Frequency doubled AlGaInP-VECSEL with high output power at 331 nm and a large wavelength tuning range in the UV

Abstract

We present a non-resonantly pumped vertical external cavity surface-emitting laser in a compact v-shaped cavity configuration. By using intra-cavity frequency doubling in combination with a birefringent filter, a tunable high power UV laser source with an emission wavelength around 335 nm is realized. The fundamental red laser emission is based on a metal-organic vapor-phase epitaxy grown (Ga x In 1-x ) 0.5 P 0.5 /[(Al x Ga 1-x ) y In 1-y ] 0.5 P 0.5 (abbr. GaInP/AlGaInP) multi-quantum-well structure. Five quantum well packages with four compressively strained quantum wells are placed in a separate confinement heterostructure in a resonant periodic gain design in strain-compensating quaternary AlGaInP barriers and cladding layers, respectively. The 3 λ cavity is fabricated on a 55 λ/4 pairs Al 0.45 Ga 0.55 As/AlAs distributed Bragg reflector. By using a beta barium borate non-linear crystal for second harmonic generation, output powers up to 150mWat a wavelength of 335 nm could be realized. Tuning of the laser resonance was accomplished with a birefringent filter. A tuning of 9 nm in the UV will be shown.