A Novel Intracavity Lens Design for Compact and High Efficiency Tapered Laser Diode

Author

Lau, F.K. ; Tee, C.W. ; Penty, R.V. ; White, I.H. ; Michel, N. ; Krakowski, M.

Author_Institution

Centre for Adv. Photonics & Electron., Cambridge Univ.

Volume

19

Issue

4

fYear

2007

Firstpage

203

Lastpage

205

Abstract

An integrated parabolic lens capable of introducing a diverging effect to the optical mode propagating within the cavity of a tapered laser is proposed and demonstrated. This idea allows broader high-power beams to be generated by shorter cavities. Diverging lenses with etch depths of 0.13 and 0.27 mum are implemented, with 12 (9.5%) and 16.8 mum (13.3%) overall broadening of the near-fields widths measured at 1/e² intensity. The peak output power as well as the threshold current is found to increase following the lens etching process, confirming the beneficial broadening effect introduced by the diverging lens

Keywords

etching; laser accessories; laser beams; laser cavity resonators; laser modes; lenses; optical design techniques; semiconductor lasers; broad high-power beams; broadening effect; compact laser diode; diverging lens; high efficiency laser diode; integrated parabolic lens; intracavity lens design; lens etching; optical mode propagation; tapered laser cavity; tapered laser diode; Diode lasers; Etching; Integrated optics; Laser beams; Laser modes; Lenses; Optical design; Optical propagation; Power generation; Threshold current; $M^{2}$ factor; Beam quality; Gaussian beam; catastrophic optical mirror damage (COMD); diverging lens; high-brightness lasers; high-power lasers; integrated lens; mode expansion; tapered lasers;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1041-1135

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LPT.2006.890105

Filename

4077080