Abstract

High-power semiconductor lasers at the 980-nm wavelength are becoming increasingly important as the pump-light sources for Er³⁺-doped-fiber amplifiers. High reliability and high-power characteristics are required as we move from the development phase into deployment in optical communication systems. Lasers with InGaP and InGaAsP cladding layers are expected to be more reliable than those having AlGaAs cladding layers.^1,2 To assure their applicability, aging tests at high temperatures and high bias levels will be required. This paper reports 85°C 6000-h aging tests at 150 mA (equivalent to 10X threshold current) and without facet protection for Al-free 980-nm strained-layer quantum-well lasers.

© 1993 Optical Society of America