Mathematical modeling of thermal runaway in semiconductor laser operation

Smith, Warren R.

doi:10.1063/1.373538

Cited by 18 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 11 publications

(7 reference statements)

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“…From comparison with NFs at low currents (2 A) we were able to determine the onset of this reduction by two to three orders of magnitude taking place approximately 100 ns to 200 ns after the pulse starts, 3 in good agreement with theoretical predictions. 1,6,7 Estimation of the Critical Facet Temperature Closer inspection of Fig. 2g reveals a maximum in the NF intensity at the left device side at 1.84 A, even larger than the one that actually leads to COMD at 2.04 A.…”

Section: Combination Of Thermography and Near-field Datamentioning

confidence: 98%

Imaging Catastrophic Optical Mirror Damage in High-Power Diode Lasers

Ziegler¹,

Tomm²,

Zeimer

et al. 2010

Journal of Elec Materi

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We image catastrophic optical mirror damage (COMD) in red-and infraredemitting high-power broad-area diode lasers by combining highly COMDselective thermography, near-field imaging, scanning electron microscopy, and cathodoluminescence. All techniques exhibit strong correlations in terms of COMD location and strength and allow for an unambiguous decision about COMD occurrence. In particular, temperatures en route to and during COMD are measured, and the concept of a critical facet temperature that induces thermal runaway is supported.

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Section: Combination Of Thermography and Near-field Datamentioning

confidence: 98%

Imaging Catastrophic Optical Mirror Damage in High-Power Diode Lasers

Ziegler¹,

Tomm²,

Zeimer

et al. 2010

Journal of Elec Materi

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“…In 1979, Henry et al [6] published a comprehensive work addressing COD, its root causes, and the expected kinetics. Most of the ideas presented in these early studies are still valid and describe COD to be jump-started by a fast thermal runaway [6], which is initialized by an elevated facet temperature, and eventually results in a microexplosion [8][9][10]. The thermal runaway phenomenon with the critical temperature has been for first time measured by Tang et al [11] with an external heating source.…”

Section: Cod and Thermal Runawaymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For the heterostructure described above, t COD -values down to 2 ns have been predicted for currents of 50 A. More recent numerical simulations were reported by Smith [10]. For the particular parameters used t COD -values of 10 ns are determined, while the thermal runaway is predicted to be very fast, namely ΔT > 300 K in less than 1 ns.…”

Section: Theory and Modeling Of The Kineticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mechanisms and fast kinetics of the catastrophic optical damage (COD) in GaAs‐based diode lasers

Tomm

Ziegler

Hempel

et al. 2011

Laser & Photonics Reviews

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Semiconductor lasers are the most efficient manmade narrow-band light sources and convert up to threequarters of electric energy into light. High-power diode lasers are characterized by very high internal power densities in their small cavity, resulting in local heating and sometimes device degradation. Catastrophic optical damage (COD) of diode lasers is a relevant degradation mechanism and limit for reaching ultrahigh optical powers. An overview is given on research activities targeting the mechanisms being relevant for the COD process in GaAs-based diode lasers emitting in the 630-1100 nm range. The discussion of experiments, where COD is artificially provoked, represents the main topic. The sequence of events and fast kinetics taking place on a nanosecond to microsecond time scale are addressed. A particular emphasis is laid on recent experimental work performed in the authors' laboratories. Paving the way for knowledge-based solutions towards more robust diode lasers represents the ultimate goal of this work. COD diagram determined for a batch of broad-area AlGaAs diode lasers. The time to COD within a single current pulse is plotted versus the actual average optical power in the moment when the COD takes place. Full circles stand for clearly identified COD events (right ordinate), whereas open circles (left ordinate) represent the pulse duration in experiments, where no COD has been detected. A borderline (gray) exists between two regions, i. e., parameter sets, of presence (orange) and absence of COD (blue). This borderline is somewhat blurred because of the randomness in filamentation of the laser nearfield and scatter in properties of the involved individual devices.

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“…Local temperature increase plays a paramount role in the occurrence of the laser degradation; therefore, the temperature measurement of the active zone of the laser during operation is a critical issue to assess the degradation mechanism. The occurrence of a local critical temperature (Tc, which, once reached, launches the COD process, has been reported by different authors [1][2][3][4] and has been tentatively explained in terms of various physical-mathematical models [5][6][7][8]. Experimental measurements in lasers under operation give Tc values ranging from 120ºC to 200ºC…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

About the physical meaning of the critical temperature for catastrophic optical damage in high power quantum well laser diodes

2016

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Short title: About the physical meaning of the critical temperature for catastrophic optical damage AbstractIt is usually assumed that the catastrophic optical damage of high power laser diodes is launched when a critical local temperature (Tc) is reached; temperatures ranging from 120ºC to 200ºC were experimentally reported. However, the physical meaning of Tc in the degradation process is still unclear. In this work we show that, in the presence of a local heat source in the active region, the temperature of the laser structure, calculated using finite element methods, is very inhomogeneously distributed among the different layers forming the device. This is due to the impact that the low dimensionality and the thermal boundary resistances have on the thermal transport across the laser structure. When these key factors are explicitly considered, the quantum well (QW) temperature can be several hundred degrees higher than the temperature of the guides and cladding layers. Due to the size of the experimental probes, the measured critical temperature is a weighted average over the QW, guides and claddings. We show the existence of a great difference between the calculated average temperature, equivalent to the experimentally measured temperature, and the peak temperature localized in the QW. A parallel study on double heterostructure lasers is also included for comparison.

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Mathematical modeling of thermal runaway in semiconductor laser operation

Cited by 18 publications

References 11 publications

Imaging Catastrophic Optical Mirror Damage in High-Power Diode Lasers

Imaging Catastrophic Optical Mirror Damage in High-Power Diode Lasers

Mechanisms and fast kinetics of the catastrophic optical damage (COD) in GaAs‐based diode lasers

About the physical meaning of the critical temperature for catastrophic optical damage in high power quantum well laser diodes

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