High-power semiconductor lasers for

in-situ sensing of atmospheric gases

Carl Borgentun
Microdevices laboratory (MDL),
JPL/Caltech

Copyright 2013 California Institute of Technology.

Government sponsorship acknowledged.

Outline
Background
Laser design and fabrication
Performance
Next target

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Background

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Gas sensing
Earth
science
Planetary
science
Safety

Credit: NASA

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Absorption spectroscopy basics

Credit: Richard W. Pogge, Ohio state university

Credit: David Sayres, Harvard

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Laser spectroscopy basics

Laser

Detecto
r

Gas

1980s

1990s

2000s

Liquid helium-cooled lasers

(1000kg)

Liquid nitrogen-cooled
lasers (70 kg)

Thermoelectrically
cooled lasers (0.1 kg)

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Example application Earth science

Earth
scienc
e

Carnegie airborne observatory

Credit: Carnegie institute of science

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Example application Planetary science

Mars
science
laboratory

Planetar
y
science

Mars polar lander

Credit: NASA

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Example application Safety

Safety

Carbon monoxide
monitoring instrument

Credit: NASA

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Ozone depletion
Chlorine compounds destroy ozone, but only at
cold temperatures.
Water vapor in the stratosphere increases the
threshold temperature, at which ozone
destruction can take place.
Risk of thinner ozone layer not only at the poles,
but alsoexplanations
at lower latitudes
where people, animals,
Various
for high
and plants
live.
mixing
ratios
of water vapor,
distinguishable by measuring
water isotopologues.

James G. Anderson et al., Science,

337 (6096), 835-839, 2012.

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Need for more sensitive instrument

Traditional absorption techniques are not
sensitive enough for the simultaneous
measurement of water and its less abundant
isotopologues.
Jim Andersons group at Harvard are developing a
cavity-enhanced instrument.
A high-power laser source at the right wavelength
is needed.
In this case: Right wavelength ~ 3777 cm-1 (2.65
m)
In this case: High-power > 10 mW

Credit: NASA; Jim Anderson, Harvard

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Laser design and

fabrication

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Laser crash course

Two criteria:
Optical gain
Cavity
Pumping
Mirror

Active medium

Output
beam

Cavity

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Molecular Beam Epitaxy

Active
region

66
215 nm

Credit: JPL

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Processing
Etch ridge

Etch grating

Insulate
and contact
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Single-mode emission

Wavelength [m]

Wavelength [m]

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Grating
Distributed feedback (DFB) laser
using a Bragg grating => singlemode emission.
Etched, i.e. non-metal => less
loss.
Laterally coupled => no epitaxial
re-growth necessary.

Wavelength [m]

Wavelength [m]

Credit: JPL

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SEM pictures

Credit: Cliff Frez

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Coating, cleaving, and bonding

Wavelengt
h:
2.0 3.5
m

Credit: Cliff Frez

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Performance

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Power characteristics

Output power at 35 mW @ 10C, 600 mA.

Still more than 20 mW @ 30C, 600 mA.
No sign of thermal roll-over.
Dips in LI curves are due to absorption of ambient
water (feature, not a bug!).

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Spectral performance
Wavelength is tunable by temperature and/or drive
current.

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Reliability and life-time

Reliability and life-time test: devices submitted to

elevated drive currents and mount temperatures.
Over 3000 hours of accumulated testing has been
performed, without a single failure.
Peak wavenumber stabilizes after 100-200 hours.
The change in peak wavenumber is less than 2
cm-1. The output power is not reduced.

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Packaging
Lasers integrated into TO3 packages.
No significant degradation
in performance noticed
after packaging.

Before

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After

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Shape of output beam

Divergent and highly elliptical,
normal for edge-emitters.
Divergence angles: ~ 110 and
40 degrees.

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Collimating the beam

Laser package

Instrument aperture

Laser

Laser package

Instrument aperture

Laser

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Package with internal lens

Tilted, coated, sapphire window
Black housing
Coated lens (XYZ active alignment)
Precision spacer
Laser

Cu submount

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TO-3 header
TEC

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Next target: CH4

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Initial results

Hit target
wavelength (3058
cm-1).
Increase in output
power (6 mW vs 1.5
mW)
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Summary
Successfully delivered 2 laser modules emitting more
than 10 mW at 3777 cm-1 to Harvard for water detection.
Developing laser package complete with collimating
optics.
Initial results show promising outlook for future methane
detection missions like TLS.

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Acknowledgements
Supervisor:
Siamak Forouhar
Colleagues:
Cliff Frez, Ryan Briggs, Mahmood Bagheri

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Thanks for the attention!

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High-power semiconductor lasers for

in-situ sensing of atmospheric gases

Carl Borgentun, Microdevices laboratory

(MDL)