Laser Radar: Progress and Opportunities in Active Electro-Optical Sensing (2014)

Chapter: Appendix C: Laser Sources and Their Fundamental and Engineering Limits

Previous Chapter: Appendix B: Meetings and Participating Orginizations
Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Laser Sources and Their Fundamental and Engineering Limits." National Research Council. 2014. Laser Radar: Progress and Opportunities in Active Electro-Optical Sensing. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18733.

C

Laser Sources and Their Fundamental and Engineering Limits

This appendix summarizes in table form the characteristics of lasers and other light sources systems important to active EO sensing and their fundamental and practical engineering limitations. Tables C-1 to C-4 are called out in the laser discussion in Chapter 4. Tables C-5 through C-12 are summarized in Chapter 5.

TABLE C-1 Key Characteristics of Edge-Emitting Interband Diode Lasers

MaterialWavelength Range (nm)Single-emitter PowerSingle-Emitter Efficiency (%)Bar Power (W)Bar Efficiency (%)
GaInN~3800.210-15
400, 4501.2-1.625-30
~5200.05<<10
AlGaInP639-6900.75-1.520-25
632, 635, 6382.5-8 W>25
67520 W>35
GaAlAs793, 808, 8525-7 W6060-20050-60
InGaAs915-97610-1560-70120-20060-70
1,0645 W50-556050-55
InGaAsP/1,470-1,5325-7 W30-4560-10030-40
AlInGaAs1,600-1,7003 W20-254020-25
AlGaInAsSb1,900-2,1001-2 W10-1515-20 W10-20
2,300-2,5001 W5-10

SOURCE: Data provided by Steven Patterson, DILAS, Tucson, Ariz.

Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Laser Sources and Their Fundamental and Engineering Limits." National Research Council. 2014. Laser Radar: Progress and Opportunities in Active Electro-Optical Sensing. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18733.

TABLE C-2 Key Characteristics of State of-the-Art Cascade Diode Lasers

QCL: InP/InGaAs/InAlAs

Wavelength of best operation: 4-5 µm; output power: 5 W, CW with 21% efficiency (obtained with AlAs inserts to increase the effective barrier heights).

Wavelengths between 2.9 and 4 µm and from 5 to 150 µm operate with lower performance.

 
QCL: GaAs/GaAs/AlGaAs

Wavelength of best operation: 10 µm; output power: 80 mW at 77 K; CW up to 150 K.

Far-IR wavelength: 100 µm; output: 8 mW, CW at 45 K with 0.2 % efficiency.

No CW above 117 K.

Full wavelength range = 9-300 µm; non-competitive in mid-IR.

 
QCL: GaSb/(InAs/AlSb)

Wavelengths; 2.6 – 5 µm. CW only with TE cooler

 
QCL: InP/InGaAs/AlAsSb

To date, non-competitive with InGaAs/InAlAs at any wavelength.

No CW room temperature operation.

 
ICL on GaSb

Wavelength: 3-4.2 µm; output power: 360 mW; efficiency: 15%.

Wavelengths from 4.2-6 mm with lower performance.

 
ICL on InAs

Wavelength: 5.3 µm; Output Power: 40 mW at 180 K; CW up to 248 K.

Wavelength range: 5.3-10.4 mm.

NOTE: QCL, quantum cascade laser; ICL, interband cascade laser.

SOURCE: Data provided by Jerry Meyer and Igor Vurgaftman, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C.

TABLE C-3 Characteristics of Several Common Bulk Laser Materials

MaterialWavelength (nm)Storage Time (msec)Cross section (cm2)Gain Linewidth (nm)Saturation Fluence (J/cm2)
Nd:YAG1,0640.242.8 × 10-190.60.66
Nd:vanadate1,0640.091.1 × 10-181.00.17
Nd:YLF1,0470.4851.8 × 10-191.01.0
Nd:glass1,050-1,0600.3-0.43-4 × 10-2020-304.7-6.3
Yb:YAG1,0300.952.1 × 10-2099.2
Yb:YAG(77K)1,0300.851.1 × 10-191.51.8
Er:YAG1,6457.65.0 × 10-21524
Er:glass1,5507.98.0 × 10-215516
Ho:YAG2,0908.51.3 × 10-20257.3
Ho:YLF2,050151.8 × 10-20255.3
Ti:sapphire8000.00323.0 × 10-19225 (100 THz)0.83
Cr:ZnSe2,4500.0061.3 × 10-181,000 (50 THz)0.06
Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Laser Sources and Their Fundamental and Engineering Limits." National Research Council. 2014. Laser Radar: Progress and Opportunities in Active Electro-Optical Sensing. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18733.

TABLE C-4 Properties of Hybrid Lasers

MaterialWavelength (nm)Pulse Energy (mJ)Pulsewidth (ns)Pulse Rate (Hz)
Er:YAGa1,617304230
Er:YAGb1,6454.21001,000
Er:YAGc1,6451.61.110,000
Er:YAGd1,64560 WCW
Ho:YLFe2,05017020100
Ho:YLFf2,050100201,000
Ho:YLFg2,050115 WCW
Ho:YAGh2,09012520100
Ho:YAGi2,09022701,000
Ho:YAGj2,0901.75035,000

a J.W. Kim, J.I. Mackenzie, J.K. Sahu, and W.A. Clarkson, “Hybrid fibre-bulk erbium lasers—Recent progress and future prospects,” 7th EMRS DTC Technical Conference, Edinburgh, 2010.

b D.Y. Shen, J.K. Sahu, and W.A. Clarkson, “Highly efficient in-band pumped Er:YAG laser with 60 W of output at 1645 nm,” Opt. Lett. 31:754, 2006.

c R.C. Stoneman, R. Hartman, E.A. Schneider, A.I.R. Malm, S.R. Vetorino, C.G. Garvin, J.V. Pelk, S.M. Hannon, and S.W. Henderson, “Eye-safe 1.6-µm Er:YAG transmitters for coherent laser radar,” Proceedings 14th Coherent Laser Radar Conference, July 8-13, 2007, Snowmass, Colo.

d D.Y. Shen, J.K. Sahu, and W.A. Clarkson, “Highly efficient in-band pumped Er:YAG laser with 60 W of output at 1645 nm,” Opt. Lett. 31:754, 2006.

e A. Dergachev, “45-dB, Compact, Single-Frequency, 2-µm Amplifier,” paper FTh4A.2 in Lasers, Sources, and Related Photonic Devices, OSA Technical Digest (CD), Optical Society of America, 2012.

f Ibid.

g Ibid.

h K. Schmidt, C. Reiter, H. Voss, F. Maßmann, and M. Ostermeyer, “High Energy 125mJ Ho: YAG (2.09 um) MOPA Double Pass Laser System Pumped by CW Thulium Fiber Laser (1.9 um),” paper CA3_4 in CLEO/Europe and EQEC 2011 Conference Digest, OSA Technical Digest (CD), OSA, 2011.

i Ibid.

j A. Hemming, J. Richards, A. Davidson, N. Carmody, S. Bennetts, N. Simakov, and J. Haub, “99 W mid-IR operation of a ZGP OPO at 25 percent duty cycle,” Opt. Express 21:10062, 2013.

Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Laser Sources and Their Fundamental and Engineering Limits." National Research Council. 2014. Laser Radar: Progress and Opportunities in Active Electro-Optical Sensing. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18733.

TABLE C-5 Fundamental Limits of Diode Lasers: Interband, Edge-Emitting

PropertyValueLimit ReasonComments
Electrical efficiency (theory)100%Fundamental energy conservationOne photon per one injected carrier
Electrical efficiency (actual)40-70%Multiple device issuesOhmic losses, injected carrier spreading away from lasing region, active region absorption loss, Auger losses (at long wavelengths)
Wavelength>380 nmMaterialsLimit of GaAlN material, no other large-bandgap II-VI has allowed PN junction fabrication
<520 nmMaterialsLimits of GaAlN material
>630 nmMaterialsLack of semiconductors with bandgaps in green-yellow-red region that can form PN junctions
<2,500 nmMaterialsLimits on active materials and DBR structures
Power out (1 emitting facet, 1 TM)0.1-0.5 Wpn junction physics, facet damageHeight of emitting region limited to 0.5 µm by junction height, width limited by multi-mode operation, intensity limited by facet damage levels
Power out (1 emitting facet, MultiTM)15 W (at 9xx µm, less at others)pn junction physics, transverse lasing, facet damageSame height limit as above, width of emitting region limited by lasing in transverse direction, intensity limited by facet damage
Power out (1-cm-long, linear bar, multiple emitters)200 W (at 9xx µm, less at others)Device temperature, limited by heat removalEfforts to improve heat removal are underway, to allow limit to become facet damage, but cost and reliability are challenges. Efficiency improvements will allow bars to generate higher powers
Spectral linewidth (single TM)Several MHzCoupling of diode current fluctuations to cavity refractive indexCan be reduced to the kHz range through use of an external cavity

NOTE: TM = transverse mode.

Refer to Table C-1 for device properties as a function of wavelength.

Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Laser Sources and Their Fundamental and Engineering Limits." National Research Council. 2014. Laser Radar: Progress and Opportunities in Active Electro-Optical Sensing. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18733.
Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Laser Sources and Their Fundamental and Engineering Limits." National Research Council. 2014. Laser Radar: Progress and Opportunities in Active Electro-Optical Sensing. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18733.

TABLE C-7 Diode Lasers: Quantum Cascade (QCL)

PropertyValueLimit ReasonComments
Electrical efficiency (theory)Variable %Fundamental energy conservationEach laser transition efficiency limited by energy of photon divided by bandgap of base material, but multiple transitions in series (typ. 25-75) increase the efficiency by this factor.
Electrical efficiency (actual)21 %, cw, RT, (40-50% pulsed, 160 K)Multiple device issuesOhmic losses, injected carrier spreading away from lasing region, absorption loss in active region, losses through the injector regions.
Wavelength = 4.9 µm.
Wavelength>3.8 µm (cw)MaterialsLimits to depth of quantum well in InP structures, but efficiency is low on the short-wavelength end. Pulsed operation to ~3 µm
<13 µm (cw)MaterialsTypical limit for room-temperature, cw operation. Pulsed/cryogenic operation to 30 µm
>60 µm cryogenics for cw THzMaterialsPhonon absorption in InP-based devices prevents coverage of 30-60-µm wavelengths,
Power Out Single device5 W (4.9 µm)Thermal heatingAchieved in high-efficiency (21%) devices
Spectral linewidth (1 TM)Sub-MHzCurrent and 1/f noiseCan be reduced to the kHz range with current feedback. Intrinsic noise is several hundred Hz.

NOTE: Refer to Table C-2 for device properties as a function of semiconductor material system.

TABLE C-8 Diode Lasers: Interband Cascade (ICL)

PropertyValueLimit ReasonComments
Electrical efficiency (theory)Variable %Fundamental: energy conservationEacc laser transition efficiency limited by the energy of the photon divided by the bandgap energy of the base semiconductor material, but ICLs employ multiple transitions in series so efficiency is increased
Electrical efficiency (actual)15% (3.7 µm, cw, RT)Multiple device issuesOhmic losses, injected carrier spreading away from lasing region, absorption loss in active region, losses through the injector regions
Wavelength>3 µm, cwMaterialsLimited depth of interband quantum well
<6 µm cwMaterialsToo high current densities at longer wavelengths
Power out single device0.36 W (3.7 µm)Thermal heatingAchieved in high-efficiency (15%) devices

NOTE: Refer to Table C-2 for device properties as a function of semiconductor material system.

Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Laser Sources and Their Fundamental and Engineering Limits." National Research Council. 2014. Laser Radar: Progress and Opportunities in Active Electro-Optical Sensing. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18733.

TABLE C-9 Solid State Lasers: Bulk Format

PropertyValueLimit ReasonComments
Optical efficiency (theory)Quantum defect ≡ ratio of laser wavelength to average pump wavelengthFundamental: energy conservationExample: 76% for 1,064-nm Nd:YAG laser pumped at 808 nm. Violated when interaction between active ions allows >1 excited state per pump photon
Optical efficiency (actual)< quantum defectMultiplePoor spatial overlap of pump and lasing regions in material, incomplete absorption of pump, reflection of pump from material surface, losses in laser material, excited state absorption of pump or laser power, upconversion from upper laser level
Electrical efficiency (theory)Pump electrical efficiency times quantum defectFundamental: Energy conservationExample: Pump diodes with 60% efficiency at 808 nm with Nd:YAG laser at 1,064 nm ï¿« 46% electrical efficiency
Electrical efficiency (actual)< pump electrical efficiency X quantum defectMultipleOptical efficiency < quantum defect; pump light loss in transport to laser material. Example: typical diode-pumped Nd:YAG lasers are 20-25% electrically efficient.
Wavelength>286 nmMaterialsTransparency of host crystal
Wavelength<7,150 nmMaterialsLong-wavelengths have multi-phonon decay, requires low-phonon hosts; may be impractical for high-power. Better hosts (e.g. YLF) can be used for <4,300-nm lasers
Average power (single device)2 kW (rods)Material fracture, thermal effects1,060-nm, diode-pumped systems. Higher powers with multiple active media: >100 kW is record (Nd:YAG). Yb:YAG used for thin disks
10 kW (disks)
15 kW (slabs)
Average power (1 device, diffraction-limited)50 W (rods)Thermal distortion of laser material1,060-nm region, diode-pumped systems. Higher powers possible with multiple active media, >100 kW is present record, using Nd:YAG slab. Yb:YAG used for thin disks
1 kW (disks)
15 kW (slabs)
Spectral linewidth (theory)Several HzFundamental: SchawlowTownes limitSet by spontaneous emission of gain medium into the laser mode. True for all lasers.
Spectral linewidth (actual, ms time scale)Several kHzTechnical noiseFluctuations in optical cavity length from coupling between pump power and gain medium refractive index, acoustic noise, other cavity perturbations. External stabilization can reduce technical noise to the Hz level.
Spectral linewidth (long term)10-50 MHzEnvironmental driftSlow change in laser cavity temperature
Mode-locked pulsewidth (theory)∼3.5 fsFundamental: laser material gain-bandwidth.Value is for Ti:sapphire at 800 nm, Cr:ZnSe is 7 fs at 2500 nm, Nd:YAG is 2 ps at 1,064 nm
Mode-locked pulsewidth (actual)∼4.5 fs Ti-sapphire at 800 nmDispersion in optical cavity, mirrors' spectral response, nonlinearities.Cr:ZnSe is around 50 fs
Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Laser Sources and Their Fundamental and Engineering Limits." National Research Council. 2014. Laser Radar: Progress and Opportunities in Active Electro-Optical Sensing. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18733.

TABLE C-10 Solid State Lasers: Fiber Format

PropertyValueLimit ReasonComments
Optical efficiency (theory)Quantum defect = ratio of laser wavelength to average pump wavelengthFundamental: energy conservationExample: 95% for 1,030-nm Yb:fiber laser pumped at 976 nm. Violated for a few systems when interaction between active ions allows more than one excited state per pump photon
Optical efficiency (actual)< quantum defect: 88% slope efficiency for Yb:fiberMultiplePoor spatial overlap of pump and lasing regions in material, incomplete absorption of pump, losses in laser material, excited state absorption of pump or laser power, upconversion from upper laser level.
Electrical efficiency (theory)Pump electrical efficiency times quantum defectFundamental: energy conservationExample: Pump diodes with 65% efficiency at 976 nm with Yb:fiber laser at 1,030 nm ->62% electrical efficiency
Electrical efficiency (actual)< aboveMultipleActual optical efficiency lower than quantum defect, loss of pump light in transport from diode facet to pump cladding. Example: Yb:fiber at 1,030 nm -> 40% electrical efficiency
Wavelength>248 nmMaterialsTransparency limit of fiber (up-conversion laser operation in ZBLAN fibers
Wavelength<3,900 nmMaterialsMulti-phonon relaxation limits operation at longer wavelengths
Average power (single fiber, 1,000-nm)20 kWStimulated Raman scattering1,030-nm Yb:fiber laser pumped by multiple 1,018-nm Yb:fiber lasers
Average power (single fiber, 2,000-nm)1 kWAvailable pump powerTm:fiber laser pumped by 790-nm diode lasers
Average power (single fiber, 1 frequency, 1,000-nm)100 W (5 kHz linewidth)Stimulated Brillouin scatteringYb:fiber lasers. Removed SBS by …
100-W result: thermal gradient along length of fiber.
1 kW (3 GHz linewidth)
1 kW result: frequency modulated source
Average power (single fiber, 1 frequency, 2,000-nm)600 W (<5 MHz linewidth)Stimulated Brillouin scatteringTm:fiber laser
Peak power (single fiber, ns pulses)0.45 MW (27 mJ in 60 ns) 4.5 MW (4.3 mJ; <1 ns)Simulated Raman scattering, optical breakdownYb:silica, rod-type fibers. Flexible fibers typically generate 25 kW peak powers in 400 ns
Peak power (single fiber, ps range)3.8 GW (2.2 mJ in 0.5 ps)Simulated Raman scattering, optical breakdown, self-phase modulationYb:silica, employs chirped-pulse amplification (CPA) to avoid nonlinear effects, rod-type fibers. Flexible fibers with CPA operate around 100 MW of peak power
Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Laser Sources and Their Fundamental and Engineering Limits." National Research Council. 2014. Laser Radar: Progress and Opportunities in Active Electro-Optical Sensing. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18733.
Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Laser Sources and Their Fundamental and Engineering Limits." National Research Council. 2014. Laser Radar: Progress and Opportunities in Active Electro-Optical Sensing. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18733.
Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Laser Sources and Their Fundamental and Engineering Limits." National Research Council. 2014. Laser Radar: Progress and Opportunities in Active Electro-Optical Sensing. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18733.
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Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Laser Sources and Their Fundamental and Engineering Limits." National Research Council. 2014. Laser Radar: Progress and Opportunities in Active Electro-Optical Sensing. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18733.
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Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Laser Sources and Their Fundamental and Engineering Limits." National Research Council. 2014. Laser Radar: Progress and Opportunities in Active Electro-Optical Sensing. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18733.
Page 289
Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Laser Sources and Their Fundamental and Engineering Limits." National Research Council. 2014. Laser Radar: Progress and Opportunities in Active Electro-Optical Sensing. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18733.
Page 290
Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Laser Sources and Their Fundamental and Engineering Limits." National Research Council. 2014. Laser Radar: Progress and Opportunities in Active Electro-Optical Sensing. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18733.
Page 291
Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Laser Sources and Their Fundamental and Engineering Limits." National Research Council. 2014. Laser Radar: Progress and Opportunities in Active Electro-Optical Sensing. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18733.
Page 292
Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Laser Sources and Their Fundamental and Engineering Limits." National Research Council. 2014. Laser Radar: Progress and Opportunities in Active Electro-Optical Sensing. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18733.
Page 293
Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Laser Sources and Their Fundamental and Engineering Limits." National Research Council. 2014. Laser Radar: Progress and Opportunities in Active Electro-Optical Sensing. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18733.
Page 294
Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Laser Sources and Their Fundamental and Engineering Limits." National Research Council. 2014. Laser Radar: Progress and Opportunities in Active Electro-Optical Sensing. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18733.
Page 295
Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Laser Sources and Their Fundamental and Engineering Limits." National Research Council. 2014. Laser Radar: Progress and Opportunities in Active Electro-Optical Sensing. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18733.
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