Modeling of photonic-crystal-based high-power high-brightness semiconductor lasers

The concepts, features, modeling and practical realizations of high power high brightness semiconductor diode lasers having ultrathick and ultrabroad waveguides and emitting in the single vertical single lateral mode are analyzed. Ultrathick vertical waveguide can be realized as a photonic band crystal with an embedded filter of high order modes. In a second approach a tilted wave laser enables leakage of the optical wave from the active waveguide to the substrate and additional feedback from the back substrate side. Both designs provide high power and low divergence in the fast and the slow axis, and hence an increased brightness. Lateral photonic crystal enables coherent coupling of individual lasers and the mode expansion over an ultrabroad lateral waveguide. Experimental results are presented. Obtained results demonstrate a possibility for further expansion of the concept and using the single mode diodes having an ultrabroad waveguide to construct single mode laser bars and stacks.