High-Power Diode Laser Technology and Characteristics

Laser operation relies on two conditions, stimulated emission of the amplifying medium and feedback by an optical resonator. The threshold of laser operation is obtained if the gain in the resonator compensates for the overall losses, i.e., the propagation losses and the apparent losses due to the extraction of light [2.1]. Both common laser conditions are satisfied in diode lasers in another way than in typical gas or solid-state lasers. The resonator is given by the semiconductor structure itself using the crystal facets as mirrors. The gain in diode lasers involves a whole crystal structure and not only excited single atoms, ions, or molecules. Modern semiconductor lasers restrict the excited volume to reduce the threshold current by applying quantum wells or quantum dots. Technically, this is achieved by growing very thin layers consisting of different crystal compositions for quantum wells or by applying two-dimensional growth for quantum dots. A scheme of a diode laser is shown in Fig. 2.1. The following chapter takes a short tour through the excitation of high-power semiconductor lasers by examining the current injection of carriers, the optical gain, and appropriate resonator structures. More detailed descriptions of several aspects can be found in several textbooks [2.2, 2.3].

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