Coherent 1 W continuous wave operation of large-aperture resonant arrays of antiguided diode lasers

Abstract

Near-diffraction-limited cw operation at 1 W power level is demonstrated, for the first time, from all-monolithic, phase-locked diode-laser arrays. In pulsed operation purely diffraction-limited beams (0.4° lobewidth) are obtained from relatively large-aperture (120 μm) devices to power levels of 1 W, with 70%–75% of the energy in the central lobe at low drives. These record-high coherent powers are achieved from 20-element resonant-optical-waveguide arrays of antiguided diode lasers by significantly increasing the aperture width while maintaining strong discrimination against high-order array modes via Talbot-type spatial filters.