1.1-W continuous-wave 1480-nm semiconductor lasers with distributed electrodes for mode shaping

Diffraction-limited high-power devices may suffer from self-focusing effects due to nonuniform gain saturation. In this letter, we propose the concept of the distributed electrode, which allows one to improve the modal behavior of these lasers and to reduce spatial-hole burning effects by preferentially localizing current injection in the center of the structure, therefore shaping the optical mode. Utilizing this concept, we have realized unstable cavity lasers exhibiting single-lobe far-field patterns. We report the first realization of flared unstable cavity lasers emitting at 1480 mm with maximum output powers up to 1.1-W continuous-wave and external efficiencies as high as 0.45 W/A.