定义：
采用激光二极管的半导体激光器。

二极管激光器是采用激光二极管的半导体激光器。尽管二极管激光器和激光二极管通常在应用时具有相同的意思，但是二者还是有差别的：二极管激光器是一个激光器，有时只包含一个激光二极管，但是也可能包含其它的东西： 

1. 激光二极管可以与外置光学谐振腔结合，组成的器件为外腔二极管激光器。 
2. 二极管激光器可能在激光谐振腔外包含其它的光学器件，例如光束准直器或者波束成形器，将光耦合进光纤的方法，或者提供光学反馈的方法。有时也会包括非线性频率转换的器件。 
3. 有些二极管激光器包括多个激光二极管和合束的方法。 
4. 二极管激光器也可以采用一个外罩，包括激光二极管温度稳定的方法和一个激光二极管驱动。 

二极管激光器的应用在词条激光二极管中。

Definition: semiconductor laser devices based on laser diodes

More general term: semiconductor lasers

More specific terms: high brightness laser diodes, diode bars, diode stacks, vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers, external-cavity diode lasers, fiber-coupled diode lasers, mode-locked diode lasers, direct diode lasers

Diode lasers are semiconductor laser devices based on laser diodes. Although the terms diode laser and laser diode are often used with the same meaning, it is appropriate to distinguish the terms: the diode laser is a laser device, which may sometimes consist only of a single laser diode, but may also contain additional items:

• The laser diode may be combined with an external optical resonator, so that the device is an external-cavity diode laser.
• A diode laser device may contain multiple laser diodes with some optics for beam combining (for example spectral beam combining).
• A diode laser may also include additional optics outside the laser resonator, such as a beam collimator or a beam shaper, means for coupling the light to an optical fiber (→ fiber-coupled diode lasers or pigtailed diode lasers), or means to provide optical feedback, e.g. in order to reduce the emission linewidth.
• In some cases, a device for nonlinear frequency conversion is also included.
• A diode laser may be provided with a housing, which may also contain means for temperature stabilization of the laser diode and a laser diode driver. See also the article on laser diode modules.

Applications of diode lasers are mentioned in the article on laser diodes.