SCALING PROPERTIES OF ACTIVE-GRATING AMPLIFIED SURFACE-EMITTING LASERS

The effect of amplified spontaneous emission on the coherent power out put, brightness, and conversion efficiency of an active-grating amplif ied surface-emitting laser is analyzed. The optimum amplifier length f or maximizing the brightness of the amplified coherent light is calcul ated. Although the coherent output power and brightness increase monot onically with length up to the optimum amplifier length, the conversio n efficiency decreases monotonically. Beyond the optimum amplifier len gth, the coherent power output rapidly decreases to zero, as the ampli fied spontaneous emission intensity coupled into the amplifier mode in creases and quenches the gain.