UV, Blue and Green Vertical Cavity Lasers.
Abstract
Many potential military and commercial applications exist for compact visible lasers, such as high density storage and readout, and high definition, high brightness displays. At present there are no reliable compact laser sources available operating at shorter wavelengths than red. Blue and green lasers using II-VI materials been demonstrated but only last a few minutes at best. New developments in material growth, fabrication and laser device design have made near UV, blue and green semiconductor lasers a realistic possibility. In particular, vertical cavity lasers (VCLs) have some inherent properties which allow for the formation of these visible lasers. Vertical cavity lasers can be used to form efFicient frequency doubling structures. Vertical cavity lasers have been made which operate CW at room temperature at wavelengths from 650 to 1050 nm., therefore it is possible to produce second harmonic light at wavelengths between 325 and 525 nm. Efficient internal second harmonic conversion is made possible in a vertical cavity laser structure for two major reasons. First the structures can be made with near 100% reflectors so that the photon density is extremely high inside the cavity, and second the mirrors inherently transmit at the second harmonic. (MM)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 30, 1994
- Accession Number
- ADA299585
Entities
People
- Frank H. Peters