The LaserWave-I is designed to measure the pump laser diodes used in diode pumped solid state lasers. The resolution of the LW-I is 0.3nm; defined as the ability to resolved adjacent peaks at the FWHM (50%) intensity point. In contrast we have measured the relative accuracy of the centroid position to be about +-0.02nm. For diode pumping the important parameter is how much of the pump light falls within the absorption window of the lasing material. Knowing the peak location and FWHM allows this important parameter to be measured.

Shown below are the output spectra of a single laser pump bar at three different drive currents, showing the shift to longer wavelengths as the drive current is increased as well as the increase is emission bandwidth. Such laser diode bars are a collection of emitters, each operating at slightly different wavelengths and each subject to heating from adjacent lasing elements. Thus the total output is a collection of wavelengths that is dependent of the drive current, device temperature and characteristics of the array of elements that make up the arrays of the laser diode bar. Changes in one section of the bar might be expected to show up as a change in the symmetry of the wavelength "envelop" as well as wavelength regions of greater or less output if a section of the pump laser changes.