Experimental and theoretical analysis of optically pumped semiconductor disk lasers

We describe the experimental cw power scaling of optically pumped semiconductor disk lasers OPS-DLs and give a detailed insight into the physical mechanism of this type of high-power surface-emitting semiconductor laser with external cavity. Minimizing the thermal resistance between active region and heat sink enables improved efficiency and gives access to high power and excellent beam quality of OPS-DL at 1000 nm. Results from initial numerical modeling are in good agreement with the experimental data, and show that thermal management is a critical parameter for the temperature-driven power shutoff in such devices. The computations are based on the macroscopic thermal transport, spatially resolved in both the radial and longitudinal directions, and coupled to the carrier density rate equations. A quantitative microscopic approach is used for the quantum-well gain and absorption dependence on wavelength, carrier density, and lattice temperature. The dependence of the computed output power on the substrate thickness and detuning are discussed. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.