Segmented superluminescent diode with linear power-current characteristics and adjustable radiation pattern

This study presents the modelling and experimental characterisation of 980 nm segmented-contact superluminescent diodes designed to produce linear power-current characteristics for applications requiring high output powers and readily reproducible operational characteristics, with adjustable beam width, radiation pattern and spectral width. The maximum measured output power was 160 mW at 4 A pulsed driving current, resulting in 2% wall-plug efficiency per pulse, with ripple-free broad-band output. Coupling into multi- and single-mode optical fibres was achieved with efficiencies of, respectively, 60 and 17%.