Patent · US Expired

Semiconductor laser structure

US4631729A · kind A · utility

5Cited by
2References
24Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 1, 1983
Grant dateDec 23, 1986
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 1, 2003

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01S5/2237
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A semiconductor laser array structure operable at relatively high powers and high brightness levels compared with prior laser arrays. At least two principal lasing regions are formed in a single active layer of the structure, and are closely coupled by an intermediate region in which there is optical gain. Preferably, the dimensions of the structure are selected to provide single-filament lasing in the principal lasing regions and in the intermediate region, resulting in a composite output that is apparently phase-locked and has a high-brightness, single-lobe far-field radiation distribution pattern with a low divergence angle. The disclosed structure uses gallium arsenide and gallium aluminum arsenide materials and is fabricated using liquid-phase epitaxy. Longitudinal mode selection in the device may be accomplished by configuring the two channels to produce different sets of longitudinal modes, the close coupling of the two regions resulting in the output of only those modes common to both regions.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.