Improvement and characterization of high-reflective and anti-reflective nanostructured mirrors by ion beam assisted deposition for 944Â nm high power diode laser

Single-layer and multi-layer coatings were applied on the surface of diode laser facets as mirrors. This thin film mirrors were designed, deposited, optimized and characterized. The effects of mirrors on facet passivation and optical properties of InGaAs/AlGaAs/GaAs diode lasers were investigated. High-Reflective (HR) and Anti-Reflective (AR) mirrors comprising of four double-layers of Al2O3/Si and a single layer of Al2O3, respectively, were designed and optimized by Macleod software for 944 nm diode lasers. Optimization of Argon flow rate was studied through Alumina thin film deposition by Ion Beam Assisted Deposition (IBAD) for mirror improvement. The nanostructured HR and AR mirrors were deposited on the front and back facet of the laser respectively, by IBAD system under optimum condition. Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), Vis-IR Spectrophotometer, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and laser characterization Test (P-I) were used to characterize various properties of mirrors and lasers. AFM images show mirror's root mean square roughness is nearly 1 nm. The Spectrophotometer results of the front facet transmission and the back facet reflection are in good agreement with the simulation results. Optical output power (P) versus driving current (I) characteristics, measured before and after coating the facet, revealed a significant output power enhancement due to optimized AR and HR optical coatings on facets.