synthetic monocrystalline diamond.