Thermal management in vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting lasers: finite-element analysis of a heatspreader approach

The use of crystalline heatspreaders to improve thermal management in optically pumped vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting lasers is studied via finite-element analysis. The required properties of a heatspreader are examined and the effect on heat flow is discussed, as are thermal lensing effects. The advantages of diamond heatspreaders are highlighted. The power-scaling potential is compared to other approaches. Heatspreaders are found to be promising, particularly for use with low thermal conductivity semiconductors.