Surface-emitting semiconductor lasers are particularly suitable for developing lasers with a customised wavelength. Until now, optically pumped systems have been used to achieve high power levels. However, these are very complex to assemble. In contrast, electrically pumped systems can only be realised in the fundamental mode with small areas and thus low power levels. This limits their application possibilities, for example in the field of materials processing.

In the ED-VECSEL project, scientists from the Laser Zentrum Hannover (LZH) and the Ferdinand-Braun-Institut are now aiming to realise, for the first time, electrically pumped systems that emit in the fundamental mode, with ultrashort high-power pulses and that are easy to assemble. To this end, they will investigate the feasibility of a system consisting of an electrically pumped semiconductor structure with a large emission area and a resonator tuned to it, with, if possible, only one optical component (resonator output mirror). Within the project, the LZH is responsible for the investigation and integration of an optimised electrically pumped semiconductor chip into an ultrashort pulse laser system.

The project ED-VECSEL (‘Electrically pumped semiconductor disc laser for ultrashort pulse generation’) is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research under the funding code 13N16752 as a scientific pre-project to investigate questions regarding future industrial applications in photonics and quantum technology and to build a bridge between basic research and industry-led collaborative funding.