High-power diode lasers at 1178  nm with high beam quality and narrow spectra

High-power distributed Bragg reflector tapered diode lasers (DBR-TPLs) at 1180 nm were developed based on highly strained InGaAs quantum wells. The lasers emit a nearly diffraction-limited beam with more than two watts with a narrow spectral width. These features are believed to make this type of diode laser a key component for the manufacturing of miniaturized laser modules in the yellow and orange spectral range by second-harmonic generation to cover a spectral region currently not accessible with direct emitting diode lasers. Future applications might be the laser-cooling of sodium, high-resolution glucose-content measurements, as well as spectroscopy on rare earth elements.