Monolithically integrated master oscillator/power amplifier produces 250 mW of 664-nm output

Monolithically integrated master oscillator/power amplifier produces 250 mW of 664-nm output

Scientists at SDL Inc. (San Jose, CA) developed a regrowth technology in the visible-emitting gallium indium phosphide/aluminum indium phosphide (GaInP/AlInP) material system to produce grating-based structures. Such devices have been challenging to fabricate because of difficulty regrowing on the layers containing aluminum that are necessary for short-wavelength operation. Incorporating a diffraction grating into the laser structure enables the output wavelength to be stabilized and true single-frequency operation to be obtained.

The researchers integrated a distributed-Bragg-reflector (DBR) laser with a flared amplifier to obtain high power at a single frequency. Room-temperature operation of the monolithically integrated master oscillator/power amplifier produced continuous-wave output of 250 mW at 664 nm. Previously, single-mode distributed-feedback and DBR lasers with greater than 30-mW output power at 650 nm were demonstrated. The researchers say that such frequency-stabilized devices, due to their very narrow linewidth and wavelength stability, could be useful for a variety of applications, such as spectroscopy and holography. Unlike external-cavity lasers, these integrated devices are potentially low cost and compact.