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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 55 records · Page 3
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1984

Recent developments in monolithic phase-locked semiconductor laser arrays

Coherent combination of the power of several semiconductor lasers fabricated on the same substrate has been the subject of an intense research effort in recent years, the main motivation being to obtain higher power levels than those available from a single laser in a stable radiation pattern. Best results reported so far include 2.6 watts CW emitted power and less than 1 deg far-field angle (in the array plane) in arrays where all the lasers are electrically connected in parallel. A different type of coherent array, where each element has a separate contact, has been recently demonstrated. While requiring the more complex two-level metallization technology, applying a separate contact to each laser provides an additional degree of freedom in the design and the operation of monolithic arrays. The separate contacts can be employed to tailor the near-field and far-field distributions and to compensate for device-to-device nonuniformities. Furthermore, the control of the currents of the array elements allows the performance of a variety of other functions, such as beam scanning, spectral mode control, wavelength tuning and control of the mutual coherence between array elements.

Katz, J.↗
DOE OSTI2020

1.5 – 1.6 μm semiconductor lasers with an asymmetric periodic optically coupled waveguide

High-power 1.5 – 1.6-μm semiconductor lasers with an asymmetric periodic optically coupled waveguide are developed and their current – voltage, light – current, and spectral characteristics are experimentally studied. The characteristics of these lasers are compared with the characteristics of traditional lasers based on double separate-confinement heterostructures. It is shown that the developed lasers have lower divergence and almost the same threshold and power characteristics as conventional lasers with Fabry – Perot resonators. The developed lasers with a cavity length of 1.6 mm and a mesa-stripe contact width of 3 μm mounted in a housing 11 mm in diameter have a power no lower than 200 mW at a pump current not exceeding 700 mA with a divergence of 25 – 35° versus 45° typical for conventional lasers. (lasers)

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1983

Diffraction coupled phase-locked semiconductor laser array

A new monolithic, diffraction coupled phase-locked semiconductor laser array has been fabricated. Stable narrow far-field patterns (approximately 3 deg) and peak power levels of 1 W have been obtained for 100-micron-wide devices with threshold currents as low as 250 mA. Such devices may be useful in applications where high power levels and stable radiation patterns are needed.

Katz, J.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Separate-contact phase-locked semiconductor laser arrays

The novel optoelectronic devices discussed, phase-locked semiconductor laser arrays with separate contacts can perform a variety of near field and far field pattern tailoring functions and control mutual coherence among array elements, as well as lasing wavelength selectivity and tunability. Attention is presently given to experimental results from such arrays, which indicate that the threshold currents of the 4-micron wide lasers employed are typically 60 mA. The separate contacts to each one of them are provided by means of two-level metallization.

Katz, J.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Semiconductor lasers for space sensor applications

Despite their intrinsic power limitations, semiconductor laser diodes are essential for laser-based spaceborne sensor systems covering a wide spectral range, fulfilling such roles as pumping and injection-locking. They may also be used as direct sources in shorter-range operations. AlGaAs laser arrays have been developed for 810-nm band pumping in Nd:YAG lasers otherwise emitting at 1.064 nm. Additional roles include their use as low-power injection seeds, locking a solid-state laser into a specific desired wavelength.

Katz, Joseph↗
NASA NTRS1989

Increasing And Combining Outputs Of Semiconductor Lasers

Paper reviews methods of increasing and combining outputs of semiconductor lasers, with references to literature of recent years (mostly 1986 and 1987). This is a field of great practical importance: Necessary to increase or combine outputs of individual lasers to obtain sufficient power for such uses as communication, ranging, remote sensing, printing, and pumping solid-state lasers.

Katz, Joseph↗
NASA NTRS2000

Semiconductor Laser Linewidth Measurements for Space Interferometry Applications

Narrow linewidth (<100KHz) semiconductor lasers are expected to be a key technology in NASA's stellar interferometry missions to search for planets around nearby stars. Long coherence length lasers are needed for precise (20 pm to 5 mn) measurements of the optical path difference. This work discusses results using the self-heterodyne delay technique to measure 1.3 micrometer InP based DFB lasers. We will also address practical issues concerning detection and elimination of back reflections, choice of fiber length and resolution, and measurement of laser 1/f and current supply noise.

Dougherty, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Semiconductor Laser Low Frequency Noise Characterization

This work summarizes the efforts in identifying the fundamental noise limit in semiconductor optical sources (lasers) to determine the source of 1/F noise and it's associated behavior. In addition, the study also addresses the effects of this 1/F noise on RF phased arrays. The study showed that the 1/F noise in semiconductor lasers has an ultimate physical limit based upon similar factors to fundamental noise generated in other semiconductor and solid state devices. The study also showed that both additive and multiplicative noise can be a significant detriment to the performance of RF phased arrays especially in regard to very low sidelobe performance and ultimate beam steering accuracy. The final result is that a noise power related term must be included in a complete analysis of the noise spectrum of any semiconductor device including semiconductor lasers.

SEMICONDUCTOR LASERS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Numerical simulation of the divergence and optical confinement factor of a semiconductor laser with an asymmetric periodic multilayer AlGaInAs/InP waveguide

The divergence and optical confinement factor of a semiconductor laser with an asymmetric periodic (multilayer) waveguide are numerically simulated. The reasons for the choice of the given heterostructure design are explained, and the consequences of choosing other layer structures are considered. It is shown how to choose the active waveguide thickness, the active region position on the waveguide, and the multilayer waveguide grating period. (lasers)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
NASA NTRS1983

Phase-locked semiconductor laser array with separate contacts

A new monolithic phase-locked semiconductor laser array has been fabricated. Employing two-level metallization, each of the eight elements in the array has a separate contact, thus making it possible to compensate for device nonuniformities and control the near-field and far-field patterns. Threshold currents are approximately 60 mA for each 5-micron-wide laser in the array. Phase locking has been observed via the narrowing of the far-field pattern. Experimental results are compared to those obtained from the same arrays operated with all the lasers connected in parallel.

Katz, J.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Longitudinal-mode control in integrated semiconductor laser phased arrays by phase velocity matching

The spectrum of semiconductor-laser arrays with separate contacts is investigated. It is demonstrated that the individual laser currents can be selected such that the array operates in a single longitudinal mode, in contrast to the multimode nature of its individual constituents. Moreover, it is possible to tune the lasing frequency by varying the laser currents. Wavelength tuning range of about 50 A, with tuning rate of about 5 A per milliampere, is demonstrated. It is suggested that these spectral features, characteristic of lasers which are coupled in parallel, result from the strong frequency dependence of their spatial mode pattern near the phase-matching frequency of their coupled waveguides.

Kapon, E.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Electron beam pumped semiconductor laser

Electron-beam-pumped semiconductor ultra-violet optical sources (ESUVOSs) are disclosed that use ballistic electron pumped wide bandgap semiconductor materials. The sources may produce incoherent radiation and take the form of electron-beam-pumped light emitting triodes (ELETs). The sources may produce coherent radiation and take the form of electron-beam-pumped laser triodes (ELTs). The ELTs may take the form of electron-beam-pumped vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (EVCSEL) or edge emitting electron-beam-pumped lasers (EEELs). The semiconductor medium may take the form of an aluminum gallium nitride alloy that has a mole fraction of aluminum selected to give a desired emission wavelength, diamond, or diamond-like carbon (DLC). The sources may be produced from discrete components that are assembled after their individual formation or they may be produced using batch MEMS-type or semiconductor-type processing techniques to build them up in a whole or partial monolithic manner, or combination thereof.

Hug, William F.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Self-collimated unstable resonator semiconductor laser

Self-collimation of the output is achieved in an unstable resonator semiconductor laser by providing a large concave mirror M sub 1 and a small convex mirror M sub 2 on opposite surfaces of a semiconductor body of a material having an effective index of refraction denoted by n, where the respective mirror radii R sub 1, R sub 2 and beam radii r sub 1, r sub 2 are chosen to satisfy a condition (R sub 2)/(1 + r sub 1) = (n - 1)/n, with a value of geometric magnification 1 less than or equal to M less than or equal to (n + 1)/(n - 1) where r sub 1 and r sub 2 are the radii of counterpropagating beams at respective mirrors of radii R sub 1 and R sub 2.

Lang, Robert J.↗
DOE OSTI2020

AlGaInAs/InP semiconductor lasers with an ultra-narrow waveguide and an increased electron barrier

Semiconductor lasers based on AlGaInAs/InP heterostructures with an ultra-narrow waveguide and an increased electron barrier layer are developed. It is shown that the use of this waveguide in conjunction with profiled doping ensures a balance between internal optical losses and heat resistance. Additional use of strained wide-bandgap layers as blocking barriers limiting electron leakage from the active region makes it possible to increase the output power at the same pump current. The developed lasers with a stripe contact 100 μm wide demonstrate at room temperature an output optical power of 4.0 – 4.4 W (pump current 14 A) in a continuous-wave regime and 15 – 17 W (100 A) in a pulsed regime (100 ns, 1 kHz) at wavelengths of 1450 – 1500 nm. (paper)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
NASA NTRS1991

Quantum correlation between the junction-voltage fluctuation and the photon-number fluctuation in a semiconductor laser

The photon-number fluctuation of the external field from a semiconductor laser - which was reduced to below the standard quantum limit - is shown to be correlated with the measured junction-voltage noise. The spectral density of the sum of the photon-number fluctuation and junction-voltage fluctuation falls below the squeezed photon-number fluctuation. This confirms the theoretical predictions that this correlation, which originates in the dipole interaction between the internal field and electron-hole pairs, extends into the quantum regime.

Richardson, W. H.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Semiconductor laser technology for remote sensing experiments

Semiconductor injection lasers are required for implementing virtually all spaceborne remote sensing systems. Their main advantages are high reliability and efficiency, and their main roles are envisioned in pumping and injection locking of solid state lasers. In some shorter range applications they may even be utilized directly as the sources.

Katz, Joseph↗
DOE OSTI2020

On “incorrectnes” of the rate equation for photon density of semiconductor lasers

The authors of works [1, 2] published in Quantum Electronics assert that the rate equation for photon density with a term taking into account the contribution of spontaneous emission to the laser mode is erroneous (i.e., the spontaneous term should be excluded from consideration) and criticise works [3, 4]. In the present work, we analyse previously published papers and show that the necessity of taking into account the contribution of spontaneous emission to the laser mode follows from the quantum-mechanical rate equation for semiconductor lasers. The results obtained in [1, 2] are analysed. (paper)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
NASA NTRS1984

Rate equations analysis of phase-locked semiconductor laser arrays under steady state conditions

Rate equations analysis of phase-locked semiconductor laser arrays has been carried out. It was found that for given (laser) current densities, the photon density distribution in the array elements is that particular one which maximizes the total photon density. The results of this analysis were then combined with the waveguide properties of the laser array waveguide, yielding a basic model of phase-locked diode laser arrays. This model explains the effects of the variation of the current combination through the array elements on its mode structure that were observed recently.

Katz, J.↗