Hybrid vertically integrated thyristor-semiconductor laser assemblies for generating ns laser pulses

Vertical stacks based on high-power semiconductor lasers and low-voltage high-current AlGaAs/GaAs and InGaAs/AlGaAs/GaAs thyristors have been developed and studied for generating current pulse in low-impedance load circuits based on semiconductor lasers. Pump current pulses with an amplitude up to 200 A for AlGaAs/GaAs thyristors and up to 70 A for InGaAs/AlGaAs/GaAs thyristors were realized in broad area diode lasers and 3-stripe diode laser mini bars, with optical pulse duration of 40-600 ns and a total peak power of about 78 W. The feasibility of generating current pulses with an amplitude of 16 A and a duration of 2.5 ns is shown, which makes it possible to obtain laser pulses with a peak power of 8 W and a duration of 2 ns. It is shown that the parallel joint of single thyristors allows one to multiply the increase in the current pulse amplitude, while maintaining efficiency and duration.