Abstract

Semiconductor disk lasers (SDLs), also known as vertical-external surface-emitting-lasers (VECSELs) are an ideal choice to reach high output powers. Further advantageous characteristics [1] of this laser type, as e.g. superior beam quality with a radial symmetric TEM₀₀ beam profile, are provided by the external cavity. A further big advantage of VECSELs is given by the possibility of bandgap engineering. By proper adjustment of the semiconductor material and their composition, many different wavelength areas can be covered. The use of quantum dot (QD) layers instead of quantum wells (QWs) should further lead, according to theory [2], to broader gain spectra as well as to lower laser thresholds accompanied by decreased temperature sensitivity.

© 2013 IEEE