Catastrophic optical mirror damage in diode lasers monitored during single pulse operation

Jens W. Tomm; Mathias Ziegler; Thomas Elsaesser; Henning E. Larsen; Paul M. Petersen; Peter E. Andersen; Sønnik Clausen; Ute Zeimer; David Fendler

doi:10.1117/12.839585

12 February 2010 Catastrophic optical mirror damage in diode lasers monitored during single pulse operation

Jens W. Tomm, Mathias Ziegler, Thomas Elsaesser, Henning E. Larsen, Paul M. Petersen, Peter E. Andersen, Sønnik Clausen, Ute Zeimer, David Fendler

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 7616, Novel In-Plane Semiconductor Lasers IX; 76161G (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.839585
Event: SPIE OPTO, 2010, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

The catastrophic optical mirror damage (COMD) effect is analyzed for 808 nm emitting diode lasers in single-pulse operation. During each single pulse, both nearfield of the laser emission and thermal image of the laser facet are monitored with cameras being sensitive in the respective spectral regions. A temporal resolution in the μs-range is achieved. The COMD is unambiguously related to the occurrence of a 'thermal flash' detected by thermal imaging. A one-by-one correlation between emission nearfield, 'thermal flash', thermal runaway, and structural damage is observed. As a consequence of the single-pulse-excitation technique, the propagation of 'dark bands' as observed in photo- or cathodoluminescence maps in the plane of the active region from the front facet is halted after the first pulse. Because of the rapidness of the thermal runaway, we propose the single-pulse technique for testing the facet stability and the intentional preparation of early stages of COMD; even for diode lasers that regularly fail by other mechanisms.

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Jens W. Tomm, Mathias Ziegler, Thomas Elsaesser, Henning E. Larsen, Paul M. Petersen, Peter E. Andersen, Sønnik Clausen, Ute Zeimer, and David Fendler "Catastrophic optical mirror damage in diode lasers monitored during single pulse operation", Proc. SPIE 7616, Novel In-Plane Semiconductor Lasers IX, 76161G (12 February 2010); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.839585

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