High power visible laser diode arrays

Interest in solid state materials, including chromium doped LiCaAlF/sub 6/ (LiCaF) and chromium doped LiSrAlF/sub 6/ (LiSaF), has created a need for pump diodes in the wavelength range of 650-690 nm. However, these visible laser diodes exhibit rather low output power due to high threshold current densities (J/sub th/), modest external quantum efficiency (/spl eta//sub d/) and low characteristic temperature (T/sub 0/). In this paper we report characteristics of GaInP/AlGaInP single quantum well visible laser arrays operating up to a CW peak power of 24 W at 675 nm, which are suitable for pumping solid state materials.