Many biophotonic applications used in ophthalmology, dermatology, or flow cytometry rely on laser sources emitting in the yellow-green spectral range. To enable miniaturized laser sources one has to rely on diode lasers. As no direct emitting diode lasers with excellent beam qualities are readily available in this wavelength range, second harmonic generation (SHG) of novel diode lasers emitting wavelengths of 1120 nm and 1152 nm is one feasible approach. For high SHG conversion efficiencies a high beam quality as well as a high optical output power of the fundamental laser light is needed. Our approach is a hybrid integrated master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) setup which incorporates an optical micro-isolator to protect the MO against back reflections and thereby keep high mode stability. Using individually designed and machined parts based on the results of optical simulations, a platform to integrate different laser system setups has been realized. Using this platform, we were able to compare different approaches of SHG (using planar waveguide or volume LiNbO3 crystals) and beam output possibilities (free space or fiber-coupled) to satisfy a wide range of applications. In this work we show novel miniaturized diode laser modules emitting more than 2 W and 1.6 W at wavelengths of 560 nm and 576 nm, respectively, which can be used in a wide range of biophotonic applications.
For several fields such as spectroscopy, metrology, and lithography, laser sources in the ultraviolet (UV @ 386 nm) or deep ultraviolet (DUV @ 193 nm) spectral range rely on broad band or pulsed laser systems such as excimer lasers. Highly brilliant semiconductor laser systems could advance these fields further as they are more reliable and easier to handle.
One way to achieve the UV emission is using a 772 nm emitting semiconductor master oscillator - power amplifier (MOPA) laser system whose emission is frequency doubled once or twice in a later step. The laser system will be built into a small and compact package and consists of a MO, which is a distributed feedback (DFB) ridge waveguide (RW) laser. The diffraction limited laser emission with a single spectral mode is coupled into the PA for the amplification of the output power up to 3 W. The PA is a semiconductor laser with a RW and a tapered section. Optical feedback can be minimized by using a micro-optical isolator, which is placed between MO and PA that allows a linewidth of < 3 MHz.
We will present further experimental results of the MOPA system in detail. This includes the emission characteristics, the spectral emission behavior, and the robust setup by applying several thermal cycles and shaking tests.
On the base of the same laser system, wavelengths of 780 nm or 785 nm could facilitate small rubidium atomic clocks or Raman spectroscopy respectively. Especially when using distributed Bragg reflector laser diodes an even smaller linewidth can be achieved.
We present a novel compact laser device based on a semiconductor master-oscillator power-amplifier (MOPA) emitting at 772 nm, suitable for quantum optic and spectroscopy. The optical performance of the laser device is characterized. For miniaturized lasers the thermal management is challenging, we therefore perform thermal simulations and measurements.
The first demonstrator is emitting more than 3 W optical power with a linewidth below 2lMHz. Using this MOPA design also compact devices for quantum optics (e.g. rubidium atomic clock) and seed lasers for frequency conversion can be realized [1].
Distributed Bragg reflector tapered diode lasers (DBR-TPL) emitting at 1154 nm are ideal light sources to be implemented into medical devices and hand-held tools for treatment in dermatology and ophthalmology at 577 nm due to their high spectral radiance enabling second harmonic generation from near infrared to yellow.
In this work, we present DBR-TPLs which are able to emit more than 10 W in continuous-wave operation with a narrow spectral emission at 1154 nm and a very good beam quality providing excellent spectral radiance. The investigated DBRTPLs are based on three different epitaxial structures with varying vertical far field angles of 35°, 26°, and 17°. To optimize the coupling efficiency into non-linear crystals we studied DBR-TPL with a vertical far field angle of approx. 17° based on an asymmetrical super large optical cavity epitaxial structure. At a pump current of 18 A these devices are able to emit more than 9 W at 25°C and nearly 11 W at 10°C. The spectral emission is very narrow (ΔλFWHM = 18 pm) and single mode over the entire current range. While the beam quality factor M2 according to the 1/e2-level remains 1.1, the M2 according to second order moments deteriorates when the laser is pumped with higher currents. Therefore, the power content in the central lobe increases somewhat less rapidly than the total power.
Distributed Bragg reflector tapered diode lasers (DBR-TPL) based on a quantum-well structure are presented, which emit at various wavelengths between 1100 and 1200 nm. Long lifetimes of these diode lasers are demonstrated. The lasers feature a high radiance facilitating a highly efficient second harmonic generation (SHG) in lithium niobate (PPMgO:LN) ridge waveguide crystals in a single-pass configuration. SHG output powers up to
0.86 W corresponding to SHG power densities in the ridge waveguide core > 1 MW/cm2 are achieved for nearly diffraction limited beams at wavelengths of 561, 578 and 589 nm. Absorption behavior at these power densities is investigated without observation of nonlinear absorption phenomena.
In this work, a fiber-coupled diode laser module emitting around 1116 nm with an output power P < 60 mW is realized. As a laser light source a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) ridge waveguide diode laser is applied. The module comprises temperature stabilizing components, a micro-lens system as well as an optical micro-isolator. At the output, a polarization-maintaining single-mode fiber (PM-SMF) with a core diameter of 5.5 μm and a standard FC/APC connector are utilized. The generated diffraction limited beam is characterized by a narrow linewidth ( δν < 10 MHz) and a high polarization extinction ratio (PER > 25 dB).
In this paper a micro-integrated laser-amplifier for a wavelength of 1180nm is presented. The modules can amplify laser emission from any source, which is coupled into the polarization-maintaining input fiber of the module, to an optical power > 1W. Thereby, the spectral properties of the seed source are maintained. The output of the module is free space allowing easy access to the emitted beam. The footprint of the module is only 47mm • 34 mm. The article discusses the utilized amplifiers, preceding bench top experiments and gives a detailed experimental characterization of the amplifier module.
A miniaturized picosecond pulsed semiconductor laser source in the spectral range around 560nm is realized by integrating a frequency doubled distributed Bragg reflector ridge waveguide laser (DBR-RWL) into a micromodule. Such compact laser sources are suitable for mobile application, e.g. in microscopes. The picosecond optical pulses are generated by gain-switching which allows for arbitrary pulse repetition frequencies. For frequency conversion a periodically poled magnesium doped lithium niobate ridge waveguide crystal (PPLN) is used to provide high conversion efficiency with single-pass second harmonic generation (SHG). The coupling of the pulsed radiation into the PPLN crystal is realized by a GRIN-lens. Such types of lenses collect the divergent laser radiation and focus it into the crystal waveguide providing high coupling efficiency at a minimum of space compared to the usage of fast axis collimator(FAC)/slow axis collimator (SAC) lens combinations. The frequency doubled output pulses show a pulse width of about 60 ps FWHM and a spectral width around 0.06nm FWHM at a central wavelength of 557nm at 15. The pulse peak power could be determined to be more than 300mW at a repetition frequency of 40 MHz.
RGB-light sources with a coherence length of several meters are required for holographic displays. Furthermore, these
emitters must feature a high luminance and must be sufficiently small in size, to be employed in today’s consumer
market products. Therefore, an all-semiconductor based solution is preferred.
We developed red-emitting semiconductor lasers at 635 nm and 647 nm with internal distributed Bragg reflectors and
suitable amplifiers at these wavelengths to boost the lasers output power. We investigated tapered amplifiers containing a
ridge-waveguide section as well as truncated tapered designs in master-oscillator power-amplifier configuration
(MOPA). This allowed the generation of diffraction limited single mode emission by the MO-chip and subsequent
amplification of the radiation by the PA-chip by more than 10 dB, without significantly degrading the coherence
properties. We successfully demonstrated an optical output power of more than 300 mW at 635 nm and 500 mW at
647 nm. The radiation featured a linewidth below 10 MHz, which corresponds to a coherence length of at least several
meters, well suited for a holographic system.
In this work three different concepts for micro integrated laser sources emitting light at 560 nm are investigated. The modules have different near infrared diode laser sources and different geometries of the crystals for second harmonic generation. The power emitted by the modules varies from 112mW achieved with a simple module with a ridge-waveguide laser and a ridge-waveguide crystal to 548mW coming from a module using a laser with subsequent amplifier and a planar-waveguide crystal. The article features a detailed description of the near infrared sources and the used crystals as well as the discussion of the complete modules.
Distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) tapered lasers emitting near 1180 nm were developed. The integration of DBR surface gratings in an edge-emitting laser structure with a highly strained quantum well and a tapered laser geometry allows nearly diffraction limited emission into a single longitudinal mode with an optical output power of more than 2 W. The laser will allow direct second harmonic generation (SHG) in a single pass configuration and hence will enable the manufacturing of miniaturized laser modules near 590 nm for out-of-the-lab applications. An integration of a heater element at the DBR grating allows the tuning of the emission wavelength of more than 2 nm without the mechanical movement of gratings. This easy tuning simplifies the phase matching to a SHG crystal.
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