Improvement of brightness and output power of high-power laser diodes in the visible spectral region

Eva Samsöe Andersen, P Malm, PE Andersen, PM Petersen, Stefan Andersson-Engels

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This paper reports on a novel design for a high-brightness quantum-well AlGaInP laser-diode system operating at 635 nm. The spatial coherence of two broad area laser diodes is improved using spatial filtering and optical feedback from a narrow mirror stripe on each laser. To increase power, the outputs from the two systems are passively combined using a polarizing beam splitter. The result is a compact system providing a high-brightness beam. The beam-quality parameter is improved in one direction from M-2 = 12 and M-2 = 16 for the two lasers, to M-2 = 2.1 for the combined beam. The other direction of the beam is left unchanged due to its natural high quality with an M-2 value around 1.5. A procedure for efficient coupling of the two lasers into a small core-diameter optical fiber is given. This capability facilitates a wide range of applications including interstitial medical therapies, where delivery of the treatment light through thin optical fibers is essential. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)369-375
JournalOptics Communications
Volume219
Issue number1-6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2003

Subject classification (UKÄ)

  • Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics

Free keywords

  • fiber-coupling
  • beam quality
  • brightness
  • laser diodes
  • optical feedback

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