Tight control of blood glucose levels has been shown to dramatically reduce the long-term complications of diabetes. Current invasive technology for monitoring glucose levels is effective but underutilized by people with diabetes because of the pain of repeated finger-sticks and the cost of reagent strips. Optical sensing of glucose could potentially allow more frequent monitoring and tighter glucose control for people with diabetes. The key to a successful optical non-invasive measurement of glucose is the collection of an optical spectrum with a very high signal-to-noise-ratio in a spectral region with significant glucose absorption. Unfortunately, the optical throughput of skin is very small due to absorption and scattering. To overcome these difficulties, we have developed a high-brightness tunable laser system for measurements in the 2.0-2.5 μm wavelength range. The system is based on a 2.3 micron wavelength, strained quantum-well laser diode incorporating GaInAsSb wells and AlGaAsSb barrier and cladding layers. Wavelength control is provided by coupling the laser diode to an external cavity that includes an acousto-optic tunable filter. Tuning ranges of greater than 110 nm have been obtained. Because the tunable filter has no moving parts, scans can be completed very quickly, typically in less than 10 ms. We describe the performance of the laser system and its potential for use in a non-invasive glucose sensor.
We present recent progress achieved in the development of type-I GaInAsSb/AlGaAsSb quantum-well (QW) lasers covering the 1.74-2.34micrometers spectral range. Diode lasers based on the broadened waveguide design comprising 3 Qws have been studied in detail. Laser structures emitting at 2.23 micrometers exhibited a record high internal quantum efficiency of 89%, internal loss of 6.8cm-1, and threshold current density at infinite cavity length as low as 120 A/cm2, indicating the superior quality of these devices. For the 2micrometers lasers a high characteristic temperature of 179K for the threshold current was achieved for temperatures between 250 and 280 K. In order to investigate the heterobarrier leakage associated with thermally activated carriers, laser structures emitting at 2.23micrometers with different Al- concentrations in the barriers and separate confinement regions have been studied. While the structure with 40% Al revealed the highest To of 103K, the laser with 20% Al yielded the best power efficiency, with a maximum value of 30%. 1.7W in cw mode at room temperature has been achieved for broad area single emitters at (lambda) =2 micrometers , with high-reflection/antireflection coated mirror facets, mounted epi-side down. As an application, tunable diode lasers absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) sensing small concentrations of methane has been demonstrated using our 2.3micrometers diode laser.
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