Laterally coupled diode lasers emitting at 1.3 um are presented. Devices were fabricated with distances between ridges varying from 2.76 um to 8.32 um. Electronic coupling effects are investigated by individually varying the currents in each ridge while monitoring output power. It is observed that for devices with 8.32 um separation between ridges there is minimal current sharing, whereas for 2.76 um separation there is considerable current sharing. Optical coupling is measured via the far-field, where most devices show out-of-phase locking, although in-phase locking is observed in a minority of cases. Devices therefore show conditions necessary for the observation of high speed dynamics.
Visible vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) are potential light sources for polymer optical fibre (POF) data transmission systems. Minimum attenuation of light in standard PMMA-POFs occurs at about 650 nm. For POFs of a few tens of meters in length VCSELs at slightly longer wavelengths (670 - 690 nm) are also acceptable. So far, the visible VCSELs have been grown by metal organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD). They may also be grown by a novel variant of molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), a so-called all-solid-source MBE or SSMBE. In this paper, we describe growth of the first visible-light VCSELs by SSMBE and present the main results obtained. In particular, we have achieved lasing action at a sub-milliamp cw drive current for a VCSEL having the emission window of 8um in diameter, while a 10um device exhibited an external quantum efficiency of 6.65% in CW operation at room temperature. The lasing action up to temperature of 45°C has been demonstrated.
Monolithic top-emitting resonant cavity light-emitting diodes (RCLEDs) have been fabricated by solid-source MBE. The RCLEDs in the 650-nm range, with modulation bandwidths exceeding 180 MHz, are possible low-cost transmitter candidates for systems using plastic optical fibers (POFs), such as IEEE-1394 at 100 Mb/s and 200 Mb/s and ATM at 155 Mb/s. Modulation bandwidth of greater than 120 MHz and light power of 2 mW (cw) have been achieved for (phi )84-micrometer devices driven at a 40 mA current. Accelerated aging tests for 27,500 device-hours indicate no degradation in output power. A variation in device temperature significantly modifies the far-field pattern and thus the fiber coupling efficiency, due to a cavity detuning effect. The effects of detuning and the temperature and bias dependencies of the devices are investigated. The 880-nm RCLEDs have a maximum output power of 25 mW. Applications include open-air optical communication systems, collision avoidance and measurement systems.
KEYWORDS: Quantum wells, Semiconductor lasers, Cladding, Refractive index, Near field optics, GRIN lenses, Optical simulations, Waveguides, Metalorganic chemical vapor deposition, High power lasers
In the already classical separate confinement (SCH) quantum well (QW) semiconductor laser diode structures many of the desired performances are contradictory coupled through the structural parameters -- i.e. a structural parameter modification leading to the improvement of one or more laser performances will produce the deterioration of at least another performance. Based on an analysis of this contradictory coupling a novel transverse layer structure that alleviates the problem and enables improved laser diode performances is proposed. Both optical simulation and a fully self-consistent model are used in a design optimization methodology and simple evaluation and optimization criteria for the new transverse structure are derived. A number of the analyzed high-power edge-emitting GazIn1-zP/(AlxGa1- x)yIn1-yP/GaAs quantum well laser structures were prepared using all-solid-source molecular beam epitaxy (SS-MBE) for layer growth and remarkable performances were obtained (continuous wave output powers of 3 W at 670 nm, 2 W at 650 nm, and 1 W at 630 nm; threshold current densities of 350 - 450 Angstrom/cm2 for 670 nm, 500 - 540 A/cm2 for 650 nm, and 600 - 680 A/cm2 for 630 nm). Although only a few of the optimization features were implemented the good agreement between measurements and simulations for the prepared structures indicate that significant performance improvements -- predicted by the simulations -- are still possible.
Monolithic top emitting resonant cavity light-emitting diodes operating in the 650 and 880 nm ranges have been prepared using solid-source molecular beam epitaxy growth. Transfer matrix based modeling together with a self- consistent model have been sued to optimize the devices' performances. The design of the layer structure and doping profile was assisted by computer simulations that enabled many device improvements. Among the most significant ones intermediate-composition barrier-reduction layers were introduced in the DBR mirrors for improving the I-V characteristics and the cavity and mirrors were detuned aiming at maximum extraction efficiency. The fabricated devices showed line widths below 15 nm, CW light power output of 8 and 22.5 mW, and external quantum efficiencies of 3 percent and 14.1 percent in the 650 nm and 880 nm ranges, respectively - while the simulations indicate significant performance improvement possibilities.
We report on resonant cavity light-emitting diodes, operating at 660, 880, and 1300 nm wavelengths. Some of the characteristic features of these devices will be discussed. The devices were grown by all-solid-source molecular beam epitaxy (SSMBE). The results provide clear-cut evidence that SSMBE is a viable method to growth of phosphorous containing semiconductors.
This paper presents the performance characteristics and reliability data of AlGaInP-based VISIBLE laser diodes emitting at the wavelengths from 630 to 670 nm. The lasers are grown by toxic gas free solid source molecular beam epitaxy.
ZnSe-based laser diodes have recently encountered strong competition from those grown from GaN related materials. These two material systems behave in a very different way as far as defect generation and propagation are concerned. For ZnSe-based materials the lifetime of a laser-diode is very sensitive to the density of pre-existing extended defects in the epitaxial material. Therefore, fabrication of a long- lived ZnSe-based laser diode requires an elimination of extended defects as well as making low-resistivity components in order to minimize device heating. We discuss the molecular beam epitaxy growth and characterization of ZnSe-based epitaxial structures on various III-V buffer layers lattice matched to GaAs. The status of our ZnSe-based laser diodes and microcavity LEDs will also be discussed.
This paper presents the performance characteristics and reliability data of GaInAsP- and AlGaInP-based laser diodes emitting at the wavelengths from 650 to 1,300 nm. The lasers are grown by toxic-gas-free all-solid-source molecular beam epitaxy (SS-MBE).
InGaAs/GaInAsP/GaInP ridge waveguide 980-nm laser diodes for pumping light into erbium doped fiber amplifiers are reviewed. These lasers have very good performance characteristics. They exhibit kink-free, single mode emission up to a power of 250 mW with a slope efficiency of 0.7 to 0.95 W/A, a thermally limited maximum power of 450 - 500 mW, and the threshold current density of about 150 A/cm2. They are relatively stable against temperature variations. A 100 mW power from a fiber-pigtail module has been demonstrated. The lasers withstand severe thermal roll-over tests without showing degradation effects. Preliminary lifetime tests indicate that their mean-time-to-failure may be very high if not limited by sudden failure, from several hundred thousand to one million hours.
We review state-of-the-art aluminum-free GaInP-GaInAsP-GaInAs laser diodes which emit at the wavelength of 980 nm. These lasers are intended for pumping light into erbium-doped optical fiber amplifiers. We discuss the preparing of the layer structure, using the gas-source molecular beam epitaxy growth method, the lasing characteristics, fiber coupling efficiency, and reliability issues.
This paper describes state-of-the-art aluminum-free 980-nm laser diodes which are intended for pumping erbium doped optical fiber amplifiers (EDFA's). There are three principal issues for these laser diodes to be considered for the EDFA applications: light output power, efficiency of coupling the power into a fiber, and reliability. It has been shown that the lasers can launch 400 mW in single transverse mode of operation into free space. A coupling efficiency of 53% and a fiber-coupled power of 58 mW have been demonstrated. Because the Al-free 980-nm lasers are new, their lifetimes have not yet been thoroughly studied. However, some tentative experiments indicate that extrapolated lifetimes may be several hundred thousand hours at reasonable power levels. Thermal roll-over tests prove that the lasers withstand high currents and temperatures without any sign of degradation.
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