Material processing with high power diode lasers

This presentation gives an overview over first applications and an outlook into future applications of high power laser diodes (HPLD's) with an emphasis on the automotive industry. During the last few years the development and fabrication technology of HPLD's has led to major improvements concerning the available output power. the lifetime and especially the price of the devices. The initial motivation for developing HPLD's was focused on the pumping of solid state lasers in order to replace flashlamps or arc lamps to increase efficiency, beam quality. lifetime and reliability. But apart from this "indirect" application there is a vast potential in direct applications of the HPLD's in the field of material processing.