高功率垂直外腔面发射半导体激光器增益设计及制备

垂直外腔面发射半导体激光器(vertical external cavity surface emitting laser, VECSEL)兼具高功率与良好的光束质量,是半导体激光器领域的持续研究热点之一.本文开展了光抽运VECSEL最核心的多量子阱增益区设计,对量子阱增益光谱及其峰值增益与载流子浓度及温度等关系进行系统的理论优化,并对5种不同势垒构型的量子阱增益特性进行对比,证实采用双侧GaAsP应变补偿的发光区具有更理想的增益特性.对MOCVD生长的VECSEL进行器件制备,实现了VECSEL在抽运功率为35 W时输出功率达到9.82 W,并且功率曲线仍然没有饱和;通过变化外腔镜的反射率, VECSEL的激光波长随抽运功率的漂移系数由0.216 nm/W降低至0.16 nm/W,证实外腔镜反射率会影响VECSEL增益芯片内部热效应,从而影响VECSEL激光输出功率.所制备VECSEL在两正交方向上的发散角分别为9.2°和9.0°,激光光斑呈现良好的圆形对称性.     

Modelocked quantum dot vertical external cavity surface emitting laser

We report the first successful modelocking of a vertical external cavity surface emitting laser (VECSEL) with a quantum dot (QD) gain region. The VECSEL has a total of 35 QD-layers with an emission wavelength of about 1060 nm. In SESAM modelocked operation, we obtain an average output power of 27.4 mW with 18-ps pulses at a repetition rate of 2.57 GHz. This QD-VECSEL is used as-grown on a 450 μm thick substrate, which limits the average output power.     

光泵浦双反射带半导体激光器的热效应有限元分析

给出了808 nm/980 nm双反射带布拉格反射镜的反射谱线,建立了光泵浦双反射带半导体激光器件的热学模型及其内部热载荷分布形式,运用有限元分析方法,详细分析了双反射带光泵浦半导体激光器件的热学特性。结果表明,对于激射光反射率为99.96%的单反射带和双反射带布拉格反射镜结构的垂直外腔面发射半导体激光器件,前者的散热性能较好,而后者的最大温升明显低于前者。本文的分析结果可为半导体激光器件的结构优化和实验研究提供理论参考。     

Quantum design of semiconductor active materials: laser and amplifier applications

We present an overview of a novel first‐principles quantum approach to designing and optimizing semiconductor quantum‐well material systems for target wavelengths. Using these microscopic inputs as basic building blocks we predict the light‐current (LI) characteristic for a low power InGaPAs ridge laser without having to use adjustable fit parameters. Finally we employ these microscopic inputs to develop sophisticated simulation capabilities for designing and optimizing end packaged hi gh power laser structures. As an explicit example of the latter, we consider the design of a vertical external cavity semiconductor laser (VECSEL).     

Control of light polarization in a semiconductor dual-wavelength vertical external cavity surface-emitting laser

A method for controlling the polarization characteristics of the radiation of a dual-wavelength vertical external cavity surface-emitting laser (VECSEL) is proposed. It is shown that a retarder of a special kind used as a part of the laser cavity allows the excitation of laser radiation with components in nearly mutually transverse polarization planes.     

Modeling of vertical external cavity semiconductor laser with MQW resonant structure

Numerical model is developed for modeling pulsed operation of a vertical external cavity semiconductor laser (VECSEL) with a resonant gain structure. Properties of optical modes for compound resonator formed by Bragg reflector, chip boundary and external spherical mirror were studied. For above threshold operation carrier density in each of quantum wells (QW) obeys non-linear diffusion equation with a source supplied by electron-hole pairs generated in barrier layers by pump radiation or fast electron beam. A new iteration procedure for round-trip operator evaluation was developed, which provides linear growth of computation time with the number of QWs. Results of numerical simulations are reported for a VECSEL comprising 25 QW in resonant configuration and the output spherical mirror with curvature radius 3 cm. Variation of distance to the external mirror is found to result in notable changes in power and optical quality of the output beam. The decisive role of gain and index non-linearity in these changes is identified. A range of values of distance to external mirror is found where iterative procedure does not converge. In another range, the resulting solution depends on the initial conditions for the iteration procedure.     

Broadly tunable mid-infrared VECSEL for multiple components hydrocarbon gas sensing

A new sensing platform to simultaneously identify and quantify volatile C1 to C4 alkanes in multi-component gas mixtures is presented. This setup is based on an optically pumped, broadly tunable mid-infrared vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting laser (VECSEL) developed for gas detection. The lead-chalcogenide VECSEL is the key component of the presented optical sensor. The potential of the proposed sensing setup is illustrated by experimental absorption spectra obtained from various mixtures of volatile hydrocarbons and water vapor. The sensor has a sub-ppm limit of detection for each targeted alkane in a hydrocarbon gas mixture even in the presence of a high water vapor content.     

Design of a low-threshold VECSEL emitting at 852 nm for Cesium atomic clocks

This work reports on an optically-pumped vertical external-cavity surface- emitting laser (VECSEL) emitting around 852 nm for Cesium atomic clocks experiments. We describe in the following our first results on the design and the characterization of a VECSEL’s semiconductor structure suitable for these applications. We optimized the parameters of the structure in order to have a low threshold and a high gain structure emitting around 852 nm. With a compact setup, we obtained a 5-mW single frequency emission exhibiting broad and fine tunability around the Cesium D₂ line.     

On the design of electrically pumped vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting lasers

Vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VECSELs) yield an excellent beam quality in conjunction with a scalable output power. This paper presents a detailed numerical analysis of electrically pumped VECSEL (EP-VECSEL) structures. Electrical pumping is a key element for compact laser devices. We consider the optical loss, current confinement, and device resistance. The main focus of our investigation is on the achievement of an adequate radial carrier distribution for fundamental transverse mode operation. It will be shown that a trade off between the conflicting optical and electrical optimization has to be found and we derive an optimized design resulting in guidelines for the design of EP-VECSELs which are compatible with passive mode locking. PACS 42.55.Px; 42.60.By; 85.30.De     

Subpicosecond pulse generation from a 1.56 μm mode-locked VECSEL

Near-transform-limited subpicosecond pulses at 1.56 μm were generated from an optically pumped InP-based vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting laser (VECSEL) passively mode-locked at 2 GHz repetition rate with a fast InGaAsNSb/GaAs semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM). The SESAM microcavity resonance was adjusted via a selective etching of phase layers specifically designed to control the magnitude of both the modulation depth and the intracavity group delay dispersion of the SESAM. Using the same VECSEL chip, we observed that the mode-locked pulse duration could be reduced from several picoseconds to less than 1 ps with a detuned resonant SESAM.     

Intracavity frequency-doubled green vertical external cavity surface emitting laser

An intracavity frequency-doubled vertical external cavity surface emitting laser (VECSEL) with green light is demonstrated. The fundamental frequency laser cavity consists of a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) of the gain chip and an external mirror. A 12-mW frequency-doubled output has been reached at 540 nm with a nonlinear crystal LBO when the fundamental frequency output is 44 mW at 1080 nm. The frequency doubling efficiency is about 30%.     

3–4.5 μm continuously tunable single mode VECSEL

We present continuously tunable Vertical External Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VECSEL) in the mid-infrared. The structure based on IV?CVI semiconductors is epitaxially grown on a Si-substrates. The VECSEL emit one single mode, which is mode hop-free tunable over 50?C100?nm around the center wavelength. In this work, two different devices are presented, emitting at 3.4???m and 3.9???m, respectively. The lasers operate near room temperature with thermoelectric stabilization. They are optically pumped, yielding an output power >10?mW_p. The axial symmetric emission beam has a half divergence angle of <3.3^°.     

Experimentally verified pulse formation model for high-power femtosecond VECSELs

Optically pumped vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting lasers (OP-VECSELs), passively modelocked with a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM), have generated the highest average output power from any sub-picosecond semiconductor laser. Many applications, including frequency comb synthesis and coherent supercontinuum generation, require pulses in the sub-300-fs regime. A quantitative understanding of the pulse formation mechanism is required in order to reach this regime while maintaining stable, high-average-power performance. We present a numerical model with which we have obtained excellent quantitative agreement with two recent experiments in the femtosecond regime, and we have been able to correctly predict both the observed pulse duration and the output power for the first time. Our numerical model not only confirms the soliton-like pulse formation in the femtosecond regime, but also allows us to develop several clear guidelines to scale the performance toward shorter pulses and higher average output power. In particular, we show that a key VECSEL design parameter is a high gain saturation fluence. By optimizing this parameter, 200-fs pulses with an average output power of more than 1 W should be possible.     

High-sensitivity intracavity laser absorption spectroscopy with vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting semiconductor lasers

We report the demonstration of high-sensitivity intracavity laser absorption spectroscopy with multiple-quantum-well vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting semiconductor lasers (VECSEL's). A detection limit of 3x10(-10) cm (-1) has been achieved. The spectrotemporal dynamics of a VECSEL in the 1030-nm wavelength region has been studied. The laser was operating cw at room temperature, with a baseline signal-to-noise ratio as high as 400. The laser was optically pumped with a threshold as low as 80 mW and was broadly tunable over a spectral range of ~75 nm .     

Passively modelocked surface-emitting semiconductor lasers

This paper will review and discuss pico- and femtosecond pulse generation from passively modelocked vertical–external-cavity surface-emitting semiconductor lasers (VECSELs). We shall discuss the physical principles of ultrashort pulse generation in these lasers, considering in turn the role played by the semiconductor quantum well gain structure, and the saturable absorber. The paper will analyze the fundamental performance limits of these devices, and review the results that have been demonstrated to date. Different types of semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM) design, and their characteristic dynamics, are described in detail; exploring the ultimate goal of moving to a wafer integration approach, in which the SESAM is integrated into the VECSEL structure with tremendous gain in capability. In particular, the contrast between VECSELs and diode-pumped solid-state lasers and edge-emitting diode lasers will be discussed. Optically pumped VECSELs have led to an improvement by more than two orders of magnitude to date in the average output power achievable from a passively modelocked ultrafast semiconductor laser.     

Microchip-Type InGaN Vertical External-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser

We fabricated microchip-type InGaN vertical external-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VECSELs) integrated with microlenses and investigated their operational properties using an optical pumping method. We confirmed that the multimode lasing operation is consistent with a given VECSEL structure and that there is an optimized curvature radius in terms of the threshold input energy, slope efficiency, and mode stabilization. A simple theory using the Gaussian beam mode provides an excellent explanation of VECSEL lasing properties and the effect of the microlens on lasing.     

Thermal lensing, thermal management and transverse mode control in microchip VECSELs

Finite-element analysis is used to explore the practicalities and power-scaling potential of quasi-monolithic microchip vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting lasers: thermal lensing and its implications for transverse mode control are emphasised. A comparison is made between the use of sapphire and diamond heat spreaders. The experimental characterisation of an InGaAs/sapphire microchip VECSEL is presented as an exemplar system and the factors affecting slope efficiency, threshold and output power roll-over are examined. By comparing experimental measurements with the finite-element model, the key role of thermal lensing in transverse mode control is demonstrated. PACS 42.55.Xi; 42.55.Rz; 42.55.Px     

Thermal management of GaInNAs/GaAs VECSELs

Different methods used to reduce temperature increase within the active region of vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VECSELs) are described and compared with the aid of the self-consistent thermal finite-element method. Simulations have been carried out for the GaInNAs/GaAs multiple-quantum-well (MQW) VECSEL operating at room temperature at 1.31 μm. Main results are presented in form of ‘thermal maps’ which can be simply used to determine maximal temperature of different structures at specified pumping conditions. It has been found that these maps are also appropriate for some other GaAs-based VECSELs and can be very helpful especially during structure designing. Moreover, convective and thermal radiation heat transfer from laser walls has been investigated.     

Grating-based wavelength control of single- and two-color vertical-external-cavity-surface-emitting lasers

Wide wavelength tunability of single- and two-color operating vertical-external-cavity-surface-emitting lasers (VECSELs) is demonstrated. Employing an external feedback based on a diffractive grating outside the cavity of a narrow-line single-color VECSEL allows for a continuous tuning of the emission wavelength over 10 nm. Employing a dual-feedback-configuration for tunable two-color emission, a tunability of the difference frequency between the two lasing wavelengths from 300 gigahertz to up to 3.5 terahertz is demonstrated.     

大功率激光单模光纤远距离传输的注入光纤光功率限值分析

对于大功率激光单模光纤远距离传输, 采用传统的受激拉曼散射(SRS)阈值作为注入光纤激光功率值取值过大。本文对单模光纤远距离传输过程中泵浦光和拉曼斯托克斯光(Stokes)光功率随注入光纤激光功率的变化进行仿真与理论分析。根据光纤中SRS产生的机理, 提出以拉曼Stokes光在单模光纤中传输的光功率变化曲线曲率极大值点对应的注入激光功率为限值, 对注入单模光纤光功率限值随着光纤长度变化进行仿真, 通过曲线拟合得出注入单模光纤激光功率限值公式, 并搭建实验系统进行验证。结果表明, 提出的注入单模光纤激光功率限值适用于大功率激光远距离单模光纤传输。