From: adobe!!epperson@decwrl.dec.com (Mark Epperson)
Subject: Re:  Integrated laser arrays for HMDs
Date: 5 Nov 91 03:30:16 GMT
Organization: Adobe Systems Incorporated, Mountain View



In article <1991Nov1.174248.19885@milton.u.washington.edu> cdshaw@cs.ualberta.ca (Chris Shaw) writes:

%In article Christopher Fry <70353.3056@CompuServe.COM% writes:
%..enthusiastically about lasers on a chip
%
%%Laser diode use a LOT of current ...
%
%It chould be pointed out that the most efficient lasers are on the order
%of 25% efficient (Carbon Dioxide lasers, if I remember right). That's a 
%guaranteed 75% input current turned into heat. Semiconductor lasers currently 
%have efficiencies on the order of 2-5%, which means that 95-98% of your input
%power is lost. There's a significant packaging problem to be solved here
%before we start talking about HMD applications.

Look at the latest issue of Scientific American for the article on
Surface Emmiting Lasers.  They describe a future version of their
laser which will be far more efficient.

Mark Epperson