High power InAsSb/lnPAsSb/InAs mid-infrared lasers

We demonstrate high-power InAsSb/InPAsSb laser bars (lambda approximate to 3.2 mu m) consisting of three 100-mu m-wide laser stripes of 700 mu m cavity length, with peak output power up to 3 W at 90 K, and far-fields for the direction perpendicular to the junction as narrow as 12 degrees full width half maximum. Spectra and far-field patterns of the laser bars are shown to have excellent characteristics for a wide range of operating conditions, suggesting the possibility of even higher light power emission with good beam duality. Joule heating is shown to be the major factor limiting higher power operation. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(97)02743-5].