Sony today announced the development of a new high-power laser diodes for Blu-ray disc recorers supporting the new BDXL (High Capacity Recordable and Rewritable discs) format. Sony will release two models of the blue laser diode, one with an output power rated at 400mW - enough to burn data on multi-layered BDXL discs - and another one for slim-type BD drives, rated at 350mW. Both models can operate with stability even at temperatures of 85 degrees C, Sony said.

The high output allows to use a wider variety of optical components such as lenses and prisms, offering freedom to hardware designs.

To realize the 400 mW output, new technologies are necessary to prevent the end face of a laser resonator from being melted by the heat from laser ("catastrophic optical damage" (COD)) and to enhance the crystal quality of gallium nitride (GaN) crystal. Sony developed an end-face coating material and a film forming method and succeeded in heightening the optical output level that causes COD, compared with that of the company's 300mW-class laser diode.

Moreover, to improve the crystal quality, Sony developed new MOCVD (metal organic chemical vapor deposition) crystal growth equipment that is optimized for producing GaN materials.

The BDXL (High Capacity Recordable and Rewritable discs), provide write-once options on 100GB and 128GB capacity Blu-ray discs and rewritable capability on 100GB discs.

The BDXL specification is targeted primarily at commercial segments such as broadcasting, medical and document imaging enterprises with significant archiving needs. A consumer version of BDXL is also expected, particularly in those regions where BD recorders have achieved broad consumer acceptance, such as Japan.

Sony's new diode lasers have been 100% produced by Sony's subsidiary "Sony Shiroishi Semiconductor Inc." and are available now.