Beam control in integrated diode laser and power amplifier
US5228049A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 27, 1991 |
| Grant date | Jul 13, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 27, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S2301/18
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A semiconductor laser having a plurality of heterostructure layers including at least one active layer for production and amplification of coherent radiation includes an integrated amplifier part. The amplifier part includes a contact set and a mask layer to shape a lateral gain profile, through control of injected carriers, in the active region of the amplifier part. The shaped lateral gain profile matches the amplitude maxima and minima of a fundamental mode of the semiconductor laser, which reduces modal distortion and improves efficiency. The contact of the integrated amplifier is also shaped to match a width of an expanding laser beam from the laser part into and through the amplifier part. Additionally, various lenses integrated onto an output of the amplifier part can effect collimation or magnification/focussing. In one embodiment, the integrated lens part includes a separately addressable and controllable contact to dynamically control a focal length of the integrated lens. This electronically controllable lens permits spot size modulation and dynamic correction of focussing errors.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.