Asymmetric-Waveguide Laser Diode for High-Power Optical Pulse Generation by Gain Switching

Abstract

A semiconductor laser with a strongly asymmetric waveguide structure and a relatively thick (~0.1 mum) active layer, resulting in an extremely large equivalent spot size, is proposed and analyzed for the purpose of generating high-power single-optical pulses by gain switching. An improvement in obtainable single-pulse energies of about an order of magnitude over conventional laser structures is predicted.