Abstract: A method of packaging laser diode arrays includes the steps of forming a submount array having a plurality of submounts and an element for maintaining a precise spacing between the submounts; bonding the submounts to a substrate formed of an electrically insulating material; removing the element maintaining the precise spacing; and placing a diode bar in each of the precise spacings between adjacent submounts. For one embodiment of the invention, the submount array is formed by providing a plurality of submounts and a removable spacer between each pair of adjacent submounts, which spacers may be fixtured and are removed after the submounts are bonded to the substrate. For a second embodiment, the submount array is formed by machining a block of material from which submounts are to be formed into a plurality of submounts joined to each other by at least one attachment structure. After the submounts have been bonded to the substrate, the attachment structures may be machined away of otherwise removed.

Abstract: A high fluence diode laser device is provided which achieves high fluence by carefully designing the mount for the diode bars so as to permit high power and long pulse operation with little temperature rise in the diode lasers; providing a microlens array in front of the diode array to improve brightness; and utilizing a non-imaging (i.e., without lenses) optical condenser between the microlens array and the target to efficiently transmit light energy from the diode array to a smaller target area.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for selectively destroying blood vessels contained at a selected depth and in a selective area of a patients dermis by positioning a laser so that light from the laser will impinge on the selected area of the dermis and operating the laser to deliver pulse light to the area, which light has a wavelength between 700 nm and 1100 nm, with each pulse delivering a fluence at the surface above the area being treated of between 5 joules per square centimeter and 100 joules per square centimeter, and each pulse having a pulse duration of between 0.2 milliseconds and 100 milliseconds.

Abstract: A method for treating psoriasis with pulsed infrared laser illumination. A pulsed infrared diode laser having a wavelength of 800 nm and a pulse duration in the millisecond range selectively destroys abnormal blood vessels beneath psoriatic plaques at depths of up to one millimeter. Areas of approximately 0.5 cm.sup.2 are sequentially treated. Uniform illumination intensity at a wide range of penetration depths allows selective destruction of the blood vessels without damage to the surrounding tissue, causing the psoriatic lesions to heal. The method may be applied more generally to the treatment of other dermal vascular malformations.