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Title: High-efficiency TEM/sub 00/ continuous-wave (Al,Ga)As epitaxial surface-emitting lasers and effect of half-wave periodic gain

Journal Article · · Appl. Phys. Lett.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.100717· OSTI ID:6224549

We report room-temperature, continuous-wave (cw), photopumped operation of (Al,Ga)As surface-emitting lasers grown by molecular beam epitaxy. These monolithic semiconductor lasers comprise two multilayer semiconductor mirrors surrounding a layered active region. In the active region, GaAs quantum wells are spaced with half-wave periodicity to center on standing-wave maxima of the cavity optical field. By comparing threshold data for different lasers grown with and without half-wave periodicity, we observe the first experimental evidence for reduced cw lasing threshold (as low as 2 x 10/sup 4/ W/cm/sup 2/ ) with periodic gain in an epitaxial surface-emitting laser. Up to 50 mW with high efficiency (35% total, 80% differential) and narrow spectral linewidth (2 A) have been measured. A very high quality beam with low divergence (2.5/sup 0/) and circular TEM/sub 00/ profile has been observed. All of these observations represent significant advances for surface-emitting laser technology.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185
OSTI ID:
6224549
Journal Information:
Appl. Phys. Lett.; (United States), Vol. 54:13
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English