The Blue Laser Diode

The development of a blue semiconductor laser on the basis of GaN by Shuji Nakamura opens a new field for the applications of semiconductor lasers. The wavelengths can be tuned by controlling the composition. For the first time in one substrate material, lasers with various wavelenghts, ranging from red through yellow and green to blue, can be formed. This fact together with their high efficiency make GaN based lasers very useful for a wide spectrum of applications. Additionaly, the realization of a unique and successful concept of research and development is discussed.

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Shuji Nakamura's development of a blue semiconductor laser on the basis of GaN opens the way for a host of new applications of semiconductor lasers. The wavelengths can be tuned by controlling the composition. For the first time it is possible to produce lasers with various wavelengths, ranging from red through yellow and green to blue, in one substrate material. This fact, together with their high efficiency, makes GaN-based lasers very useful for a wide spectrum of applications. The second edition of this basic book on GaN-based devices has been updated and significantly extended. It includes a survey of worldwide research on GaN, as well as Nakamura's latest important developments. The reader finds a careful introduction to the physics and properties of GaN. The main part of the book deals with the production and characteristics of GaN LDs and LEDs. To complete the spectrum of applications, GaN power devices are also described.