D. Holleville, N. Dimarcq, F. Rigaud, M. Saccoccio, J. Berton, J. Loesel, C. Chappaz, M. De Labachelerie, J. Valentin, S. Bonnefont, P. Arguel, F. Lozes, F.-J. Vermersch, M. Krakowski
In this proceeding we present a set of studies which are in progress in different labs and industrials. The aim of this project is to study the possibilities to design a very compact and reliable laser cooling bench for space and inboard applications.
Atomic clocks will be used in the future European positioning system Galileo. Among them, the optically pumped clocks provide a better alternative with comparable accuracy for a more compact system. For these systems, diode lasers emitting at 852nm are strategic components. The laser in a conventional bench for atomic clocks presents disadvantages for spatial applications. A better approach would be to realise a system based on a distributed-feedback laser (DFB). We have developed the technological foundations of such lasers operating at 852nm. These include an Al free active region, a single spatial mode ridge waveguide and a DFB structure.
The device is a separate confinement heterostructure with a GaInP large optical cavity and a single compressive strained GaInAsP quantum well. The broad area laser diodes are characterised by low internal losses (<3cm -1 ), a high internal efficiency (94%) and a low transparency current density (100A/cm2). For an AR-HR coated ridge Fabry Perot laser, we obtain a power of 230mW with M2=1.3.
An optical power of 150mW was obtained at 854nm wavelength, 20°C for AR-HR coated devices. We obtain a single spatial mode emission with M2=1.21 and a SMSR over 30dB, both at 150mW.
DFB Lasers at 852.12nm, corresponding to the D2 caesium transition, were then realised with a power of 40mW, 37°C for uncoated devices. The SMSR is over 30dB and the M2=1.33 at 40mW. Furthermore, the preliminary results of the linewidth obtained with a Fabry Perot interferometer give a value of less than 2MHz.
Single frequency and single spatial mode diode lasers emitting at 852nm are strategic components for systems such as
atomic clocks (positioning systems for navigation, in space atomic clock like Galileo or Pharao (cold atom),
measurement of fundamental constants), or interferometry applications. We have developed the technological
foundations of lasers at 852nm to address these different applications. These include an Al free active region, a single
spatial mode ridge waveguide and a DFB (distributed feedback) structure.
The device is a separate confinement heterostructure with a GaInP large optical cavity and a single compressive strained
GaInAsP quantum well. For an AR-HR coated ridge Fabry Perot laser, we obtain a power of 230mW with M2=1.3.
An optical power of 150mW was obtained at 854nm, 20°C for AR-HR coated devices. We obtain a single spatial mode
emission and a SMSR over 50dB, both at 150mW.
DFB Lasers at 852.12nm, corresponding to the D2 caesium transition, were then realised with a power of 40mW per
facet, 37°C for uncoated devices. At 40mW, we determine a M2 value of 1.3. We measure a SMSR value around 50dB
between 10°C and 80°C.
On this last laser run, we obtain very homogeneous spectral linewidth values for five different lasers, measured with a
Fabry Perot interferometer. We obtain at 20°C a low average linewidth value of 1.40MHz and 1.10MHz at respectively
40mW and 20mW, together with a low standard deviation of 0.1MHz. At 852.12nm (37°C, 40mW), a low linewidth
value of 1MHz was measured, for one laser preliminary tested.
Atomic clocks will be used in the future European positioning system Galileo. Among them, the optically pumped clocks provide a better alternative with comparable accuracy for a more compact system. For these systems, diode lasers emitting at 852nm are strategic components. The laser in a conventional bench for atomic clocks presents disadvantages for spatial applications. A better approach would be to realise a system based on a distributed-feedback laser (DFB). We have developed the technological foundations of such lasers operating at 852nm. These include an Al-free active region, a single spatial mode waveguide and a DFB structure. The device is a separate confinement heterostructure with a GaInP large optical cavity and a single compressive-strained GaInAsP quantum well. The broad-area laser diodes are characterised by low internal losses (<3 cm-1), a high internal efficiency (94%) and a low transparency current density (100A/cm2). For an AR/HR coated 2mm long around 4μm wide ridge diode, we obtain a low threshold current (40mA) and a high slope efficiency (0.90W/A). With the Fabry-Perot laser structure we obtain 852nm wavelength at 145mW (I=200mA, 15°C). We measure an optical power of 230mW (I=280mA) in a single spatial mode with the beam quality parameter M2=1.3. With the DFB laser structure, we have obtained single frequency (side-mode-suppression ratio : SMSR over 30dB) and single mode lasers (M2<1.5) with a high optical power. An optical power of 150mW was obtained at 854nm wavelength and 20°C for AR-HR coated 2mm long, ~ 4μm wide devices. At this power, both near and far fields in the slow axis are gaussian-shaped with respective full widths at 1/e2 of 8μm and 9.2° respectively, corresponding to a single spatial mode emission with a beam quality parameter M2=1.29. The SMSR is over 30dB. Furthermore, the preliminary results of the linewidth obtained with a Fabry-Perot interferometer give a value of less than 2MHz.
Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCL), emitting between 5 and 9 μm, have been realised with a view to achieving QCLs fabrication on a production scale. The growth of the structures was carried out in a multi-wafer RIBER 49 system (13 x 2" platen), and the processing sequence involved an Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) step for homogeneity and reproducibility purposes. To validate the approach used, a first batch of lasers, emitting around 9μm, based on a design already published [1], has been realised. State of the art performance on these devices (Jth = 4.2 kA cm-2, η = 304 mW A-1, Pmax = 690 mW) has been achieved. A second set of strained balanced structures, emitting around 5.4μm, has been demonstrated, working in pulsed operation at room temperature(Jth = 3.9 kA cm-2, η = 362 mW A-1, Pmax = 420 mW).
Atomic clocks will be used in the future European positioning system Galileo. Among them, the optically pumped clocks provide a more accurate alternative. For these systems, diode lasers emitting at 852nm are strategic components. The laser in a conventional bench for atomic clocks presents disadvantages for spatial applications. A better approach would be to realise a system based on a distributed-feedback laser. Thus we have developed laser structures emitting at λ=852nm, using an aluminium free active region. The device is a separate confinement heterostructure with a GaInP large optical cavity and a single compressive-strained GaInAsP quantum well. The broad-area laser diodes are characterised by low internal losses (<3 cm-1), a high internal efficiency (94%) and a low transparency current density (100A/cm2). For an AR/HR coated 2mm long around 4μm wide ridge diode, we obtain a low threshold current (40mA) and a high slope efficiency (0.90W/A). We obtain 852nm wavelength at 145mW (I=200mA, 15°C). We measure an optical power of 230mW (I=280mA) in a single spatial mode with the beam quality parameter M2=1.3. From our first attempt for a DFB laser, we obtained a threshold at 20°C of 45mA and a slope efficiency about 0.45W/A with an uncoated 2mm long around 4μm wide device. At 40mW (I=140mA,), both near and far fields in the slow axis are gaussian-shaped with respective full widths at 1/e2 of 7μm and 10.4°, corresponding to a single spatial mode emission with the beam quality parameter M2=1.2. At this power, the laser wavelength is 853.8nm with a side-modesuppression ratio over 30dB.
We have developed Fabry-Perot lasers at λ=852nm, using an aluminium free active region with the aim to develop a single-frequency and single spatial mode device for atomic clocks and interferometry applications. The device is a separate confinement heterostructure with a GaInP large optical cavity and a 8nm compressive-strained GaInAsP quantum well. The broad-area (100μm wide) laser diodes are characterised by low internal losses (<3 cm-1), a high internal efficiency (94%) and a low transparency current density (100A/cm2) which illustrates the quality of the laser structure. For an AR/HR coated 2mm long broad area laser diodes we measure a low threshold current density (245A/cm2) and a high slope efficiency (0.9 W/A). We obtain an optical power of more than 5.5W (I= 8.5A), under CW operation at 15°C, with a maximum wall-plug efficiency of 0.45. The lasing emission is achieved up to at least 115°C An optical power of more than 1.4W is obtained at 100°C (I=3.6A). A power of 1.2W (I=1.7A, 15°C) is achieved at 852nm. For an AR/HR coated 2mm long 4μm wide ridge waveguide laser diode, we obtain a low threshold current (46mA) and a high slope efficiency (0.9W/A). We obtain 852nm wavelength at 145mW (I=200mA, 15°C). We measure an optical power of 180mW (I=240mA) in a single spatial mode with the beam quality parameter M2=1.5. At 180mW both near and far field are gaussian-shaped with respective full widths at 1/e2 of 6μm and 12°.
We have developed Fabry-Perot lasers at λ=852nm, using an Aluminium free active region with the aim to develop a single-frequency and single-mode device for atomic clocks for the future European positioning system Galileo. The device is a separate confinement heterostructure with a GaInP large optical cavity and a 8nm compressive-strained GaInAsP quantum well. The broad-area laser diodes are characterised by low internal losses (<3 cm-1), a high internal efficiency (94%) and a low transparency current density (100A/cm2). We obtain a low threshold current density (245A/cm2) and a high slope efficiency (0.9 W/A) for 2mm long broad area (100μm wide) AR/HR coated devices. We measure an optical power of more than 5.5W (I= 8.5A), under CW operation at 15°C, with a maximum wall-plug efficiency of 0.45. The laser emission is achieved up to at least 115°C. An optical power of more than 1.4W is obtained at 100°C (I=3.6A). At 852nm, we obtain an optical power of 1.2W (I=1.7A, 15°C). The low divergences of the fast axis far field - a FWHM of 31.8° and a total angle of 61.8° at 1/e2- are very stable with the current.
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