Recent developments in surface-emitting distributed-feedback arrays

Abstract

Progress in the development of surface emitting distributed feedback lasers and arrays is reported. Single devices have been demonstrated with as much as 8 percent net power efficiency, 250 mW CW output power, and 5000 hours of reliable CW operation. Continuous wave operation of arrays has been demonstrated with as much as 3 W of output power. Silicon microchannel heat sinks can achieve a much lower thermal resistance than predicted by an idealized analysis due to finite size effects and lateral heat flow in the sink package. Techniques for feeding in large electrical currents are discussed.