Sharp developed an ultra-small laser diode for Blu-Ray and HD DVD drives for notebooks.

Code-named H04020A4G, the new diode has a diameter of just 3.3mm, allowing for easy implementation of it in Blu-Ray and HD DVD drives (readers) for notebooks.

The diode's low power consumption was directly related to its low operating temperature, allowing Sharp to pack the diode into a small package, with high heat dissipation characteristics. The Japanese company said that the new diode offers high reliability, allowing it to continuously operate at 10mW for more than 10,000 hours.

Sharp will start shipping samples of the new laser in June, priced at 12,000 Yen. Mass production is expected to start one month later, at a target production output of 500,000 units/month.