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Numerous next-generation quantum and spectroscopic sensing applications are emerging from the lab into portable commercial products. Next-generation spectroscopic sensors are used in applications including drug and compound identification in industrial analysis and quality control, non-invasive medical applications such as blood flow and glucose monitoring, as well as environmental sensing and monitoring. Quantum sensing applications include precision Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) instruments for use in GPS denied environments, as well as precision magnetometers and gravimeters for both ground and space-borne mission capability. The key component for each of these portable applications is a robust single frequency laser source. To minimize the laser power requirements, Photodigm has developed high operating temperature (HOT™) Distributed Bragg Reflector (DBR) lasers in the GaAs/ AlGaAs materials system for operation at key Near-Infrared (NIR) wavelengths. The HOT™ DBR reduces overall packaged device power consumption by operating at elevated temperatures by operating on wavelength without the need for Peltier cooling. The HOT™ DBR device eliminates the need for thermoelectric cooling by relying on a combination of laser self-heating and resistive heating to maintain a stable operating wavelength needed to probe or maintain lock to a spectroscopic transition. Fabrication of the HOT™ DBR lasers requires an optimized multi-quantum well structure and DBR grating designed to achieve the desired spectroscopic wavelength at temperatures up to 75-85 °C. This report describes progress to date including performance and lifetime data for HOT™T DBR lasers for applications at several alkali atom and related wavelengths for portable quantum sensing and spectroscopic applications requiring minimum laser package power consumption.
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