MONOLITHIC SERIAL INGAAS-GAAS-ALGAAS LASER-DIODE ARRAYS

Abstract

Top-contact monolithic serially-biased InGaAs-GaAs-AlGaAs (lambda approximately 0.93 mum) broad area strained-layer quantum well laser arrays have been fabricated on a semi-insulating GaAs substrate. The laser array consists of four individual laser diodes and operates up to 2.8 W at 3.6 A (supply limited) per uncoated facet under pulsed conditions (1.5 kHz, 2 mus). The threshold current is approximately 0.5 A, and the peak slope efficiency and the peak electrical-to-optical conversion efficiency of an individual laser element are approximately 0.53 W/A and 14%, respectively. The near-field intensity distribution is shown to be broad enough to fill the entire active region under the p-metal stripe (125 mum) of the individual laser diodes at high current levels.