CONTROL OF FACET DAMAGE IN GaAs LASER DIODES

Abstract

Antireflecting films of SiO, applied to one facet of a laser diode, substantially increase the threshold for catastrophic facet failure. Tripling of the allowable peak power from one end of single-heterojunction ``close-confinement'' lasers is reported. The increase appears to be too large for a simple model of damage by optical absorption at an imperfection near the surface.