GaSb-based tapered diode lasers at 1.93 μm with 1.5-W nearly diffraction-limited power

High-power high-brightness 1.93-μm wavelength (AlGaIn)(AsSb) tapered diode lasers with a narrow vertical waveguide design are reported for the first time. A nearly diffraction-limited continuous-wave output power of 1.5 W together with a remarkable low fast axis divergence of 43/spl deg/ full-width at half-maximum have been demonstrated. The maximum brightness amounts to 32 MW/cm
²
sr.