High-power Multimode Laser Diodes Research Articles

Broadband continuous-wave differential absorption lidar for atmospheric remote sensing of water vapor.

What we believe to be a novel low-cost broadband continuous-wave water vapor differential absorption lidar (CW-DIAL) technique has been proposed and implemented by combing the Scheimpflug principle and the differential absorption method. The broadband CW-DIAL technique utilizes an 830-nm high-power multimode laser diode with 3-W output power as a tunable light source and a CMOS image sensor tilted at 45° as the detector. A retrieval algorithm dedicated for the broadband CW-DIAL technique has been developed to obtain range-resolved water vapor concentration from the DIAL signal. Atmospheric remote sensing of water vapor has been carried out on a near-horizontal water vapor path to validate the performance of the broadband CW-DIAL system. The retrieved water vapor concentration showed a good consistency with those measured by an air quality monitoring station, with a correlation coefficient of 0.9669. The fitting error of the water vapor concentration is found to be less than 10%. Numerical simulation studies have revealed that the aerosol-induced error on the water vapor concentration is below 5% with a background water vapor concentration of 5 g/m3 for most atmospheric conditions. The experimental results have successfully demonstrated the feasibility of the present broadband CW-DIAL technique for range-resolved water vapor remote sensing.

High-Power Multimode Laser Diodes (λ = 976 nm) Based on Asymmetric Heterostructures with a Broadened Waveguide and Reduced Vertical Divergence

High-Power Multimode Laser Diodes (λ = 976 nm) Based on Asymmetric Heterostructures with a Broadened Waveguide and Reduced Vertical Divergence

Theoretical and experimental investigation of the molecular depolarization ratio for broadband polarization lidar techniques.

The molecular depolarization ratio (MDR) is of great significance for polarization lidar techniques in terms of validating the measurement accuracy, etc. However, previous studies mainly focused on cases with narrowband laser linewidths, and the transmittance of the Cabannes line in the receiver has been assumed constant. In this work, the narrowband theoretical model of MDR has been re-examined by taking the transmittance of the Cabannes line into account. A large relative deviation of beyond 200% has been found if the wavelength-shift reaches up to 0.5 nm for a receiving bandwidth of 0.5 nm at 532 nm, which is much larger than the case without considering the transmittance of the Cabannes line, i.e., only 15%, reported in previous studies. Besides, a broadband theoretical model has been proposed to evaluate the MDR for polarization lidar using high-power multimode laser diodes as light sources. Simulation studies have revealed that the MDR is highly related to the laser linewidth, the receiving bandwidth, as well as the wavelength-shift between the laser wavelength and the center wavelength of the receiver. The MDR at 520 nm calculated by the broadband theoretical model is about 21% larger than the value evaluated without considering the laser linewidth, when the receiving bandwidth is equivalent to the laser linewidth (e.g., 2 nm). Validation measurements, employing a 520-nm imaging-based polarization lidar with a 3.4-nm laser linewidth and a 10-nm receiving bandwidth, illustrated that the volume depolarization ratio in a clean atmospheric region (0.129±0.0025) was highly consistent with the theoretical MDR (0.132). The good agreement between theoretical and experimental results demonstrated a high measurement accuracy of the imaging-based polarization lidar and excellent feasibility of the broadband theoretical model.

Theoretical analysis and experimental optimization of an elliptical acoustic resonator in quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy

We report an elliptical resonator suitable for quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy. The theoretical model of the elliptical resonator is first constructed and demonstrates the existence of the eigenmodes in the elliptical resonator. Then the sound field modal distributions for the different eigenmodes in the elliptical resonator are simulated by means of the finite element method. The geometric parameters of the elliptical resonator are experimentally optimized. And the performance of the elliptical resonator is assessed using a high-power multimode laser diode for the NO2 detection. Due to the high matching efficiency of the spatial profile between the elliptical resonator and the laser beam, the elliptical resonator can achieve a gain factor of 19.2 higher than 5.6 from the circular resonator.

Elliptical-tube off-beam quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy

We propose an elliptical-tube off-beam quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (EO-QEPAS) method in which an elliptical tube is employed as an acoustic resonator, instead of a circular resonator in QEPAS, to match the stripe-like beam emitted from a high-power multimode laser diode (MLD). A lower noise level than that of conventional QEPAS is achieved due to the optimal matching between the elliptical resonator and the beam profile, hence resulting in a ∼3 times higher signal-to-noise ratio gain factor compared with the circular resonator. The parameters of the elliptical resonator are optimized, and a 1σ normalized noise equivalent absorption coefficient of 3.4 × 10−8 cm−1 W/Hz1/2 is obtained for dry NO2 detection at normal atmospheric pressure. EO-QEPAS paves the way for developing compact, cost-effective, and highly sensitive gas sensors based on the combination of MLDs and QEPAS.

High-brightness all-fiber Raman lasers directly pumped by multimode laser diodes

High-brightness fiber laser sources usually utilize active rare-earth-doped fibers cladding-pumped by multimode laser diodes (LDs), but they operate in limited wavelength ranges. Singlemode-passive-fiber based Raman lasers are able to operate at almost any wavelength being pumped by high-power fiber lasers. One of the interesting possibilities is to directly pump graded-index (GRIN) multimode passive fibers by available high-power multimode LDs at 915–940 nm, thus achieving high-power Raman lasing in the wavelength range of 950–1000 nm, which is problematic for rare-earth-doped fiber lasers. Here we review the latest results on the development of all-fiber high-brightness LD-pumped sources based on GRIN fiber with in-fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs). The mode-selection properties of FBGs inscribed by fs pulses supported by the Raman clean-up effect result in efficient conversion of multimode pump into a high-quality output beam at 9xx nm. GRIN fibers with core diameters 62.5, 85 and $100~\unicode[STIX]{x03BC}\text{m}$ are compared. Further scaling capabilities and potential applications of such sources are discussed.

2nd-order random lasing in a multimode diode-pumped graded-index fiber

Raman lasing in a graded-index fiber (GIF) attracts now great deal of attention due to the opportunity to convert high-power multimode laser diode radiation into the Stokes wave with beam quality improvement based on the Raman clean-up effect. Here we report on the cascaded Raman generation of the 2nd Stokes order in the 1.1-km long GIF with 100-μm core directly pumped by 915-nm diodes. In the studied all-fiber scheme, the 1st Stokes order is generated at 950–954 nm in a linear cavity formed at GIF ends by two fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) securing beam quality improvement from M2 ≈ 30 to M2 ≈ 2.3 due to special transverse structure of FBGs. The 2nd Stokes wave is generated either in linear (two FBGs) or half-open (one FBG) cavity with random distributed feedback via Rayleigh backscattering. Their comparison shows that the random lasing provides better beam quality and higher slope efficiency. Nearly diffraction limited beam (M2 ≈ 1.6) with power up to 27 W at maximum gain (996 nm), and 17 W at the detuned wavelength of 978 nm has been obtained, thus demonstrating that the 2nd-order random lasing in diode-pumped GIF with FBGs provides high-efficiency high-quality beam generation in a broad wavelength range within the Raman gain spectral profile.

Multimode Fiber Raman Lasers Directly Pumped by Laser Diodes

Raman fiber lasers (RFLs) are usually based on single-mode fibers core-pumped by high-power rare-earth-doped fiber lasers with single transverse mode output that leads to a rather complicated design of RFLs. One of interesting possibilities to simplify the RFL design is its direct pumping by cheap and reliable high-power multimode laser diodes (LDs). It is attractive to use standard graded-index multimode passive fibers characterized by very high quality and low cost due to their wide use in telecom. In this case, one can directly couple the multimode radiation of high-power LDs with moderate brightness into the core of multimode graded-index fiber with much higher efficiency than into the core of single-mode fiber. Using commercially available multimode LDs with operating wavelengths of 915–940 nm, it is possible to obtain high-power high-beam-quality Raman lasing in wavelength range of 950–1000 nm, which is problematic for rare-earth-doped fiber lasers. Here, we review the results obtained in this direction and report on the demonstration of all-fiber LD-pumped CW Raman laser based on the graded-index fiber. A joint action of Raman clean-up effect and mode-selection properties of special fiber Bragg gratings inscribed in the central part of fiber core, results in high-efficiency conversion of multimode (M2∼26) pump at 915 nm into a high-quality output beam at 954 nm. Fibers with core diameter of 62.5, 85, and 100 μ m are compared. With core enlargement, the conversion efficiency increases sufficiently (from 47% to 84%) at the expense of slight beam-quality parameter reduction (M2 = 1.3–3). The generated spectrum remains to be rather narrow ( 60 W.

954 nm Raman fiber laser with multimode laser diode pumping

CW Raman fiber laser emitting at 954 nm under direct pumping by a high-power multimode laser diode at 915 nm is demonstrated. A cavity of the laser is formed with 2.5 km-long multimode graded-index fiber and two mirrors: highly reflective fiber Bragg grating (FBG) at one side and normally cleaved fiber end at the other side. The laser generates low-index transverse modes at the Stokes wavelength with output power above 4 W at a slope efficiency above 40%. It is shown that utilization of a narrowband FBG mirror with low reflectivity instead of the cleaved fiber end with Fresnel reflection leads to stronger spectral mode selection, but the generated power is reduced in this case.

51.1-Tbit/s MCF Transmission Over 2520 km Using Cladding-Pumped Seven-Core EDFAs

Multicore erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (MC-EDFAs) are essential components to achieve long-haul multicore fiber (MCF) transmission. An attractive technique for reducing the number of components and power consumption is the cladding–pumping scheme in MC-EDFAs in which all cores are simultaneously pumped using a single high-power multimode laser diode. In this paper, we experimentally demonstrate long-haul MCF transmission using cladding-pumped seven-core EDFAs. We confirm that 73 × 128-Gbit/s Nyquist-pulse-shaped dual-polarization quadrature phase-shift keying signals are successfully transmitted over 2520-km seven-core fiber.

High-Power Continuous-Wave Directly-Diode-Pumped Fiber Raman Lasers

We describe novel fiber Raman lasers pumped directly by spectrally combined high power multimode laser diodes at ~975 nm and emitting at ~1019 nm. With a commercial multimode graded-index fiber, we reached 20 W of laser output power with a record slope efficiency of 80%. With an in-house double-clad fiber, the beam quality improved to M2 = 1.9, albeit with lower output power and slope efficiency due to higher fiber loss. We believe this is the first publication of a fiber Raman laser cladding-pumped directly by diodes.

An LD-pumped Raman fiber laser operating below 1 μm

A CW Raman fiber laser (RFL) operating below 1 μm with direct pumping by a high-power multimode laser diode at 938 nm has been demonstrated for the first time. The laser cavity is formed by a normally cleaved fiber end and a highly reflective fiber Bragg grating (FBG) inscribed at the opposite end of a 4.5 km long multimode graded-index fiber. Low-index transverse modes are generated at the first Stokes wavelength of ∼980 nm with an output power of ∼3 W, while the second Stokes wave at 1025 nm also starts to be generated, thus limiting the 980 nm output.

10.1007/s11453-008-3020-7

The parameters of high-power multimode laser diodes featuring a radiation wavelength of 808 nm obtained on the basis of asymmetric heterostructures with an ultrawide waveguide in the systems of AlGaAs/GaAs and (Al)GaInP/GaInAsP/GaAs are compared. In the lasers based on an AlGaAs/GaAs system, the maximum optical power was limited by optical degradation of the SiO2/Si mirrors and amounted to 4.7 W. In the lasers based on an (Al)GaInP/GaInAsP/GaAs system, the maximum optical power was limited by thermal saturation and equaled 7 W. The obtained results show that the (Al)GaInP/GaInAsP/GaAs system is more reliable from the standpoint of an increase in both the maximum optical power and operation life of lasers.

High-power laser diodes with an emission wavelength of 835 nm on the basis of various types of heterostructures

Optical and electrical characteristics of different high-power multimode laser diodes with an emission wavelength of 835 nm are compared; the diodes were obtained on the basis of three systems of solid solutions: AlGaAS/GaAs, AlGaAs/GaAsP, and (Al)GaInP/GaInAsP. An output continuous optical power of 5 W is attained in lasers with a stripe width of 80 μm irrespective of the chosen material system. The highest optical power, 7 W, is attained in the lasers based on the (Al)GaInP/GaInAsP system.

High-power laser diodes of wavelength 808 nm based on various types of asymmetric heterostructures with an ultrawide waveguide

The parameters of high-power multimode laser diodes featuring a radiation wavelength of 808 nm obtained on the basis of asymmetric heterostructures with an ultrawide waveguide in the systems of AlGaAs/GaAs and (Al)GaInP/GaInAsP/GaAs are compared. In the lasers based on an AlGaAs/GaAs system, the maximum optical power was limited by optical degradation of the SiO2/Si mirrors and amounted to 4.7 W. In the lasers based on an (Al)GaInP/GaInAsP/GaAs system, the maximum optical power was limited by thermal saturation and equaled 7 W. The obtained results show that the (Al)GaInP/GaInAsP/GaAs system is more reliable from the standpoint of an increase in both the maximum optical power and operation life of lasers.

1.8-μm laser diodes based on quantum-size AlInGaAs/InP heterostructures

The concept of power semiconductor lasers based on asymmetric separate confinement heterostructures is applied to the AlInGaAs/InP heterostructures. The laser heterostructures emitting at the wavelength 1.75–1.8 μm are fabricated by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. Based on the heterostructures grown, high-power multimode laser diodes of the mesa-strip design with the maximum emission power 2.0 W in the continuous mode at room temperature and 20 W in the pulsed operation mode are fabricated. The internal optical losses in the lasers were reduced to 2.2 cm−1.

Wavelength stabilization and spectrum narrowing of high-power multimode laser diodes and arrays by use of volume Bragg gratings.

Spectral line narrowing (by a factor of 8) and stabilization of the emission wavelength (by a factor of 30) of multimode high-power laser diodes and arrays is demonstrated by use of volume Bragg gratings fabricated in high-stability inorganic photorefractive glasses. Applications include stabilization of pump laser diodes and arrays for solid-state lasers and metal-vapor lasers, spin hyperpolarization of noble gases used in medical imaging, and others.