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Thermal and mechanical issues of high-power laser diode degradation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 July 2018

Jorge Souto*
Affiliation:
GdS Optronlab, Ed.LUCIA, Paseo de Belén 19, Universidad de Valladolid, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
José Luis Pura
Affiliation:
GdS Optronlab, Ed.LUCIA, Paseo de Belén 19, Universidad de Valladolid, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
Juan Jiménez
Affiliation:
GdS Optronlab, Ed.LUCIA, Paseo de Belén 19, Universidad de Valladolid, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
*
Address all correspondence to Jorge Souto at [email protected]
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Abstract

A computational model for the evaluation of the thermomechanical effects that give rise to the catastrophic optical damage of laser diodes has been devised. The model traces the progressive deterioration of the device running in continuous wave conditions. The local heating of the active layer locally leads to the onset of the plastic regime. As a result, dislocations and threads of dislocations grow across the active layers and lead to rapidly growing temperatures in the quantum well. The poor power dissipation under these conditions has been identified as the key factor driving the final degradation of the laser.

Type
Research Letters
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2018 

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