Aluminium-Free Semiconductor Laser Arrays And Their Assembling Techniques

As semiconductor laser arrays and stacks are greatly applied in military field, some developed countries have laid an embargo on high-power semiconductor laser arrays and stacks and strictly guarded the confidential technique. Therefore, China must rely on its own in carrying out researches in the field. Currently, the technique of semiconductor laser arrays and stacks assembly is not mature in China. There are no assembling equipment for semiconductor laser arrays and stacks in the world, and allinstitutions manufacturing semiconductor laser arrays and stacks kept usage of solder as secret. Consequently, assembling technique, solder and assembling equipment have been deemed as focal points of my studies. My studies in the three questions are as follows.Manufacturing process of semiconductor laser arrays and stacks is studied and semiconductor laser array bars are manufactured. A method of multi-metal-layer alternate growing is applied to develop a new type of solder structure, which prevents oxidation and creeping of the solder (the research of this field has been published in an English journal). Utilizing this kind of solder, we have assembled laser arrays with single-bar pulse power of 100W and stacks with pulse power of 600W each.Using chemical methods, we have manufactured thin-film solder that can be applied to soldering of tubes and sub-modules. The thinnest thin-film solder can reach 2um, and the constituents of the solder can be tuned (the research result has been applied a patent of invention). The thin-film solder can be cut as will and it has been successfully applied in the process of semiconductor laser arrays and stacks assembling.The effect of passivation technique on catastrophic optical damage is studied and a conclusion that passivation technique can improve the abilities of semiconductor lasers to resist catastrophic optical damage is drawn from the studies. Several different reagents have been used to treat the cavities of semiconductor lasers and different results have been achieved. The experiments show that specimen treated by and (NH4)2Sx produce catastrophic optical damage at a higher power.Heat dissipation is a key technology in semiconductor laser arrays and stacks assembling. Through studies of material characteristics suitable for making semiconductor laser heat sinks, we have manufactured panel heat sinks, large-channel heat sinks and micro-channel heat sinks. The experiments have shown that the heat sinks can meet the demand of power, i.e., 100W single-bar laser arrays.Through studies of electrostatic prevention in the process of semiconductor laser arrays and stacks assembling, we have increased rate of finished products and reduced the loss induced by electrostatic in the process of assembling.Currently, there are no equipment for semiconductor laser arrays and stacks assembling, and the rate of finished products assembled is rather low. Whereas, equipment for semiconductor laser arrays and stacks aligning produced by foreign companies costs 250000 dollars. We have developed equipment for semiconductor laser arrays and stacks sub-modules assembling (the equipment has been applied a patent of invention). The equipment incorporates assembling and sintering and the temperature curves can be set according to users' need. The accuracy of temperature control can be controlled within 1癈. In assembling, the tubes align automatically, thus reducing deviations of assemblers operation. In addition, equipment suitable for semiconductor laser arrays assembling has been developed (the research result has been applied a patent of invention). So far, 4 sets of such equipment have put into use. With this kind of equipment, we have manufactured stacks with pulse power of 600 W, and also some stacks sub-modules. Some key technique problems in the process of assembling have been solved.