Leo J. Missaggia

Leo J. Missaggia is an associate technical staff member in the Laser Technology and Applications Group.  He has participated in numerous research projects related to electro-optical device development, in particular, the development of high-power semiconductor diode lasers and optical amplifiers (both single element and arrays). His contributions have been in the areas of device fabrication and electro-optical characterization, with a particular emphasis on device packaging, including thermal management for high-power CW operation, current distribution for individually addressable array emitters, and alignment and attachment of micro-optics and optical fibers.

Missaggia contributed to the development of the first CW, 2-watt level, diffraction-limited, tapered diode laser. He was also involved in the development of high-performance microchannel heat sinks, which were required for cooling high-power two-dimensional laser arrays. Over the past decade, his efforts have been in the development of advanced packaging architectures for high-power, slab-coupled optical waveguide (SCOW) laser and amplifier linear arrays. These state-of-the-art architectures were utilized for both wavelength and coherent beam-combining applications, in which record beam-combined CW output powers were demonstrated from single-mode semiconductor emitter arrays. His work in these areas has resulted in coauthorships on several patents and numerous publications. 

Missaggia graduated from Franklin Institute of Boston with an AS degree in mechanical engineering technology. He received a BS degree in mechanical engineering technology from Northeastern University and an MS degree in mechanical engineering from Boston University.