Ingaas/Ga(Al)As And Al-Free 980nm Pump Laser Diodes: Electro-Optical Properties And Reliability Issues

Different 980 nm ridge waveguide pump laser diodes fabricated either from the InGaAs/Ga(Al)As system or from the InGaAs/Ga(In)As(P)/GaInP (Al-free) one, and purchased from different manufacturers, have been submitted to an accurate electro-optical characterization and lifetest for a comparative study. Measurements show that the electro- optical behavior, especially the kink power level and the optical spectrum, is strongly correlated with the stripe design. These different behaviors strongly impact the short term stability of both output power and wavelength of related 980 nm pump laser modules. Lifetests and failure analysis have been performed and demonstrate the vulnerability of the front facet.