Enormously high-peak-power optical pulse generation from a single-transverse-mode GaInN blue-violet laser diode

Abstract

We have demonstrated extraordinary optical pulse generation with a peak-power of 55 W and pulse duration of 15 ps by intense electrical pulse excitation of a 401 nm GaInN laser diode (LD). Electrical pulse excitation of a GaInN LD which contained a thicker electron blocking layer gave rise to abnormal behavior with a several nanosecond-long delay and apparent Q-switching under intense excitation. Operation of this LD under such excitation was found to produce highly intense optical pulses even in semiconductor lasers with a single-transverse-mode.

100 W peak-power 1 GHz repetition picoseconds optical pulse generation using blue-violet GaInN diode laser mode-locked oscillator and optical amplifier

“…15 We have previously reported the abnormal behavior of GaInN laser diodes ͑LDs͒ under intense electronic excitation ͑gain-switching͒ operation, 16 and optical pulse generation up to 55 W peak power with 1 MHz repetition. 17 We have also developed dc operating self-pulsation LDs 18,19 and confirmed 10 W peak power with 1 GHz repetition. 19 Recently, using an external-cavity mode-locking configuration of GaInN LDs, stable optical pulse generation at the rate of 1 GHz with a pulse duration of 3 ps was achieved.…”

Spectral dynamics of picosecond gain-switched pulses from nitride-based vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

“…The characteristic wide direct energy gap, high luminescence efficiency, and high stability of nitride semiconductors suggest that nitride-based semiconductor lasers can be used to achieve shorter-wavelength light sources8910111213. Increasing attention has been devoted to pulse generation from nitride-based semiconductor blue lasers by gain-switching technique14151617, which is a simple and inexpensive technique of short-pulse generation through direct modulation of semiconductor lasers.…”

Pulsed blue laser source based on frequency quadrupling of a thulium fiber laser

“…Direct generation from GaN laser diodes is attractive for some applications, however these sources are limited to a few tens of Watts of peak power in a single transverse mode [1] and a number of applications, such as LADARs, typically require much higher peak power levels. Blue lasers based on frequency conversion of high peak power solid state lasers have been demonstrated by a number of groups.…”