RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article T1 Mechanisms driving the catastrophic optical damage in high power laser diodes A1 Souto Bartolomé, Jorge Manuel A1 Pura Ruiz, José Luis A1 Rodríguez, M. A1 Anaya, Julián A1 Torres, Alfredo A1 Jiménez López, Juan Ignacio K1 Laser diodes, AB The catastrophic optical damage (COD) of laser diodes consists of the sudden drop off of the optical power. COD isgenerally associated with a thermal runaway mechanism in which the active zone of the laser is molten in a positivefeedback process. The full sequence of the degradation follows different phases: in the first phase, a weak zone of the laseris incubated and the temperature is locally increased there; when a critical temperature is reached the thermal runawayprocess takes place. Usually, the positive feedback leading to COD is circumscribed to the sequential enhancement of theoptical absorption in a process driven by the increase of the temperature. However, the meaning of the critical temperaturehas not been unambiguously established. Herein, we will discuss about the critical temperature, and the physicalmechanisms involved in this process. The influence of the progressive deterioration of the thermal conductivity of the laserstructure as a result of the degradation during the laser operation will be addressed. PB Society of Photo-optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) SN 0277-786X YR 2015 FD 2015 LK http://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/21786 UL http://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/21786 LA eng NO SPIE Proceedings, 2015, Vol. 9348, P. 9348O-1-7 Mark S. Zediker, Editor(s) NO Producción Científica DS UVaDOC RD 19-sep-2024