High power, efficient Al-free InGaAs/InGaP/GaAs diode lasers

We report on the optimization of InGaAs/InGaAsP/InGaP strained-layer quantum well laser structures through the use of the broad-waveguide concept for maximizing the CW output power. The Al-free DQW laser structures are grown by low-pressure MOCVD. Record CW performances (8.1 W front-facet power for a cavity length L=4 mm; and 59% wallplug efficiency for L=0.5 mm) are obtained from broad-area (100 /spl mu/m-wide-stripe) devices. Catastrophic optical mirror damage (COMD) values from LR/HR facet-coated devices under CW operation (i.e. /spl sim/15 MW/cm/sup 2/) are found to be similar to those for InGaAs/A1GaAs facet-coated lasers, indicating that the quantum-well material (i.e. strained-layer InGaAs), and not the cladding/confinement layer material, primarily determines the COMD value.