Optimal fill factor for laser diode arrays applied to transversally pumped erbium laser

Abstract

A relationship between the laser diode array (LDA) near field fill factor, the power of the amplified spontaneous emission fluxes developed within the LDA active layer and the operation efficiency of the ytterbium–erbium glass laser transversally pumped by the laser diode arrays has been studied taking into account the electric and optical processes in the LDA heterostructure layers. It has been found that there is a critical value of the fill factor (0.65–0.85) below of which an abrupt rise of the ytterbium–erbium laser threshold as well as the decrease of the laser operation efficiency is observed. It has been shown that the increase in the InGaAs/AlGaAs LDA fill factor leads to the increase in the LDA threshold current related with the increase of the ASE flux power. For a suppression of the ASE flux power value it has been proposed to etch the LDA heterostructure emitter layer between the stripe contacts.