Nonlinear Dynamics in Semiconductor Lasers - Abstract

Ackemann, Thorsten

Beam quality enhancement of broad-area diode lasers with two-dimensional gain modulation

The beam quality of high-power broad-area diode lasers is very limited due to filamentation and high-order mode excitation. This limits their usefulness in applications not only demanding high power but also high brightness. Recently, it was predicted that a two-dimensional modulation (simultaneously transverse and longitudinal to the optical axis) of optical gain and loss can be tailored to provide directional gain along the optical axis via a modification of the spatial dispersion curves. The relationship of this effect to the Talbot effect is discussed. First measurements are presented indicating potential for an improvement of beam quality.