Performance and aging of a high power 2-D laser diode array.

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Materials Science
• Semiconductor Devices

Background:

• High power laser diode arrays are crucial components in various applications, including solid-state laser pumping.
• Understanding the long-term performance degradation of these arrays is essential for reliable system design and operation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of operational shot life on the performance characteristics of high power laser diode arrays.
• To quantify degradation in output power, spectral properties, and beam patterns over extended operation.

Main Methods:

• A high power laser diode array was subjected to 5.9 x 10^7 operational shots at a power density of 1 kW/cm^2.
• Measurements were conducted to assess output power, emission spectrum, near-field, and far-field patterns before and after the operational period.

Main Results:

• A significant 23% degradation in output power was observed.
• A 3-nm red shift in the emission maximum was recorded.
• Changes in near-field and far-field patterns were also documented, indicating performance alterations.

Conclusions:

• Extended shot life leads to measurable degradation in high power laser diode array performance.
• The observed power drop and spectral shift have direct implications for the efficiency and suitability of these arrays in solid-state laser pumping.
• Further research into mitigating degradation mechanisms is warranted for improved device longevity.