^But the Microvision system is still using DPSS, making it much bigger and much more energy-hungry than what will be available once diodes are actually available. Blue diodes are available, but need some more work in general, and green diodes are not available. Once they are, Microvision's current products will be obsolete, because DPSS will never be as small or efficient as direct injection diodes.
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Benm- We're not likely to see anything into the UV for more dense optical storage in the future, in my opinion. We're very, very close to the ability to stream HD video content over the air, and a long way from any large scale manufacturing of solid state UV lasers. As far as current technology goes, it would be in the same material system, it's likely quite possible. But data transmission rates are growing so fast that they're sure to outdo any progress in UV lasers in the future. And if we're able to stream the omvie to you, why would you bother buying a new disk player and going out and renting the movie? Just stream it live or download it.
And, any company or research lab with the ability to make such things is concentrating on blue and green lasers, not on going in the opposite direction. But in theory, it's a fairly simple idea. Gallium nitride puts you into near-UV. Adding indium lowers the bandgap, and changes light emissions from near-UV to violet, then blue, the indium. But if you don't use indium, and instead add aluminum to gallium nitride, it increases the bandgap and gets light emission further into the UV. Of course there are a TON of other problems you get into, but that's the cliffnotes version.en green as you add mor