KEYWORDS: Semiconductor lasers, Diodes, Fiber lasers, High power lasers, Laser systems engineering, Reliability, Laser development, Disk lasers, Fiber couplers, Packaging
We have continuously optimized high fill factor bar and packaging design to increase power and efficiency for thin disc
laser system pump application. On the other hand, low fill factor bars packaged on the same direct copper bonded (DCB)
cooling platform are used to build multi-kilowatt direct diode laser systems. We have also optimized the single emitter
designs for fiber laser pump applications. In this paper, we will give an overview of our recent advances in high power
high brightness laser bars and single emitters for pumping and direct diode application. We will present 300W bar
development results for our next generation thin disk laser pump source. We will also show recent improvements on
slow axis beam quality of low fill factor bar and its application on performance improvement of 4-5 kW TruDiode laser
system with BPP of 30 mm*mrad from a 600 μm fiber. Performance and reliability results of single emitter for multiemitter
fiber laser pump source will be presented as well.
Continuous cost reduction, improved reliability and modular platform guide the design of our next generation heatsink
and packaging process. Power scaling from a single device effectively lowers the cost, while electrical insulation of the
heatsink, low junction temperature and hard solder enable high reliability. We report on the latest results for scaling the
output power of bars for optical pumping and materials processing. The epitaxial design and geometric structures are
specific for the application, while packaging with minimum thermal impedance, low stress and low smile are generic
features. The isolated heatsink shows a thermal impedance of 0.2 K/W and the maximum output power is limited by the
requirement of a junction temperature of less than 68oC for high reliability. Low contact impedance are addressed for
drive currents of 300 A. For pumping applications, bars with a fill factor of 60% are deployed emitting more than 300 W
of output power with an efficiency of about 55% and 8 bars are arranged in a compact pump module emitting 2 kW of
collimated power suitable for pumping disk lasers. For direct applications we target coupling kilowatts of output powers
into fibers of 100 μm diameter with 0.1 NA based on dense wavelength multiplexing. Low fill factor bars with large
optical waveguide and specialized coating also emit 300 W.
KEYWORDS: Laser systems engineering, High power lasers, Disk lasers, Reflectivity, Volume holography, Holography, Pulsed laser operation, Semiconductor lasers, Absorption, Diodes
We present our latest experimental results in wavelength stabilization of high power laser diode systems by using Volume Holographic (Bragg) Gratings. Such systems are used as optical pumps to increase the efficiency and brightness of Thin Disk Lasers. To achieve a wide locking range from threshold until maximum operation current (for example from 30A to 250A), careful control of laser system alignment is necessary to ensure effective feedback and locking, without using strong gratings which could reduce laser efficiency. For this purpose, we use wavefront correction optics to compensate for laser bar smile and Fast Axis Collimation pointing errors. We reduce the pointing errors from ~ 1 mrad to an average under 0.1 mrad across the bar and across the entire stack. Time resolved spectra are used to investigate the dynamic locking behavior with the goal of achieving a locking speed comparable to the rise time of the current (100 μs). Experimental results for multi-kW laser systems are presented, both in CW and soft pulsed operation modes.
KEYWORDS: Waveguides, Semiconductor lasers, Thermal effects, Broad area laser diodes, Refractive index, Laser systems engineering, Near field, High power lasers, Fiber coupled lasers, Optical filters
For high brightness direct diode laser systems, it is of fundamental importance to improve the slow axis beam quality of the incorporated laser diodes regardless what beam combining technology is applied. To further advance our products in terms of increased brightness at a high power level, we must optimize the slow axis beam quality despite the far field blooming at high current levels. The later is caused predominantly by the built-in index step in combination with the thermal lens effect. Most of the methods for beam quality improvements reported in publications sacrifice the device efficiency and reliable output power. In order to improve the beam quality as well as maintain the efficiency and reliable output power, we investigated methods of influencing local heat generation to reduce the thermal gradient across the slow axis direction, optimizing the built-in index step and discriminating high order modes. Based on our findings, we have combined different methods in our new device design. Subsequently, the beam parameter product (BPP) of a 10% fill factor bar has improved by approximately 30% at 7 W/emitter without efficiency penalty. This technology has enabled fiber coupled high brightness multi-kilowatt direct diode laser systems. In this paper, we will elaborate on the methods used as well as the results achieved.
KEYWORDS: Semiconductor lasers, Laser systems engineering, High power lasers, Disk lasers, Fiber couplers, Laser development, Laser applications, Collimation, Photonics, Solid state lasers
The performance of high power and high brightness systems has been developing and is developing fast. In the multi kW regime both very high spatial and spectral brightness systems are emerging. Also diode laser pumped and direct diode lasers are becoming the standard laser sources for many applications. The pump sources for thin Disk Laser systems at TRUMPF Photonics enabled by high power and efficiency laser bars are becoming a well established standard in the industry with over two thousand 8 kW Disk Laser pumps installed in TruDisk systems at the customer site. These systems have proven to be a robust and reliable industrial tool. A further increase in power and efficiency of the bar can be easily used to scale the TruDisk output power without major changes in the pump source design. This publication will highlight advanced laser systems in the multi kW range for both direct application and solid state laser pumping using specifically tailored diode laser bars for high spatial and/or high spectral brightness. Results using wavelength stabilization techniques suitable for high power CW laser system applications will be presented. These high power and high brightness diode laser systems, fiber coupled or in free space configuration, depending on application or customer need, typically operate in the range of 900 to 1070 nm wavelength.
The advances in laser-diode technology have enabled high efficiency direct diode base modules to emerge as a building block for industrial high power laser systems. Consequently, these systems have been implemented with advance robust, higher-brightness and reliable laser sources for material processing application. Here at the company, we use low-fill factor bars to build fiber-coupled and passively cooled modules, which form the foundation for “TruDiode,” the series of TRUMPF direct diode laser systems that can perform in the multi-kilowatt arena with high beam quality. However, higher reliable output power, additional efficiency and greater slow axis beam quality of the high power laser bars are necessary to further increase the brightness and reduce the cost of the systems. In order to improve the slow axis beam quality, we have optimized the bar epitaxial structures as well as the lateral design. The detailed near field and far field studies of the slow axis for each individual emitters on the bar provide us with information about the dependency of beam quality as a function of the drive current. Based on these study results for direct diode application, we have optimized the high brightness bar designs at 900-1070nm wavelengths. In addition, high power and high efficiency laser bars with high fill factors have been used to build the pump sources for thin disc laser systems at TRUMPF Photonics. For better system performances with lower costs, we have further optimized bar designs for this application. In this paper, we will give an overview of our recent advances in high power and brightness laser bars with enhanced reliability. We will exhibit beam quality study, polarization and reliability test results of our laser bars in the 900-1070nm wavelengths region for coarse wavelength multiplexing. Finally, we will also present the performance and reliability results of the 200W bar, which will be used for our next generation thin disk laser pump source.
High power semiconductor lasers, single emitters and bars are developing fast.
During the last decade key parameters of diode lasers, such as beam quality, power, spatial and
spectral brightness, efficiency as well as reliability have been greatly improved. However, often
only individual parameters have been optimized, accepting an adverse effect in the other key
parameters.
For demanding industrial applications in most cases it is not sufficient to achieve a record value in
one of the parameters, on the contrary it is necessary to optimize all the mentioned parameters
simultaneously.
To be able to achieve this objective it is highly advantageous to have insight in the whole process
chain, from epitaxial device structure design and growth, wafer processing, mounting, heat sink
design, product development and finally the customer needs your final product has to fulfill.
In this publication an overview of recent advances in industrial diode lasers at TRUMPF will be
highlighted enabling advanced applications for both high end pump sources as well as highest
brightness direct diode.
We present high-performance surface-normal modulators based on unique properties of stepped quantum wells (SQWs) around the eye-safe wavelength of 1550 nm. Fabricated devices show nearly two times better efficiency and 7 dB higher extinction ratio compared with the conventional devices with rectangular and coupled-quantum well active layers. Moreover, the optical bandwidth is about 70 nm at a 3dB modulation depth, which is more than five times wider than the optical bandwidth of the conventional devices. Such a wide optical bandwidth eliminates the need for a temperature controller. This is a critical advantage for many applications such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and dynamic optical tags (DOTs), where limited volume, power, and weight can be allocated to the modulator system.
KEYWORDS: Laser stabilization, Information operations, Optoelectronics, Transmission electron microscopy, Process modeling, Differential equations, Cladding
In this paper, the stability of strained MQWs in laser structure is discussed. The excess stress is the driving force of misfit dislocation multiplication and is a very important factor of strained MQWs stability. So we calculate the excess stress using the single-kink model. Our results show that the maximum position of excess stress is related to the barrier and well thicknesses and mismatches in the well(s). The lattice-matched barriers can dilute the excess stress. The capping layer can also dilute the excess stress in a certain degree. We then calculate the strain relaxation using the dynamic model of dislocations. In this model, the strain relaxation is driven by the excess strains. In this paper, the criteria of the stability of MQWs in laser structure is that the density of dislocations (or the strain relaxation) is less than a certain value. In this way, the barriers and capping layer are both important factors of MQWs stability. The method can be used to better the MQWs in laser structure.
Electroluminescent (EL) devices were fabricated using Poly(N-vinylcarbazole) (PVK) doped with two high fluorescence blue dyes, 1,1,4,4-Tetraphenyl-1,3-butadiene (TPB) and 2,5-Bis(5-tert-buty 1-2-benzoxazoly) thiophene (BBOT) as an emitting layer, a layer of tris(8-quinolinolato aluminum (III) (Alq3) as an electron-transporting layer, and aluminum as the electron-injecting top electrode contact. The cell structure of glass substrate/ITO/doped PVK/Alq3/Al was employed. In this cell structure, electron and hole are injected from the aluminum electrode and positive polarity, respectively. Then transport into emitting layer and recombinate concomitant electroluminescence from the doped PVK layer. The EL device has a relatively low turn-on voltage of 4 V dc bias, and a luminance of 1200 cd/m2 were achieved at a drive voltage of 10 V. The blue emission peaking at about 455 nm and 475 nm.
Electroluminescence (EL) is reported from a novel polymer blend of poly(2,5-dibutoxyphenylene) (PPP) and polymer poly(N-vinylcarbazole) (PVK). Since PPP and PVK are soluble in common organic solvents, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) can be fabricated by spin-coating films of the polymer blends from solution without subsequent processing or heat treatment. Indium-tin-oxide (ITO) and aluminum (Al) are used as the hole-injection and electron-injection electrodes, respectively. Blue light emission is observed at about 8 V and have a peak emission wavelength at 448 nm at room temperature. The EL efficiency is about 0.82%, which is greater than.that of pure PPP by approximately one order of magnitude.
Low operating voltage organic molecule dye doped polymers blue electroluminescent (EL) devices were constructed by using air stable aluminum as cathode 1,1,4,4,-tetraphenyl- 1,3-butadiene (TPB) doped poly (N-Vinylcarbazole) (PVK) was used as the light emitting layer, and a layer of tris(8- quinolinolate)-Aluminum(Alq3) film worked as an electron-transporting layer. A device with two layer structure of indium-tin-oxide(ITO)/TPB:PVK/Alq3/Al was obtained. Blue emission began at DC bias voltage of 3.5 V, and blue electroluminescence of 500 cd/m2 was observed at about 10 V, the EL peak was at 449 nm. By using Al as cathode, 2-(4-biphenylyl)-5-(4-terbutypheny)-1-3,4- oxadiazole(PBD) as hole-blocking layer, the device with the structure of ITO/TPB:PVK/PBD/Alq3/Al was also fabricated. Blue emission began at 4 V, more than 1000 cd/m2 was observed at 14 V. These are among the lowest known operating voltage for polymeric EL devices using air stable electrodes. The characteristics of these two kinds of structure devices have also been investigated.
In this report, InGaAs/InGaAsP separated confinement strained-layer multiple-quantum-well laser structures for 1.48micrometers emission wavelength have been grown by LP-MOVPE. The lasing characteristics of the dependence of threshold current densities on the inverse of cavity length and the dependence of threshold current on the cavity length have been studied with room temperature pulse operated broad-area lasers. To reduce the threshold current, the room temperature CW H+ ion implantation stripe lasers with varies widths have been fabricated. The stripe width dependence of threshold current for a set of these devices have also been investigated. Besides, to obtain a high output power from the front facet, we have studied the design of the facet reflective.
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