Date of Award

Spring 5-2016

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Optical Engineering

Department

Department of Physics and Optical Engineering

First Advisor

Paul Leisher

Second Advisor

Jeffery Leader

Third Advisor

Richard Liptak

Abstract

This work investigates the effects of temperature on the operation and performance of indium-phosphide (InP) based high-power broad-area laser (BAL) diodes operating in the eye-safe regime (1.5 μm – 2.0 μm). Low temperature (-80C to 0C) operation using a cryogenically cooled system enables investigation of temperature-dependent parameters such as threshold current, slope efficiency, diode voltage, and power conversion efficiency (PCE) of devices. Building upon established empirical models that describe threshold current and slope efficiency as functions of temperature, a key additional parametric model is developed to describe diode voltage incorporating a temperature dependence. With the inclusion of this temperature-dependent voltage model, the operational parameters are shown to accurately describe diode laser performance and enable simple prediction of PCE over a range of temperatures. Low-temperature-optimized 14xx nm devices with power conversion efficiencies greater than 50% at 5W and 19xx nm devices with PCE greater than 25% at 2W are characterized; results validate the developed temperature-dependent voltage model.

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