Wide-bandwidth mode-hop-free tuning of extended-cavity GaN diode lasers

We present a new approach for extended-cavity diode-laser tuning to achieve wide mode-hop-free tuning ranges. By using a multiple piezoactuated grating mount, the cavity length and grating angle in the laser can be adjusted independently, allowing mode-hop-free tuning without the need for a mechanically optimized pivot-point mount. Furthermore, synchronized diode injection-current tuning allows diode lasers without antireflection coatings to be employed. In combination these two techniques make the construction of a cheap, efficient, and easily optimized extended-cavity diode laser possible. A theoretical analysis is presented for optimal control of piezoactuator displacements and injection current to achieve the widest possible mode-hop-free tuning ranges, and a comparison is made with measurements. The scheme is demonstrated for blue and violet GaN lasers operating at similar to 450 nm and similar to 410 nm, for which continuous tuning ranges exceeding 90 GHz have been achieved. Examples of applications of these lasers are also given

The Atmospheric Monitoring System of the JEM-EUSO Space Mission

An Atmospheric Monitoring System (AMS) is a mandatory and key device of a space-based mission which aims to detect Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECR) and Extremely-High Energy Cosmic Rays (EHECR) from Space. JEM-EUSO has a dedicated atmospheric monitoring system that plays a fundamental role in our understanding of the atmospheric conditions in the Field of View (FoV) of the telescope. Our AMS consists of a very challenging space infrared camera and a LIDAR device, that are being fully designed with space qualification to fulfil the scientific requirements of this space mission. The AMS will provide information of the cloud cover in the FoV of JEM-EUSO, as well as measurements of the cloud top altitudes with an accuracy of 500 m and the optical depth profile of the atmosphere transmittance in the direction of each air shower with an accuracy of 0.15 degree and a resolution of 500 m. This will ensure that the energy of the primary UHECR and the depth of maximum development of the EAS ( Extensive Air Shower) are measured with an accuracy better than 30\% primary energy and 120 $g/cm^2$ depth of maximum development for EAS occurring either in clear sky or with the EAS depth of maximum development above optically thick cloud layers. Moreover a very novel radiometric retrieval technique considering the LIDAR shots as calibration points, that seems to be the most promising retrieval algorithm is under development to infer the Cloud Top Height (CTH) of all kind of clouds, thick and thin clouds in the FoV of the JEM-EUSO space telescope

Laser Diode Induced Lighting Modules

Laser diodes have the potential of becoming the light engines of future lighting technology since they have negligible efficiency droop factor, unlike light emitting diodes. This study demonstrates the possibility of laser diodes coupled to phosphor targets being used as a solid state lighting system with high power applications. It was revealed that white light emitting modules with efficiency of up to 217 lumens per watt based on laser diodes can currently be made and upon further development of laser diode technology and relevant phosphor materials there is room for further improvements. The report also demonstrates the ability of this technology to produce a tailored emission spectrum for a given specific requirement. Two test lamp prototypes were made using laser diodes and phosphor targets and their emission characteristics were investigatedBrunel University London & EPSRC grant No. EP/K504208/

Phosphorous Diffuser Diverged Blue Laser Diode for Indoor Lighting and Communication.

An advanced light-fidelity (Li-Fi) system based on the blue Gallium nitride (GaN) laser diode (LD) with a compact white-light phosphorous diffuser is demonstrated for fusing the indoor white-lighting and visible light communication (VLC). The phosphorous diffuser adhered blue GaN LD broadens luminescent spectrum and diverges beam spot to provide ample functionality including the completeness of Li-Fi feature and the quality of white-lighting. The phosphorous diffuser diverged white-light spot covers a radiant angle up to 120(o) with CIE coordinates of (0.34, 0.37). On the other hand, the degradation on throughput frequency response of the blue LD is mainly attributed to the self-feedback caused by the reflection from the phosphor-air interface. It represents the current state-of-the-art performance on carrying 5.2-Gbit/s orthogonal frequency-division multiplexed 16-quadrature-amplitude modulation (16-QAM OFDM) data with a bit error rate (BER) of 3.1 × 10(-3) over a 60-cm free-space link. This work aims to explore the plausibility of the phosphorous diffuser diverged blue GaN LD for future hybrid white-lighting and VLC systems

Photonic integrated circuits based on quantum well intermixing techniques

The passive sections of a monolithic device must have a wider bandgap than the active regions to reduce losses due to direct interband absorption. Such bandgap engineering is usually realized by complicated regrown butt-joint or selective-area growth techniques. We, however, have developed a simple, flexible and low-cost alternative technique – quantum well intermixing (QWI) – to increase the bandgap in selected areas of an integrated device post-growth. To verify the QWI process, we have fabricated the following demonstrators: a 40 GHz semiconductor mode-locked laser producing pulses as short as 490 fs; a 10 GHz passively mode-locked extended cavity laser integrated with surface-etched distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) which can be tuned in both wavelength and pulse repetition rate; four 10 GHz 1.55 μm AlGaInAs/InP mode-locked surfaced-etched DBR lasers integrated combiner, a semiconductor optical amplifier and modulator where the four channels can be operated separately or simultaneously; a CWDM source with 12 nm wavelength separation based on an AlGaInAs/InP integrated distributed feedback laser array; and a 1.55 μm DFB laser monolithically integrated with power amplifier array. In all these applications, QWI has the advantage of eliminating crystal regrowth and the associated stringent tolerance requirements that are required in traditional integration schemes

Laser materials processing with diode lasers

Laser materials processing is currently dominated by CO2, Nd-YAG and Excimer lasers. Continuous advances in semiconductor laser technology over the last decade have increased the average power output of the devices annualy by two fold, resulting in the commercial availability of the diode lasers today with delivery output powers in excess of 60W in CW mode and 5kW in qasi-CW mode. The advantages of compactness, high reliability, high efficiency and potential low cost, due to the mass production capability of the diode laser, will inextricably shape its future in the field of materials processing. This papers reports on work exploring the feasibility of a range of materials processing applications using a Diomed 60W diode laser, transmitted through a 600m diameter optical fibre and coupled to a 3 axis CNC workstation. The applications studied include; marking and engraving natural stones (marble and granite), marking ceramic tiles, glazing and sealing tile grouts, marking and cutting glass, marking wood, welding metal wire and transformation hardening of tool steels. The study shows that even at the present limited power level of diode laser, many materials processing applications can be accomplished with satisfactory results. Through the study an initial understanding of interaction of diode laser beam with various materials has been gained. Also, within the paper basic beam characteristics, the state of the art of high power diode laser technology and current materials processing applications are also reviewed