The authors report a mirror passivation technique for high power 980 n
m lasers. The technique involves depositing a film of gallium oxide on
the facet immediately after facet cleaving. Photoluminescence measure
ments show that the GaAs surface covered with in situ deposited galliu
m oxide has two orders of magnitude higher luminescence than that for
bare GaAs surface. Lasers with good aging characteristics have been fa
bricated.