Theoretical and Experimental Evaluation of the Effect of Adding a Heat-Bypass Structure to a Laser Diode Array

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Because heat transferred between closely spaced elements in a compact laser diode array shortens array lifetime and affects the elements' operating characteristics, we theoretically and experimentally evaluated the effect of a heat-bypass structure by calculating and measuring the thermal resistance of array elements. Three-dimensional boundary element analysis showed that the heat bypass reduces the thermal resistance by an amount that is independent of cavity length. Measured junction voltages and wavelengths for a 50-µm-spaced 8-beam laser diode array with 600-µm-long cavities showed that the bypass structure reduces the thermal resistance resulting from simultaneous operation of all eight elements by more than 40%. And that the reduction is greatest for elements whose thermal resistance is highest. The resultant reduction in the junction temperature of array elements operating at 100 mW should increase array lifetime at least threefold.