DEVELOPMENT OF 780 NM AND 792 NM DIODE LASER PUMPS FOR SOLID STATE LASERS

WE PROPOSE TO DEVELOP 780 NANOMETER AND 792 NANOMETER QUANTUM-WELL DIODE LASER ARRAYS FOR USE IN OPTICALLY PUMPING THE RECENTLY DEVELOPED TM-ACTIVATED HO:YAG AND ND:YLF SOLID STATE LASERS. THE TM,HO:YAG LASER, EMITTING IN THE 2.09 MICROMETER EYE-SAFE SPECTRAL REGION, HAS PROVEN EFFECTIVE IN DETECTING WIND SHEAR AND ATMOSPHERIC MICROBURSTS IN THE VICINITY OF AIRPORT LANDING PATHS. THE ND:YLF LASER IS USED FOR ATMOSPHERIC SENSING APPLICATIONS. THE DIODE LASER ARRAY IS AN EFFECTIVE OPTICALPUMPING METHOD BECAUSE OF ITS HIGH EFFICIENCY, HIGH RELIABILITY, SMALL VOLUME AND WEIGHT. TO MAKE THIS DIODE LASER PUMPING SCHEME A COMMERCIAL REALITY, A REPRODUCIBLE AND INEXPENSIVE PROCESS IS REQUIRED. THE MAIN CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE HIGH COST OF DIODE LASER PUMP ARRAYS HAS BEEN THE LOW YIELD OF EPITAXIAL MATERIAL EMITTING AT THE PROPER WAVELENGTH. SPIRE'S UNIQUE CONTRIBUTION TO THIS EFFORT IS THAT WE HAVE DEMONSTRATED THE ABILITY TO MAKE QUANTUM-WELL STRUCTURES OF HIGH UNIFORMITY OVER TWO-INCH WAFERS IN SPIRE'S COMMERCIALLY-AVAILABLE PRODUCTION MOCVD REACTOR. THE PROPOSED EFFORT BUILDS ON SPIRE'S PRESENT 808 NANOMETER DIODE LASER ARRAY ACTIVITIES. OPERATIONAL LASER ARRAYS WILL BE FABRICATED AND DELIVERED UNDER THIS PROGRAM.