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.