High-power high-efficiency continuous-wave InGaN laser diodes in the violet, blue, and green wavelength regimes

We present new advances in green, blue, and violet InGaN-based laser diodes fabricated on nonpolar and semipolar GaN substrates. Using these novel crystal orientations, we report high power, high efficiency, continuous-wave operation from single-lateral-mode electrically pumped laser diodes at wavelengths from 405 nm to 500 nm. Additionally, we present continuous-wave lasing demonstrations out to 523 nm, representing the longest continuous-wave green laser emission reported to date. Wall-plug efficiencies of over 25% in the violet region, 16.2% in the blue region, and 2.2% in the 500 nm range are presented. These InGaN-based devices offer dramatic improvement in size, weight, and cost over conventional gas or solid state lasers and may enable a variety of new applications in defense, biomedical, industrial, and consumer projection displays.