Ferdinand-Braun-Institut Innovations with Microwaves and Light

Physics and technology of high power
diode laser systems –
key components in modern laser
applications
Katrin Paschke
Ferdinand-Braun-Institut
Berlin, September 22, 2014
German Soccer/Football Team
won the world champion ship this year.
2
German Cars
3
Famous German Scientists
Max Planck
Max Born
Gottfried Leibniz
4
Alexander von
Humboldt
Ferdinand Braun
Ferdinand-Braun-Institut (FBH) –
Innovation with microwaves and light
 FBH is situated in south/east of Berlin.
5
FBH: Facts & Figures
 Member of Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V.,
Leibniz Association
 Shareholders

State of Berlin / Federal Republic of Germany
 Founded

1992
 Staff

280 (incl. 140 scientists & PhD students)
 Budget / Turnover

22 M€ (incl. 11 M€ project revenues)
 Academic partners



6
Technische Universität Berlin
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main
FBH: semiconductors for new applications & markets
Microwave & optoelectronic components – key devices for:
 Health & nutrition

UV LEDs for water purification; diode lasers for dentistry, photodynamic therapy, fresh meat
scanner …
 Climate & energy

RF components: high-efficiency power amplifiers with novel amplifier architectures for efficient
energy conversion
 Mobility


Components for green car technologies
Car safety (distance warning, parking assistance …)
 Security

THz technologies for imaging systems for security applications
 Communications

7
Power amplifiers for mobile communications
Unique feature: developments for highly specialized
applications & markets
 Display technology

Large-scale projections, flight simulators,
holographic displays …
Laser welding
(e.g. in automotive industry)
 Production engineering
Welding, cutting …
 Space technology

Optical data transfer, high-precision measurements …
 Components for scientific applications

 …
8
Table-top X-ray laser, e.g. for analytics,
laser-driven nuclear fusion for
energy production of the future …
© Trumpf

Diode laser module for space applications
FBH: Innovation with microwaves and light
 Applied research and development on III-V
semiconductor devices, circuits and modules for
microwave technology and optoelectronics
 Full value chain:

International center for MMICs and high-power diode lasers
covering all competencies
 Successful in knowledge and technology transfer
by innovative product ideas and technologies:



9
Successful university cooperations (“joint labs”)
Strategic partner of the industry
Spin-offs
FBH: Excellent in nano, micro and opto technology
opto
nano
micro
10
application
system
FBH: Research program
 Microwave components & systems



GaN high-power transistors & MMICs
100+ GHz: THz electronics (InP HBT)
Microwave plasmas
 GaN power electronics

FETs & diodes up to 1000 V
 GaAs diode lasers



High-power diode lasers (0.63 - 1.2 µm)
Hybrid diode laser systems (rgb)
Laser sensors & metrology
 GaN Photonics

UV & true blue
 III-V semiconductor technology


11
Epitaxy & process technology
Mounting & packaging
Outline
 Introduction
 Motivation: Laser diodes and systems
 Fabrication: Challenges and Solutions


Beam shaping
Mounting accuracy
 Examples


Precision quantum optics experiments in space
Material analytics
 Summary
12
Motivation: Diode lasers
Key elements of laser technology in:
 Material processing
 Medicine

photodynamic therapy
 surgery, dental, urology
 Communication (space applications, free space)
 Sensor systems

material analytics,
 LIDAR
 Metrology

atom interferometry,
 atomic clocks
 Entertainment / display
 Research / development (disk lasers, specific laser systems:
X-ray, …)
24/09/2014
13
Motivation: Advantages of high power diode lasers
 High conversion efficiency

Peak values >70% ;
 typically 50%
 At least a factor of two better
than other lasers
 Extremly compactness

Chip size 0.5 mm x 4 mm x 0.15 mm
delivers up to 15 W
 Capability of mass production

Full wafer processing
 Easy excitation
14
Motivation: Advantages of high power diode lasers
 Directly cover
through conversion
630 nm … 1100 nm,
VIS ... deep UV
 Large spectral tunability

Up to many 100 GHz
 Provides wide bandwidth modulation capability

Many MHz / GHz
 Narrow linewidth emission with advanced laser
concepts
 Extremely robust
Vibration, radiation, thermal cycling, …
 Reliable operation
High brightness (spatial and spectral)
 main focus of current research
15
0
spectral density (dB)

-10
-20
-30
-40
-50
-60
900
902
904
wavelength (nm)
906
908
Motivation: Why hybrid diode laser systems?
 Tailoring of diode laser characteristics

Beam quality
 Spectral properties
 Wavelength
 Power
 Decoupling of light generation and amplification

Avoiding complex monolithically process steps
 More degrees of freedom
 Thermal management

Portable applications
 in situ sensors and analytics
 hand scanners for environmental research
Goal: Small and compact
24/09/2014
16
Fabrication: Complete value chain …
Design...
T = 15°C
Life test, 980 nm BA laser
IRW / mA
100
150
200
250
300
5
Current / A
20
P = 10 W
1,0
P / a.u.
P/W
10
0,5
976 977 978
 / nm
0
5
10
12 W
taging = 4300 h
L = 4000 µm
W = 100 µm
POP = 12 - 15 W
T = 25°C
10
0
Itaper / A
Characterization...
17
15 W
15
15
Mounting
Date: 17.01.2008
5
0,0
0
Processing…
Epitaxy...
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
Time / h
Reliability
Hybrid systems
Applications
Fabrication: Main research focus – GaAs DL
 Laser chip technology –
limits of brilliance and power density



Improvement of quality and extension of wavelength range
New designs for edge emitters
 Resonators (RW, DFB, DBR, TA)
 Waveguide structures:
Epitaxie III-V layer-structures MOVPE
 Monolithic integrated structures, processline
 Coating
Surface emitting structures
10W/..kW CW/QCW/ ps-pulsed
18
n
IRW
Itaper
SEM image
Fabrication: Main research focus – GaAs DL
 Hybrid integrated laser sources



Passive components
 Beam shaping with micro-optics
(lenses, mirrors, polarization optics, gratings …)
 Micro-electronics (discrete components, TECs, modulators …)
 Sensors (temperature, …)
Mounting technology
 No movable parts!
 Stability (mechanical, wavelength, reliable operation)
 Tolerances of adjustment
 Thermal optimisation
Customize adapted
 Control system
 Housing with fiber output
 pole position of research institutions for diode laser chips and
miniaturized hybrid integrated light sources
19
Fabrication: Beam shaping –
Beam propagation parameter
Beam parameters:
• Diameter d
• Waist position z0
d  z   d0
2
 z  z0 
2
2
2
1 
  d 0    z  z0 
 zR 
• Waist diameter d0
• Rayleigh length zR
• Divergence 
• Beam propagation ratio M2
20
d0 

 M2
4

M2 1
Fabrication: Beam shaping –
Propagation of simple astigmatic beams
Independent sets of beam
parameters for both
principal axes:
21
2
d x  z   d0 x
 z  z0 x 
1 

 zRx 
2
d y  z   d0 y
 z  z0 y
1 
 z
 Ry



Fabrication: Beam shaping –
Lateral structure of diode lasers
RW laser
• Vertical and lateral single mode
 almost perfect beam quality (M2~1)
• Very narrow spectral band possible (DBR, DFB)
• Comparably low power (< 2 W)
BA laser
• Lateral multi mode (M2 > 50)
• High power (> 10 W)
• Good lateral beam quality (M2 <3)
• High power (~10W)
Tapered laser
22
Fabrication: Beam shaping –
Lateral structure of diode lasers
RW laser
• Vertical and lateral single mode
 almost perfect beam quality
• Very narrow spectral band possible (DBR, DFB)
• Comparably low power
BA laser
• Lateral multi mode
• High power
• Good lateral beam quality
• High power
Tapered laser
23
Fabrication: Beam shaping –
Lateral structure of diode lasers
RW laser
• Vertical and lateral single mode
 almost perfect beam quality
• Very narrow spectral band possible (DBR, DFB)
• Comparably low power
BA laser
• Lateral multi mode
• High power
• Good lateral beam quality
• High power
Tapered laser
24
Fabrication: Beam shaping –
Lateral structure of diode lasers
RW laser
• Vertical and lateral single mode
 almost perfect beam quality
• Very narrow spectral band possible (DBR, DFB)
• Comparably low power
BA laser
• Lateral multi mode
• High power
• Good lateral beam quality
• High power
Tapered laser
25
Fabrication: Beam shaping –
Transformation and coupling laser radiation
The general problem of beam coupling/transformation
incoming beam
accepted beam
Frequent problems:





26
Physical limitations (M2)
Available focal lengths
Impact of aberrations
Space constraints
Alignment accuracy vs.
requirements
Fabrication: Beam shaping –
Microoptics and aberrations
Uncorrected lens
Corrected lens
27
Fabrication: Beam shaping –
Simulation of propagation of beam parameters




28
Useful method for very quick and easy first order system design
Identification of alignment problems
Aberrations and diffraction neglected
Simulation by proprietary software (WinABCD)
Fabrication: Beam shaping –
Simulation of propagation of beam parameters




Useful method for very quick and easy first order system design
Identification of alignment problems
Aberrations and diffraction neglected
Simulation by proprietary software (WinABCD)
 Paraxial and non-paraxial propagation can be approximated by raytracing (e.g.
non-sequential mode in ZEMAX)
29
Fabrication: Mounting accuracy –
Challenges of integration
 High precision bonding
mounting tolerances down to ± 1 µm
 laser diodes, package, …

laser diode
Microbench
High precision bonding allows high precision optics mounting.
 High precision optics mounting
optics

mounting tolerances < 1 µm
 FAC (vertical), SAC (lateral)
24/09/2014
30
Microbench
Fabrication: Mounting accuracy –
Flip-Chip bonder for high precision mounting
 Flip-Chip bonder FC 150
direct bonding accuracy: x,y: ± 1 µm ; θ ± 9 µrad
 travel distance > 50 mm
 programming & monitoring of process
parameters for


soldering
 gluing
24/09/2014

can be used to build 3D structures

high precision mounting and alignment of
different materials in one package  part of the
hybrid integration
31
Fabrication: Mounting accuracy –
Hexapod for higher precision mounting
 Hexapod F-206.S
smallest step size x,y,z: 0.1 µm ; θ: ± 2 µrad
 max. travel distance < 10 mm


24/09/2014
32
high precision mounting of optics
 part of the hybrid integration
Outline
 Introduction
 Motivation: Laser diodes and systems
 Fabrication: Challenges and Solutions


Beam shaping
Mounting accuracy
 Examples


Precision quantum optics experiments in space
Material analytics
 Summary
33
Hybrid integrated laser sources: Topics
 Display and pumping of compact solid-state and fibre
lasers
(NIR/red/SHG: 1W...10W, M² < 3,  < 5MHz)

Highly coherent sources for holographic displays (rgb)
 Integration of nonlinear frequency conversion
 High power modules including with SMF and LMF
coupling
© LG
34
Hybrid integrated laser sources: Topics
 Display and pumping of compact solid-state and fibre
lasers
(NIR/red/SHG: 1W...10W, M² < 3,  < 5MHz)

Highly coherent sources for holographic displays (rgb)
 Integration of nonlinear frequency conversion
 High power modules including with SMF and LMF
coupling
 Material processing, LIDAR, and coherent
communication
(0,01W...1 W,  < 1MHz)

Gain-switched diode lasers for pulse width 2-100ns
 Q-switched diode lasers for pulsed widths around 100ps
35
©
LG
Hybrid integrated laser sources: Topics
 Precision quantum optics experiments in space
(0,01W...1 W,  < 1MHz)

Miniaturized tunable laser sources with very narrow
line-width

Rb- and K- ultrahigh precision spectroscopy & atom
interferometry, local oscillators for optical clocks

Integration of GaAs based modulators & complex PICs
and SiO2-based PICs
 Space qualified housing
 Material analytics
(0,001W...1 W,  < 1GHz)

Raman spectroscopy (SERDS and DUV excitation)
 Fluorescent spectroscopy



36
Yellow spectral range
Spatial resolved ps-pulse excitation
Absorption spectroscopy (DIAL)
Monolithic Single Frequency Diode Lasers - Concepts
 advantages of monolithic lasers:
- compact
- robust
- low system complexity / high reliability

Fabry – Perot resonator:
many longitudinal modes
 require frequency selective element (built-in surface or buried grating)
Bragg equation:
2·L·sin = n·
 distributed Bragg reflector
(DBR) Laser
 = 90°, n = 3,  = 940nm
L = 156nm
reflector section
grating
active layer
24/09/2014
37
gain section
 distributed feedback
(DFB) Laser
Monolithic Single Frequency Diode Lasers - Results
 DBR – Ridge waveguide laser (0.62 – 1.18 µm)



linewidth < 500kHz, power (cw) 10 mW…100 mW
linewidth < 500kHz, power (cw)
…1000 mW
linewidth < 100kHz, power (cw) 50 mW…100 mW
626 nm*, 628 nm, 632.8 nm**, 647 nm
976 nm***
1064 nm
647 nm
1064 nm
measurement 15°C
Voigt fit 15°C
measurement 25°C
Voigt fit 25°C
0.1
25°C
linewidth / kHz
power spectral density
1
0.01
976 nm
1E-3
15°C
1E-4
50
60
70
80
90
frequency / MHz
100
110
1600
1600
1400
1400
1200
1000
400
Lorentzian part 15°C
Gaussian part 15°C
Lorentzian part 25°C
Gaussian part 25°C
1200
976 nm
200
1000
400
200
650 700 750 800 850 900 950 1000 1050 1100
optical output power / mW
* Diode-laser-based system for 9Be+ cooling and manipulation at 313 nm, F.M.J. Cozijn1, G. Blume2, K. Paschke2, and J.C.J. Koeleme (2014)
** Narrow linewidth of 633 nm DBR ridge-waveguide lasers, G. Blume, M. Schiemangk, J. Pohl, D. Feise, P. Ressel, B. Sumpf, A. Wicht and K. Paschke
***High-power distributed Bragg reflector ridge-waveguide diode laser with very small spectral linewidthij1, K. Paschke...(2010)
38
Power Amplifier Chips
tapered section
 1 mm or 2 mm RW mode filter @ input
 necessary seed: few 10 mW
Pre
TA
pre-amplifier
 up to several Watts output / up to 20 dB
amp.
 spectral properties of seed maintained,
PA-ASE background added
optics
Master-Oscillator-Power-Amplifier (MOPA) concept
 spectral properties of master maintained, power boosted
monolithic DFB-MOPA / DBR-TPL
24/09/2014
39
hybrid DFB-RW-TA MOPA
Power Amplifier Chips: Results DBR-TPL
 DBR - Tapered laser (0.65 – 1.18 µm)
Ausgangsleistung P (W)

P/W
14
920nm
976nm
1064nm
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
0
M² M² 2nd mom. Pmain lobe Astigmatism
5
10
15
Strom ITA (A)
1.0
1.0
1.0
0.8
0.8
0.8
0.6
0.6
0.6
0.4
0.4
0.4
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.0
0.0
0.0
919.5 920.0 920.5 975.0 975.5 976.0 1062.5 1063.0 1063.5
Wellenlänge  (nm)
1.0
1/e²
1.2
1.2
1.1
1.1
1.1
1.1
1.1
5.5
1.9
4.6
6.8
8.0
7.0
14.5
12.8
14.7
90%
87%
83%
81%
82%
70%
72%
49%
1310µm
1350µm
1390µm
1430µm
1470µm
1510µm
1540µm
1570µm
0.8
intensity (a.u.)
1
2
4
6
8
10
11.4
12.0
 < 10pm, power (cw)~ 2W
 < 10pm, power (cw)~10W
647 nm, 1178 nm
914 nm, 920 nm, 976nm, 981nm, 1030nm 1064nm, 1122nm:
normierte Intensität (a.u.)

0.6
P=10W
2
M1/e²=1.2
2
M=5.0
0.4
0.2
0.0
-20
-10
0
10
beamwaist position (µm)
* 12Whigh-brightness single-frequency DBR tapered diode laser, Electronics Letters 44(21): 1253-1255, Fiebig, Blume, Paschke (2008)
**High-brightness distibuted-Bragg-reflector tapered diode lasers: pushing yout application to the next level, SPIE, High Power Diode Laser
Technology and Application IX,7918:79180R, Fiebig et al., “ (2011)
40
20
Power Amplifier Chips
tapered section
 1 mm or 2 mm RW mode filter @ input
 necessary seed: few 10 mW
Pre
TA
pre-amplifier
 up to several Watts output / up to 20 dB
amp.
 spectral properties of seed maintained,
PA-ASE background added
optics
Master-Oscillator-Power-Amplifier (MOPA) concept
 spectral properties of master maintained, power boosted
monolithic DFB-MOPA / DBR-TPL
24/09/2014
41
hybrid DFB-RW-TA MOPA
Master-Oscillator-Power-Amplifier (for Space Com)
Technology (2nd generation)

diode laser-based MasterOscillator-Power-Amplifier
(MOPA)

hybrid micro-integration with
space-compatible technology

DBR-master
optical isolator
micro-integration of two laser
chips incl. optics for coupling
& collimation
Performance
42

P > 1 W @ 1060 nm

dFWHM ~ 100 kHz (100 µs) / 4 kHz (intrinsic)

continuous tuneability: up to 1 nm

25 gRMS vibration, 1500 g shock passed

life time > 10.000 h demonstrated
tapered amplifier
beam forming optics
AlN ceramic footprint: 50 x 10 mm2
Master-Oscillator-Power-Amplifier
Technology (2nd generation)

diode laser-based MasterOscillator-Power-Amplifier
(MOPA)

hybrid micro-integration with
space-compatible technology

DBR-master
optical isolator
micro-integration of two laser
chips incl. optics for coupling
& collimation
Performance

P > 10 W @ 1064 nm / up to 3 W @ 780 nm

dFWHM ~ 1.2 MHz (FWHM) / 180 kHz (intrinsic)

continuous tuneability: up to 1 nm
tapered amplifier
beam forming optics
AlN ceramic footprint: 50 x 10 mm2
Transfer to other wavelength possible! Bottleneck: µ-isolator
43
Technology: Concepts (“3rd generation”)
Master-Oscillator-Power-Amplifier
Extended Cavity Diode Laser
Technology Advancement for Sounding Rocket Deployment


mechanical stability improved
electronic interface, µ-TECs, µ-temperature sensor added (footprint: 80  25 mm2 )
Performance




44
P > 1 W @ 767 nm, 780 nm
dFWHM ~ 1 MHz (100 µs) / < 100 kHz (intrinsic)
20 gRMS vibration passed
for laser cooling and Bragg-pulses
Performance




P > 50 mW @ 767 nm, 780 nm
dFWHM < 100 kHz (100 µs) / < 1 kHz (intrinsic)
29 gRMS vibration, 1500 g shock passed
for Raman beam generation
Technology: cw-Laser, Results
2,5
IMO = 190 mA
2,0
optical power (W)
frequency noise LSD [Hz/Hz ]
TTA-MO = 1,7°C @ TMO= 35°C
IRW = 200 mA
1,5
1,0
TMO =
15°C
25°C
35°C
0,5
150 mA
240 mA
3
10
2
10
0,0
0
MOPA.12 120123-16
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
TA injection current (mA)
DFB-MOPA (780 nm)
 output power vs. injection current
through tapered section of amplifier
 laser modules to be used onboard a
sounding rocket in late 2014
45
3
10
4
10
5
10
6
10
7
10
frequency [Hz]
ECDL (767 nm)
 single sided power spectral density of
the laser frequency noise
 optical phase locked loop (OPLL)
demonstrated with ~ 1 MHz servo BW
 laser modules to be used onboard a
sounding rocket in late 2014
Technology (“4th generation”):
Multi-Purpose Platform for Micro-Integration of Lasers

Aim: portable Rb atom interferometer
 combination of any 2 chips
fiber coupling
chip 1 (e.g. RW)
VHBG
isolator
46
Chip 2
DFB
amplifier
DFB
phase modulator
ECDL
amplifier
ECDL
phase modulator
amplifier
amplifier
phase modulator
amplifier
 technology advancement

fiber coupling on-board

µ-TECs to replace submounts for
monolithic lasers

UHF-modulation capability (10 GHz)

hermetic housing

thermal management (TECs) of
ceramic body
chip 2
(e.g. TPA)
Chip 1
Sensoric: Introduction Raman spectroscopy
gypsum (CaSO4  2H2O)
 Different effects can obscure the weak Raman lines



Fluorescence
Scattering
Background lines
 Shifted excitation Raman difference spectroscopy (SERDS)
47
Sensoric: Shifted Excitation Raman difference
spectroscopy (SERDS)
Separate excitation with two emission lines - ∆𝝂 = 10 cm-1
ex-1
Difference
spectrum
ex-2
gypsum (CaSO4  2H2O)
Reconstruction e.g.
using integration
SERDS-spectrum
for gypsum (CaSO4  2H2O)
Maiwald et.al. , Proc. SPIE 8935 Advanced Biomedical and Clinical Diagnostic Systems XII, 89350M (Feb. 2014);
48
Sensoric: Requirements for light sources for SERDS
Target wavelengths in this work
 671 nm (well-established for Raman spectroscopy)
Spectral emission width:
 ∆𝜈
= 10 cm-1
typical width of Raman lines of solids and liquids (FWHM)
Spectral stability
 𝛿𝜈
= 1 cm-1
calibration free measurement over long times
Spectral distance for SERDS
 ∆𝜈𝑆𝐸𝑅𝐷𝑆 = 10 cm-1
suitable for the separation of the Raman signals
For in-situ experiments and portable systems
 Small size
 Low power consumption
 Robust
Maiwald et.al. , Photonics Rev., vol. 7, no. 4, pp. L30-L33 (2013).
49
Sensoric: Solution- Light sources for SERDS
Maiwald et.al. , Photonics Rev., vol. 7, no. 4, pp. L30-L33 (2013).
50
Sensoric: Power-voltage-current characteristics
671 nm: DBR Y-Branch Laser
 T = 25°C, Iout = 150 mA
 continuous wave operation
 Lasing starts around

I1 = 85 mA

I2 = 95 mA
 P400mA = 110 mW
 Variable optical power via injection current
 Pel. = 1.3 W at P = 100 mW
Maiwald et.al. , Photonics Rev., vol. 7, no. 4, pp. L30-L33 (2013).
51
Sensoric: Spectra – 671 nm: DBR Y-Branch Laser
Spectra at T = 25°C
 Laser starts at 1 = 670.42 nm, 2 = 670.87 nm
 Wavelength stabilized diode laser
 ∆𝜈 /I = 0.1 cm-1/mA
 ∆𝜈 /T = 0.9 cm-1/K
Optical spectra at P = 100 mW
 Spectral width ≤ 0.6 cm-1 (95% optical power)
 Spectral distance
10 cm-1
Spectral properties suitable for SERDS
see also Laser Photonics Rev., vol. 7, no. 4, pp. L30-L33 (2013).
52
Summary
 Laser chip technology
 Hybrid integrated laser sources



Customized chips
Design of subcarriers and micro bench and
optical micro systems
Mounting technology and Fibre coupling
 Examples
CuW submount
CW,
T=25.0°C
15
986
0
0
spectral density (dB)
1.5
voltage U / V
0.5
5
0.5
0.4000
982
980
0.8000
edasloc, 4mm, 910nm
edasloc, 6mm, 940nm
asloc,
4mm, 940nm
vendor A, 4mm, 970nm
vendor B, 4mm, 940nm
0.0
 [nm]nm
984
10
1.0
optical Power P / W

1.0
Metrology
Sensoric
conversion efficiency C

0
5
10
0
15
978
-20
-30
-40
-50
-60
1.000
5
0.0
-10
10
15
20
900
902
Current [A]
current I / A
 pole position of research institutions for diode laser chips and
miniaturized hybrid integrated light sources
53
904
wavelength (nm)
906
908
Acknowledgement
Thanks to all my colleagues of FBH on departments
about their work in high power diode laser
and
for your attention
24/09/2014
54
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