CATASTROPHIC OPTICAL-DAMAGE OF ALGAINP VISIBLE LASER-DIODES UNDER HIGH-POWER OPERATION

The conventional method to evaluate the lifetime of a laser diode for catastrophic optical damage (GOD) has some problems. A new method is p roposed that can account for these problems, and the lifetime of AlGaI nP visible laser diodes is evaluated using the proposed method. A micr oauger electron spectroscopy (mu-AES) is used to analyze quantitativel y both the mutual diffusion and the native oxide between the coating f ilm and laser crystal. These effects are clarified on the degradation of COD power level.