Modeling and Measurements of the Radiative Characteristics of High-Power α-DFB Lasers

K. Paschke¹, A. Bogatov², A.E. Drakin², R. Güther¹, A.A. Stratonnikov², H. Wenzel¹, G. Erbert¹, and G. Tränkle¹

¹ Ferdinand-Braun-Institut für Höchstfrequenztechnik, D-12489 Berlin, Germany
² P.N. Lebedev Physical Institute, 119991 Moscow, Russia

Published in:
IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, Vol. 9, No. 3, pp. 835-843, May/June 2003.
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Abstract:
A new above-threshold model of α-DFB lasers is presented. It is based on a generalized beam-propagation method and takes into account spatial hole burning and self-heating effects. Up to moderate output powers, a good agreement between simulated and measured radiative characteristics is obtained. The theoretical model was used to design an optimized laser structure with a 4-mm-long cavity, which yielded a maximum output power of 3 W with a times-diffraction-limit factor of M² ≈ 3.

Index Terms:
distributed feedback laser (α-DFB laser), high brightness, high-power semiconductor laser, modeling, simulation, slanted Bragg grating, spectrum.

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