Sanyo announced the first purple-blue semiconductor laser for next-generation optical discs. The new laser is the Sanyo’s proposal for two-layer recording to support the next generation optical disc, offers a high output power (100mW) and low noise characteristics. The laser is expected to be available in the 3rd quarter of 2003, and the utilization will start a couple of months later. SANYO is involved into the technical development of semiconductor lasers for many years. The company produces and sells AlGaAs (aluminum gallium arsenic) infrared semiconductor laser systems, which are the key element of any optical information management system field. Applications based on these semiconductors are optical disc systems, such as CD and DVD, measurement apparatus etc. Sanyo also develops AlGaInP (aluminum gallium in JIUMURIN) red semiconductor laser systems.

The new purple-blue color semiconductor laser uses GaN (gallium night RAIDO) compound semiconductor material as a light source, for recording and reading. The new laser was under development for one year. Initially, the provided laser output was set to only 5mW, but further development leaded to a power upgrade to 50mW this January. The new 100mW blue lasers will definitely allow two-layer recording on the next-generation optical disc systems.

The key features of the new laser are the improvement of the laser luminance efficiency, resulting to a reduction of the optical losses. The new laser is compatible with the original laser light stabilization technology, offering low noise characteristics, and the stable high output.

The basic characteristics of the new laser are illustrated in the table below:

Optical output (continuation)		50mW
Optical output (pulse)		100mW
Threshold current		40mA
Current of operation (50mW)		100mA
Wavelength		405nm
Beam spread Angle	Level	8 degrees
	Perpendicular	23 degrees