200-W InGaAlAs/GaAs diode laser bars for pumping

Solid state laser pumping is an important application for high power semiconductor lasers. The higher electro-optical conversion efficiency (50%), and narrower spectral emission (2 - 5 nm) of laser diodes allow for more efficient pumping compared to flash lamps, and consequently lead to superior thermal and optical properties of the solid state laser. A further performance increase and thus price reduction, especially for pulsed and qcw operation, is conceivable using a promising approach proposed almost 20 years ago which we dubbed 'micro-stack lasers.' It consists in vertically integrating multiple active laser junctions in one -- structure using degenerately doped tunnel junctions to electrically connect the intermediate reverse junctions. By stacking 2 to 4 emitters in this way, the output power of semiconductor lasers could theoretically be increased by a factor of 2 to 4 as the reliable output power is mainly limited by the power density at the laser facets. Modern growth technology can provide the necessary 10 to 20 micrometer thick high quality epitaxial layers. The limiting factors rather originate from the additional electrical and thermal resistance, and from current spreading towards the deeper junctions.