Abstract
Software for calculation of gain–current relation, gain saturation, light-induced refractive index change and light propagation in diode amplifiers and lasers is developed. Three orders of filamentation are found in tapered (flared) amplifiers within the typical ranges of the parameters. While the 1st order is caused by small external perturbations, the 2nd and 3rd orders are generated by the optical beam itself. The causes of the different types of filamentation are elucidated and their dependence on the amplifier geometry is investigated. Practical guidelines for filamentation suppression are suggested.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Borruel, L., et al.: Quasi-3D simulation of high-brightness tapered lasers. IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 40, 463–472 (2004a)
Borruel, L., et al.: Modeling of patterned contacts in tapered lasers. IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 40, 1384–1388 (2004b)
Borruel, L., et al.: Design strategies to increase the brightness of gain guided tapered lasers. Opt. Quantum Electron. 40, 175–189 (2008)
Bossert, D.J., Dente, G.C., Tilton, M.L.: Filamentation in high-power tapered semiconductor amplifiers. SPIE 3001, 63–73 (1997)
Chinn, S.R., Zory, P.S., Reisinger, A.R.: A model for GRIN–SCH–SQW diode lasers. IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 24, 2191–2214 (1988)
Coldren, L.A., Corzine, S.W.: Diode Lasers and Photonic Integrated Circuits. Wiley, London (1995)
Delépine, S., et al.: How to launch 1 W into single-mode fiber from a single 1.48-µm flared resonator. IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 7, 111–123 (2001)
Dente, G.C.: Low confinement factors for suppressed filaments in semiconductor lasers. IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 37, 1650–1653 (2001)
Lang, R.J.: Numerical analysis of flared semiconductor laser amplifiers. IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 29, 2044–2051 (1993)
Mehuys, D., Welch, D.F., Goldberg, L.: 2.0 W CW diffraction-limited tapered amplifier with diode injection. Electron. Lett. 28, 1944–1946 (1992)
Mikulla, M.: Tapered high-power, high-brightness diode lasers: design and performance. In: Diehl, R. (ed.), High-Power Diode Lasers, Topics in Applied Physics, vol. 78, pp. 265–288 (2000)
Paxton, A.H., Dente, G.C.: Filament formation in semiconductor laser gain regions. J. Appl. Phys. 70, 2921–2925 (1991)
Sujecki, S., et al.: Nonlinear properties of tapered laser cavities. IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 9, 823–834 (2003)
Sumph, B., et al.: High-brightness quantum well tapered lasers. IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 15, 1009–1020 (2009)
Tijero, J.M., et al.: Analysis of the performance of tapered semiconductor optical amplifiers: role of the taper angle. In: Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Numerical Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices, Palma de Mallorca, Spain (2014)
Walpole, J.N., et al.: High-power strained-layer InGaAs/AIGaAs tapered traveling wave amplifier. Appl. Phys. Lett. 61, 740–742 (1992)
Walpole, J.N., et al.: Gaussian patterned contacts for improved beam stability of 1.55-µm tapered lasers. IEEE Photonics Technol. Lett. 12, 257–259 (2000)
Wenzel, H., Erbert, G., Enders, P.M.: Improved theory of the refractive-index change in quantum-well lasers. IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 5, 637–642 (1999)
White, J.K., McInerney, J.G., Moloney, J.V.: Effects of the injection current profile shape on sidelobes in large-aperture semiconductor laser amplifiers. Opt. Lett. 20, 593–595 (1995a)
White, J.K., McInerney, J.G., Moloney, J.V.: Formation of sharply peaked sidelobes in large aperture single-pass semiconductor laser amplifiers. Electron. Lett. 31, 38–39 (1995b)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pniel, E., Dalin, B., Golod, S. et al. Types of filamentation in tapered diode amplifiers: their causes and features. Opt Quant Electron 47, 1535–1544 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11082-015-0163-9
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11082-015-0163-9