Stable operation (over 5000 h) of high-power 0.98- mu m InGaAs-GaAs strained quantum well ridge waveguide lasers for pumping Er/sup 3+/-doped fiber amplifiers

A maximum output power of 115 mW and a slope efficiency of 0.92 W/A have been achieved in 0.98- mu m InGaAs strained quantum well lasers with a 3- mu m-wide ridge waveguide structure for efficient fiber coupling. Stable operation of over 5000 h under 50 degrees C constant power operation with an optical power density of 3.9 MW/cm/sup 2/ has been demonstrated with a degradation rate as low as 5*10/sup -6/ per hour. These results show that this device is promising as a practical pumping source for Er/sup 3+/-doped fiber optical amplifiers.>