6.1 W continuous wave front-facet power from Al-free active-region (λ=805 nm) diode lasers

Al-free active-region diode lasers grown by low-pressure, metal-organic chemical vapor deposition and emitting at lambda=805 nm have been optimized for high continuous wave output power. The 1-mm-long devices consisting of an InGaAsP/In0.5Ga0.5P/In-0.5(Ga0.5Al0.5)(0.5)P laser structure have a threshold-current density, J(th), of 310 A/cm(2) and relatively high values for the characteristic temperatures of the threshold current, T-0 (135 K), and differential quantum efficiency, T-1 (900 K). Lasers with 10%/90% coatings and a 100-mu m-wide stripe provide a maximum cw output power of 6.1 W at a heatsink temperature of 10 degrees C. The devices fail due to catastrophic optical mirror damage (COMD), where the internal power density, <(P)over bar (COMD)> is 17.4 MW/cm(2); that is, twice that for conventionally facet-coated, 810 nm emitting, AlGaAs active-region diode lasers. (C) 1998 American institute of Physics.