Chip-scale high-peak-power semiconductor/solid-state vertically integrated laser.

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Materials Science
• Semiconductor Devices

Background:

• High-peak power lasers are essential for advanced applications like remote sensing, micromachining, and biomedical photonics.
• Existing compact laser technologies often face limitations in achieving kilowatt-class peak power.
• Vertical integration of different laser gain mediums offers a potential pathway to overcome these limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and demonstrate a novel chip-scale, vertically integrated semiconductor/solid-state laser.
• To achieve high-peak power output from a compact laser device.
• To explore the monolithic integration of disparate laser gain mediums for enhanced performance.

Main Methods:

• Optical coupling of two cavities within a single solid-state laser gain medium.
• Intra-pumping of ytterbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Yb:YAG) using an electrically driven indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) quantum well.
• Passive Q-switching utilizing a chromium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Cr:YAG) saturable absorber.

Main Results:

• Generation of ultrashort pulses with a duration as short as 450 picoseconds (ps).
• Achieved an estimated peak power of 57.0 kilowatts (kW).
• Demonstrated the laser functionality within a minimal chip dimension of 1 mm³.

Conclusions:

• The proposed monolithic integration of semiconductor and solid-state laser gain mediums is a pioneering approach for compact high-peak power lasers.
• This technology holds significant promise for advancing fields requiring high-power laser sources.
• The demonstrated laser design offers a scalable solution for future compact, high-performance photonic devices.