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

Chapter 1

Basic diode laser engineering principles

1.1 Brief recapitulation

1.1.1 Key features of a diode laser

1.1.2 Homojunction diode laser

1.1.3 Double-heterostructure diode laser

1.1.4 Quantum well diode laser

1.1.5 Common compounds for semiconductor lasers

1.2 Optical output power – diverse aspects

1.2.1 Approaches to high-power diode lasers

1.2.2 High optical power considerations

1.2.3 Power limitations

1.2.4 High power versus reliability tradeoffs

1.2.5 Typical and record-high cw optical output powers

1.3 Selected relevant basic diode laser characteristics

1.3.1 Threshold gain

1.3.2 Material gain spectra

1.3.3 Optical confinement

1.3.4 Threshold current

1.3.5 Transverse vertical and transverse lateral modes

1.3.6 Fabry–Pérot longitudinal modes

1.3.7 Operating characteristics

1.3.8 Mirror reflectivity modifications

1.4 Laser fabrication technology

1.4.1 Laser wafer growth

1.4.2 Laser wafer processing

1.4.3 Laser packaging

References

Introduction

This chapter starts with a brief recap of the fundamental aspects and elements of diode lasers, including relevant features of the standard device types, with an emphasis on the advantages of quantum heterostructures for their effective use as active regions in the lasers. Common laser material systems are then discussed, along with lasing wavelength-dependent applications and best output power levels achieved in each individual high-power diode laser category for illustration and comparison. Various aspects of high-power issues ...