What are DPSS Lasers?
Diode Pumped Solid State (DPSS) lasers are a variation of the well known ruby, Nd:YAG, or other type of optically pumped crystal based laser where a high power IR laser diode or array of laser diodes provides the excitation instead of a flashlamp or other intense light source. Note that many DPSS lasers are designed for SHG (Second Harmonic, 532 nm green for a YAG lasing medium) or higher frequency multiplication but this is not inherent in the DPSS designation. While DPSS lasers generally can’t achieve the same peak power as their flashlamp pumped cousins, they are capable of high CW or average power and are much more efficient (20 times or more) than flashlamp or arc lamp pumped SS lasers. Applications for DPSS lasers include most of those previously handled by lamp pumped SS lasers as well as many new ones where size and efficiency are important. These include most of those for lamp pumped SS lasers like materials processing as well as graphic arts, and entertainment (light shows, l
