Near-field evolution in strongly pumped broad area diode lasers

Martin Hempel; Jens W. Tomm; Martina Bäumler; Helmer Konstanzer; Jayanta Mukherjee; Thomas Elsässer

doi:10.1117/12.905945

8 February 2012 Near-field evolution in strongly pumped broad area diode lasers

Martin Hempel, Jens W. Tomm, Martina Bäumler, Helmer Konstanzer, Jayanta Mukherjee, Thomas Elsässer

Proceedings Volume 8277, Novel In-Plane Semiconductor Lasers XI; 82771H (2012) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.905945
Event: SPIE OPTO, 2012, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

Many applications such as pumping of solid state lasers or ignition of explosives require high optical output powers during a short period. Pulsed operated diode lasers meet these requirements. They can be driven at elevated power levels, well above the ones specified for continuous wave (cw) operation. The optical near-field intensity of a diode laser in this operation regime is a key parameter since it determines the beam properties of the device. High power AlGaAs/GaAs quantum well broad area diode lasers are subjected to single pulse step tests carried out up to and beyond their ultimate limits of operation. Laser near-fields are monitored on a picosecond time scale using a streak-camera setup during pulse currents of up to ~50 times the threshold current. A transition from gain guiding to thermally-induced index guiding of the near-field is shown. A further power increase is prevented by catastrophic optical damage (COD). This sudden failure mechanism is studied in conjunction with filamentary properties of the near-field. The defect growth dynamics resolved on the picosecond time scale is used to gather inside into the physics behind COD.

Citation Download Citation

Martin Hempel, Jens W. Tomm, Martina Bäumler, Helmer Konstanzer, Jayanta Mukherjee, and Thomas Elsässer "Near-field evolution in strongly pumped broad area diode lasers", Proc. SPIE 8277, Novel In-Plane Semiconductor Lasers XI, 82771H (8 February 2012); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.905945

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