Heatsinks and Mounts for Laser Diodes

Heatsinks / Mounts for Laser Diodes | Available for most of the standard laser diode packages. TO Can, HHL, Fiber-Coupled, etc.

Most all laser diode packages will need some form of heatsinking. The heatsink must be capable of dissipating the waste heat generated by the laser. Lower power devices may only need to be mounted to a baseplate. However, higher power devices require a more substantial heatsink or a forced air, finned heatsink, and laser diodes arrays (bars) may need active cooling to handle the waste heat. Furthermore, suppose the specific laser diode die is not temperature-sensitive. In that case, you can consider a smaller package size and a simple heatsink, as that die can operate with negligible wavelength and power fluctuations due to changing temperatures. However, if the die is temperature-sensitive, then a more substantial heatsink, and perhaps a larger package, would be necessary to maintain a constant temperature and avoid fluctuations in performance. There is more surface area to transfer heat more efficiently with larger package sizes.

Active Cooling

The heatsink may be cooled by air, water, or a thermoelectric cooler (TEC). Depending on the type of laser, an air-cooled heatsink may provide sufficient cooling. An air-cooled heatsink can maintain an operating temperature a few degrees above your ambient temperature if sized correctly. However, if the ambient temperature changes, the heatsink temperature will also change. This temperature change will not provide stability of the laser wavelength and output power. Most often, active cooling of the heatsink is necessary. Actively cooled heatsinks offer much better heatsinking performance and introduce temperature control into the system. Active cooling usually is either water-cooling or thermoelectric coolers. The most straightforward design of an actively cooled heatsink is a metal plate with a cooling hole that allows coolant to flow through the heatsink. Typically, the coolant liquid is water for ecological reasons and because of its high heat capacity.

Let Us Help

In conclusion, if you have any questions or would like some assistance, please contact us here. Furthermore, you can call us at 636.272.7227 to talk to a knowledgeable Product Manager. Alternatively, you can also use the filters on this page to assist in narrowing down the selection. Finally, head to our Knowledge Center with our Lasers 101 page and Blogs and Whitepapers pages for further, in-depth reading.

Suggested Reading

• “TO-Can Laser Diode Heat Dissipation“
• “The Three Most Common Mistakes When Mounting and Heatsinking a TO-Can“