Antiguided array diode lasers fabricated with modulated cap thin p-clad structure

Antiguided array lasers were fabricated in thin p-clad, InGaAs-GaAs single quantum-well material. The required lateral refractive index variation was achieved by precisely modulating the thickness of the GaAs cap layer using a novel pulsed anodization/etching technique. Edge-emitting arrays having 2 0 lasers on 7-mu m centers with 5-mu m-wide gain regions were characterized , At 1.2 times the pulsed current threshold (I-th). the central lobe of the lateral far field of the arrays contained about 75% of the beam power and was about twice the diffraction limit (FWHM = 0.8 degrees). At 10 x I-th, t he central lobe contained about 60% of the beam power and was about 1.6 deg rees wide.