Nichia Corp. of Tokyo has announced the availability of its new blue laser diodes in evaluation quantities. The NLHB500X-01 laser diode is offered at a unit price of $3000 for customers researching potential applications of the light source.

The laser diode produces 430- to 445-nm light, with a peak wavelength at 440 nm. It features an operating current of 55 mA and an operating voltage of 5 V, and has an estimated lifetime of 500 hours. The NLHB500X-01 can display continuous-wave operation, producing up to 5 mW of power, or pulsed lasing, with pulse widths less than 1 µs.