Thermomechanical issues of high power laser diode catastrophic optical damage

Catastrophic optical damage (COD) of high power laser diodes is a crucial factor limiting ultra high power lasers. The understanding of the COD process is essential to improve the endurance of the high power laser diodes. COD is observed as a process in which the active part of the laser diode is destroyed, forming characteristic defects, the so called dark line defects (DLDs). The DLDs are formed by arrays of dislocations generated during the laser operation. Local heating associated with non-radiative recombination is assumed to be at the origin of the COD process. A summary of the methods used to assess the COD, both in real time and post-mortem is presented. The main approaches developed in recent years to model the heat transport in the laser structures under non homogeneous temperature distribution are overviewed. Special emphasis is paid to the impact of the low dimensionality of QWs in two physical properties playing a major role in the COD process, namely, thermal conductivity and mechanical strength. A discussion about the impact of the nanoscale in both physical properties is presented. Finally, we summarize the main issues of the thermomechanical modelling of COD. Within this model the COD is launched when the local thermal stresses generated around the heat source overcome the yield stress of the active zone of the laser. The thermal runaway is related to the sharp decrease of the thermal conductivity once the onset of plasticity has been reached in the active zone of the laser.