High-power blue-violet AlGaN-cladding-free m-plane InGaN/GaN laser diodes

We demonstrate AlGaN-cladding-free (ACF) m-plane InGaN/GaN laser diodes (LDs) with peak output powers and estimated front facet optical power densities that are comparable to the state-of-the-art single-stripe emitter c-plane LDs. The threshold current density, slope efficiency, and peak output power were 4.66 kA/cm(2), 1.29 W/A, and 1.6 W, respectively, after facet coating and under pulsed conditions. Catastrophic optical mirror damage was not observed up to an estimated optical power density of 51.2 MW/cm(2) at the front mirror facet, indicating the potential for using ACF m-plane InGaN/GaN LDs in high-power LD applications. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3656970]