Title :
High-power high-efficiency quasi-CW Sb-based mid-IR lasers using 1.9-μm laser diode pumping
Author :
Le, H.Q. ; Turner, G.W. ; Ochoa, J.R.
Author_Institution :
Lincoln Lab., MIT, Lexington, MA, USA
fDate :
5/1/1998 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
Power efficiency is a critical issue for mid-infrared (mid-IR) semiconductor lasers. Previously, the highest power and efficiency 4-μm laser was pumped with 0.98-μm laser diode. This letter used 1.9-μm diode pumping for better quantum defect ratio and heat flow geometry. A 3.7-μm InAsSb-AlAsSb laser yielded a pump-power-limited 1.25-W single-ended output in 1-ms-long pulse with 6.5% net optical-to-optical efficiency, in contrast with a 0.67-W thermally limited output and 2.7% efficiency with 0.98-μm diode pumping, at 70 K. The results are believed to represent the highest quasi-continuous-wave power from a single device, highest efficiency, and, scaled to the emitting aperture, highest power density for any 3-4-μm semiconductor laser for 1-ms pulse and /spl ges/70 K.
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; aluminium compounds; indium compounds; laser beams; optical pumping; semiconductor lasers; 0.67 W; 0.98 mum; 1 ms; 1.25 W; 1.9 mum; 2.7 percent; 3 to 4 mum; 3.7 mum; 4 mum; 6.5 percent; 70 K; InAsSb-AlAsSb; InAsSb-AlAsSb laser; Sb-based mid-IR lasers; efficiency; emitting aperture; heat flow geometry; high-power high-efficiency quasi-CW laser; laser diode; laser diode pumping; mid-IR semiconductor lasers; mid-infrared semiconductor lasers; optical-to-optical efficiency; power density; power efficiency; quantum defect ratio; quasi-continuous-wave power; single-ended output; thermally limited output; Diode lasers; Geometrical optics; Heat pumps; Laser excitation; Optical pulses; Power lasers; Pump lasers; Semiconductor diodes; Semiconductor lasers; Stimulated emission;
Journal_Title :
Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE
