The Study on the Aluminium Gallium Indium Phosphide Laser

Abstract

The aluminium gallium indium phosphide laser is a variant of the visible-light diode laser. Red and green wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation are emitted by visible diode lasers. The p-n junction serves as the active medium in the semiconductor material used in diode lasers. The wavelengths that the AlGaInP laser emits range from 0.63 to 0.9 µm. There are various uses for each of these wavelengths. These lasers use electric current as a pumping source. [22]

Introduction

A laser is a device that emits coherent light through optical amplification based on stimulated emission. The term laser originated from the acronym “light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation.” The first working laser was built in 1960 by Theodore Maiman, following theoretical foundations laid by Charles Townes and Arthur Schawlow. Lasers produce highly coherent, monochromatic, and collimated beams, enabling applications such as cutting, welding, lithography, medical surgery, optical communications, lidar, data storage, and entertainment lighting. Their high radiance has also enabled use in compact light sources, including modern automobile headlamps.

Historically, the laser evolved from earlier research on stimulated emission. Einstein proposed the concept in 1916; Rudolf Ladenburg observed it experimentally in 1928. In the 1950s, Townes, Basov, and Prokhorov developed the maser, earning them the 1964 Nobel Prize. Townes and Schawlow later theorized the optical maser (laser), while Gordon Gould contributed key ideas and coined the word “laser.” After significant patent disputes, Gould secured several patents beginning in 1977. The first practical lasers included Maiman’s ruby laser (1960), the He-Ne gas laser (1960), and the first semiconductor laser (1962).

Laser operation relies on quantum principles: atoms have discrete energy levels, and light emission occurs through absorption, spontaneous emission, and stimulated emission. To achieve stimulated emission, a population inversion must be created, typically via optical pumping or electric currents. Lasers are commonly built using three-level or four-level systems; the latter allow continuous operation. Key components include a gain medium and an optical resonator, usually formed by two mirrors, which amplifies light through repeated passes.

Laser beams are characterized by high coherence, narrow spectral width, and low divergence. Factors such as the resonant cavity, aperture size, and emission wavelength determine beam spread. Lasers can emit continuous-wave or pulsed outputs, with advanced systems achieving extremely short femtosecond pulses and exceptionally high peak powers.

One specific class, Aluminum Gallium Indium Phosphide (AlGaInP) lasers, are visible-wavelength diode lasers emitting in the 0.63–0.9 µm range. They use electric current as the pumping mechanism and are widely applied in devices requiring red or green light.

Conclusion

The aluminum gallium indium phosphide laser is one type of visible-light diode laser. Visible diode lasers generate electromagnetic radiation with red and green wavelengths. The active medium in the semiconductor material utilized in diode lasers is the p-n junction. The wavelengths that the AlGaInP laser emits range from 0.63 to 0.9 µm. There are various uses for each of these wavelengths. These lasers use electric current as a pumping source. [22]

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Muhammad Arif Bin Jalil. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.