Design and fabrication of high-power laser diode bar

Semiconductor lasers have emerged as a transformative technology replacing conventional methods with their rapid evolution and widespread integration across various industries. It is increasing its impact in the industry involving material processing, tempering, annealing and bending. Laser diode bars are increasingly utilized in these processes, offering the advantage of easily adjusting the optical power and beam dimensions to meet specific requirements. This thesis as part of the TUBITAK-1004 project, investigates the details of laser diode bar fabrication for a system designed to execute heat treatment processes on glass surfaces. Utilizing high-power laser diode bars, the goal is to achieve optical power exceeding 100 W using 1-cm bars. The focus is to apply heat treatment by these bars to glass surfaces containing coatings with silver layers, a task traditionally implemented with large and energy-intensive furnaces. In contrast to traditional techniques, the use of laser diode bars provides precision targeted heating, considerably reducing energy usage and processing time. Heat distribution management in various glass treatments has the potential to transform the glass industry by adding flexibility to the relevant processes. This thesis demonstrates the fabrication of high-power laser diodes achieving an output power of 158 W, also showcases their practical application. The conducted heat treatments on coated glass surfaces are analyzed. The outcomes presented in this study demonstrate an outlook of the implementation of these laser diodes for industry.