Solar-Pumped Lasers

About

About Solar-pumped lasers are a promising tool for generating and distributing renewable energy, where potential applications include orbital solar laser power stations beaming energy down to terrestrial photovoltaic receivers, or arrays of solar lasers in desert areas linked to population centres via optical fibres. However, despite several decades of research, solar-pumped lasers have yet to reach the levels of efficiency or output beam quality to make these applications feasible. Researchers at the University of Dundee have investigated the performance of a VECSEL gain medium under solar pumping, with the potential to surpass existing solar laser performance by large margins. VECSELs (vertical external cavity surface emitting lasers), also known as semiconductor disk lasers, have rapidly increased performance in recent years to be recognised as a useful laser architecture. Their proven capability for high power and efficiency, and good beam quality when pumped with divergent, low-beam-quality optical pumps make VECSELs highly attractive candidates for solar-pumped semiconductor lasers. Using the sun as a pump source, the researchers have demonstrated a constant quantum efficiency across the solar spectrum, an essential prerequisite to an efficient solar-pumped semiconductor laser. Their investigations estimate the useful power output of the laser to more than double the power of the current state-of-the-art, with demonstrations of a prototype design scheduled. The University is seeking a commercial partner for this technology and contact is welcomed from organisations interested in developing, licensing or exploiting this opportunity. Key Benefits High power, high efficiency, good beam quality solar-pumped laser in development Applications Novel applications to source and distribute renewable energyaction IP Status This technology is protected by patent application (PCT/GB2015/000268).