Abstract: Nanolaser arrays have certain advantages over LEDs and conventional laser diodes for solid-state lighting applications. In particular, nanocavities can channel spontaneous emission entirely into the lasing mode, so that all the emissions (spontaneous and stimulated) contribute to usable light output over a large range of current.

Abstract: Semiconductor light-emitting devices; methods of forming semi-conductor light emitting devices, and methods of operating semi-conductor light emitting devices are provided. A semiconductor light-emitting device includes a first laser section monolithically integrated with a second laser section on a common substrate. Each laser section has a phase section, a gain section and at least one distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) structure. The first laser section and the second laser section are optically coupled to permit optical feedback therebetween. Each phase section is configured to independently tune a respective one of the first laser section and second laser section relative to each other.

Abstract: A new class of bistable coupled-resonator vertical-cavity semiconductor laser devices has been developed. These bistable laser devices can be switched, either electrically or optically, between lasing and non-lasing states. A switching signal with a power of a fraction of a milliwatt can change the laser output of such a device by a factor of a hundred, thereby enabling a range of optical switching and data encoding applications.

Abstract: A new class of multi-terminal vertical-cavity semiconductor laser components has been developed. These multi-terminal laser components can be switched, either electrically or optically, between distinct lasing wavelengths, or can be made to lase simultaneously at multiple wavelengths.

Abstract: A new class of coupled-resonator vertical-cavity semiconductor lasers has been developed. These lasers have multiple resonant cavities containing regions of active laser media, resulting in a multi-terminal laser component with a wide range of novel properties.

Abstract: The present invention provides a new type of semiconductor light source that can produce a high peak power output and is not injection, e-beam, or optically pumped. The present invention is capable of producing high quality coherent or incoherent optical emission. The present invention is based on current filaments, unlike conventional semiconductor lasers that are based on p-n junctions. The present invention provides a light source formed by an electron-hole plasma inside a current filament. The electron-hole plasma can be several hundred microns in diameter and several centimeters long. A current filament can be initiated optically or with an e-beam, but can be pumped electrically across a large insulating region. A current filament can be produced in high gain photoconductive semiconductor switches. The light source provided by the present invention has a potentially large volume and therefore a potentially large energy per pulse or peak power available from a single (coherent) semiconductor laser.

Abstract: A temperature-insensitive vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) and method for fabrication thereof. The temperature-insensitive VCSEL comprises a quantum-well active region within a resonant cavity, the active region having a gain spectrum with a high-order subband (n.gtoreq.2) contribution thereto for broadening and flattening the gain spectrum, thereby substantially reducing any variation in operating characteristics of the VCSEL over a temperature range of interest. The method for forming the temperature-insensitive VCSEL comprises the steps of providing a substrate and forming a plurality of layers thereon for providing first and second distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) mirror stacks with an active region sandwiched therebetween, the active region including at least one quantum-well layer providing a gain spectrum having a high-order subband (n.gtoreq.

Abstract: A phase locked two-dimensional semiconductor laser array is disclosed that emits a unified wavefront using columns of individual lasers, each laser having a slant mirror between it and other lasers in its column. The individual lasers are all evanescently coupled to the neighboring lasers. The slant mirrors reflect the light from the lasers next to it upwards out of the face of the array. The phase locking is accomplished by the evanescent wave coupling. The plane (uniform) wavefront is accomplished by the design of the array in which: each laser in an i.sup.th column forms an optical path length of x.sub.i with the slant mirror adjacent to it; and the optical path length between mirrors and lasers in the (i+l).sup.th column is given by: x.sub.i =x.sub.i+l .+-.n(.lambda./2) where .lambda. equals a measure of wavelength of the light transmitted out of the array, and n is an odd integer.