Santa Clara, Calif.-based Coherent Inc. has delivered prototypes of its proprietary optically pumped semiconductor lasers for testing in telecommunications applications, such as pumping erbium-doped fiber amplifiers. The 980-nm fiber-coupled devices produce 500 mW.

The company says the high-power lasers can replace four standard amplifier pump lasers, which will substantially reduce packaging and multiplexing. It will continue development of a package qualified for telecommunications.