A laser diode (LD, also injection laser diode or ILD or semiconductor laser or diode laser) is a semiconductor device similar to a light-emitting diode in which a diode pumped directly with electrical current can create lasing conditions at the diode's junction. These devices are currently used in the fields of telecommunications and medicine and in industrial cutting and welding applications. This article discusses the characteristics common to laser. Laser diode drivers are electronic devices which are used to supply one or several laser diodes with the required electrical drive current. Most of them obtain electrical power from the public grid, but there are also battery-operated devices. They are widely used in various applications, including fiber-optic communication, barcode scanners, laser pointers, and optical storage devices.
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