Performance improvement of high-power AlGaAs lasers

Abstract

Structure optimization of high-power 780 nm AlGaAs laser diodes (LDs) is made by engineering the distribution and the density of deep-level defects in their active and cladding layers. One of the optimized LDs shows a typical threshold current of 35 mA, maximum output power of 385 mW in pulsed mode, an internal quantum efficiency of 89.9 %, am internal loss of 3.38 cm(-1) and a characteristic temperature of 153 K. In addition, stable continuous-wave (CW) operation is observed during screen test with little degradation for more than 10 hrs. at 100 mW and 70 degrees C. These results indicate that defect engineering for individual layers of the LD structure is quite effective in improving the performance and reliability of high-power LDs.