Growth of laser diode structures with emission wavelength beyond 1100 nm for yellow–green emission by frequency conversion

• MOVPE growth of highly strained InGaAs quantum wells was described.
• Aging behaviour of laser diodes emitting at 1150 nm and 1180 nm was characterized.
• Laser diodes for second harmonic generation of green-yellow emission wavelength were developed.

Laser structures for emission wavelengths of 1120 nm and 1180 nm, suitable for non-linear frequency conversion to yellow–green and yellow–orange, were developed. At 1120 nm emission wavelength different active regions and structures were investigated. The introduction of a GaAs spacer layer between GaAsP barriers and InGaAs QWs reduces threshold and transparency current density significantly. Lifetime measurements were done successfully over 1700 h for broad area and 10 000 h for ridge waveguide tapered lasers.Broad area laser diodes with a partly strain-compensated 6 nm InGaAs QW, emitting at 1180 nm, show lifetimes above 1000 h at an output power of 1.5 W. The required beam quality was achieved by processing a ridge waveguide laser with an included distributed Bragg reflector. Such a laser emits up to 200 mW in single mode output power.