Semiconductor Laser Engineering, Reliability and Diagnostics: A Practical Approach to High Power and Single Mode Devices

Chapter 2

Design considerations for high-power single spatial mode operation

2.1 Basic high-power design approaches

2.1.1 Key aspects

2.1.2 Output power scaling

2.1.3 Transverse vertical waveguides

2.1.4 Narrow-stripe weakly index-guided transverse lateral waveguides

2.1.5 Thermal management

2.1.6 Catastrophic optical damage elimination

2.2 Single spatial mode and kink control

2.2.1 Key aspects

2.3 High-power, single spatial mode, narrow ridge waveguide lasers

2.3.1 Introduction

2.3.2 Selected calculated parameter dependencies

2.3.3 Selected experimental parameter dependencies

2.4 Selected large-area laser concepts and techniques

2.4.1 Introduction

2.4.2 Broad-area (BA) lasers

2.4.3 Unstable resonator (UR) lasers

2.4.4 Tapered amplifier lasers

2.4.5 Linear laser array structures

References

Introduction

The chapter is subdivided into four sections. The first section gives an overview of the different approaches for realizing high-power, edge-emitting diode lasers with a focus on solitary emitters followed by a detailed discussion of these approaches and parameters including the design of effective vertical and lateral waveguide structures, increase of thermal rollover power by cavity length scaling, realization of high internal efficiency and low internal carrier and photon losses, efficient thermal management, suppression of leakage currents, optimization of materials, growth, and processing, and elimination of catastrophic optical damage events at mirrors and in the bulk of the ...