Semiconductor Laser Beam Quality Metrics for Free-Space Optical Communications

James Beil, Rebecca Swertfeger, Stephen Misak, Zihe Gao, Kent D. Choquette, Paul O. Leisher

2017

Abstract

The beam propagation factor, M2, exists as one of very few measures of a laser’s performance, when really a more detailed analysis of the application and laser are necessary for judgement in most cases. In free-space optical communications, a crucial figure of merit is the proportion of diffraction-limited power in the farfield. A calculated structure has been made with a higher proportion of diffraction-limited power in the farfield than another calculated structure with a much better M2. This calculated structure has an M2 of 19, with 89% of its power within the diffraction limit in the far-field, compared to another calculated structure with M2 of 1.7 that has 86% of its power within the diffraction limit in the far-field.

References

1. Crump, P., Blume, G., Paschke, K., Staske, R., Pietrzak, A., Zeimer, U., Einfeldt, S., Ginolas, A., Bugge, F., Hausler, K., Ressel, P. Wenzel, H., and Erbert, G., 2009. 20W continuous wave reliable operation of 980nm broad-area single emitter diode lasers with an aperture of 96µm. Proc. SPIE 7198, High-Power Diode Laser Technology and Applications VII, 719804. doi:10.1117/12.807263
2. Goodman, J., 2005. Introduction to Fourier Optics. Roberts & Company. 3rd edition.
3. ISO/TC 172, 1995. Terminology and test methods for lasers.

Paper Citation

in Harvard Style

Beil J., Swertfeger R., Misak S., Gao Z., Choquette K. and Leisher P. (2017). Semiconductor Laser Beam Quality Metrics for Free-Space Optical Communications . In Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Photonics, Optics and Laser Technology - Volume 1: PHOTOPTICS, ISBN 978-989-758-223-3, pages 196-201. DOI: 10.5220/0006122601960201

in Bibtex Style

@conference{photoptics17,
author={James Beil and Rebecca Swertfeger and Stephen Misak and Zihe Gao and Kent D. Choquette and Paul O. Leisher},
title={Semiconductor Laser Beam Quality Metrics for Free-Space Optical Communications},
booktitle={Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Photonics, Optics and Laser Technology - Volume 1: PHOTOPTICS,},
year={2017},
pages={196-201},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0006122601960201},
isbn={978-989-758-223-3},
}

in EndNote Style

TY - CONF
JO - Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Photonics, Optics and Laser Technology - Volume 1: PHOTOPTICS,
TI - Semiconductor Laser Beam Quality Metrics for Free-Space Optical Communications
SN - 978-989-758-223-3
AU - Beil J.
AU - Swertfeger R.
AU - Misak S.
AU - Gao Z.
AU - Choquette K.
AU - Leisher P.
PY - 2017
SP - 196
EP - 201
DO - 10.5220/0006122601960201