Characteristics Of High Power GaAlAs Laser Diodes Useful For Space Application

Single quantum well laser diode arrays with emitting apertures of 200 um have operated up to 8 W cw. Monolithic multi-element arrays with emitting apertures of 1 cm are capable of cw operation up to 76 W cw. Devices fabricated using MOCVD epitaxial growth techniques and highly efficient single quantum well active region structures have exhibited high cw power and high efficiency. Catastrophic power limits of 8 W cw have been demonstrated by a 20 emitter multistripe laser diode with emitting aperture of 200 um. Similar structures consisting of 10 emitters in a 100 um aperture have operated to 6 W cw. (Fig. 1)