Over 3 W high-efficiency vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting lasers and application as efficient fiber laser pump sources

摘要

We report on the design and fabrication of high-power, high-brightness diode-pumped vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting lasers. Over 3 W continuous wave fundamental transverse mode (TEM_(00)) output at 980 nm with a high slope efficiency of 44% is demonstrated at room temperature. The diffraction-limited beam with M~2 factor of 1.15 at high-power operation is achieved. A vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting laser operating near 976 nm with a diffraction-limited beam is used to pump the core of 3 cm long Er/Yb-codoped single-mode phosphate fiber lasers. An output power in excess of 250 mW at 1535 nm with a slope efficiency of 29% is obtained without any cooling.