Abstract: As described herein, a mode field adapter (MFA) comprises a first fiber including a core associated with a fundamental mode field diameter and a cladding with a diameter that decreases toward a waist. The MFA comprises a second fiber including a core associated with a fundamental mode field diameter that matches the fundamental mode field of the first fiber at the waist and a cladding with a diameter that matches the diameter of the cladding of the first fiber at the waist and increases from the waist of the second fiber. The cladding of the first fiber may be adiabatically etched such that a core-to-cladding ratio of the first fiber changes over a length of the first fiber, and the core and the cladding of the second fiber may be adiabatically tapered such that a core-to-cladding ratio of the second fiber is constant over a length of the second fiber.

Abstract: A vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) array may include an n-type substrate layer and an n-type metal on a bottom surface of the n-type substrate layer. The n-type metal may form a common anode for a group of VCSEL. The VCSEL array may include a bottom mirror structure on a top surface of the n-type substrate layer. The bottom mirror structure may include one or more bottom mirror sections and a tunnel junction to reverse a carrier type within the bottom mirror structure. The VCSEL array may include an active region on the bottom mirror structure and an oxidation layer to provide optical and electrical confinement. The VCSEL array may include an n-type top mirror on the active region, a top contact layer over the n-type top mirror, and a top metal on the top contact layer. The top metal may form an isolated cathode for the VCSEL array.

Abstract: A component assembly includes a first component, such as an optical component, and a second component, such as a support component, having different coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs). The component assembly also includes a spacer having a CTE matched to that of the first component, disposed between the first component and the second component. When the CTE of the first component is greater than that of the second component, the second component includes a protrusion, and the spacer includes a complementary opening for receiving the protrusion, such that a joint between the protrusion and the complementary opening is under compressive stress. The spacer also includes a mounting area for receiving the first component, and an air gap disposed between the first component and the protrusion.

Abstract: In some implementations, a surface emitting laser may have an emitter design with a short oxidation length and/or a large number of trenches. For example, the surface emitting laser may comprise a metallization layer comprising multiple extended portions extending outwards from a circumference of an inner ring portion, and multiple tabs extending laterally from the multiple extended portions in a partial ring shape. The surface emitting laser may further comprise multiple via openings connecting the metallization layer to a plating metal, where each via opening is positioned over a corresponding tab, of the multiple tabs. The surface emitting laser may comprise multiple oxidation trenches that are each formed in an angular gap between a pair of extended portions, of the multiple extended portions, such that the multiple tabs and the multiple via openings are exclusively outside outer radii of the multiple oxidation trenches.

Abstract: A pulse stretching fiber oscillator (or laser cavity) may comprise a chirped fiber Bragg grating (CFBG) and an optical circulator arranged such that a first portion of a beam that is transmitted through the CFBG continues to propagate through the laser cavity while a second portion of the beam that is reflected from the CFBG is stretched and chirped by the CFBG and directed out of the laser cavity by the optical circulator. Accordingly, a configuration of the CFBG and the optical circulator in the laser cavity may enable pulse stretching contemporaneous with outcoupling, which may prevent deleterious nonlinear phase from accumulating prior to stretching.

Abstract: An optical fiber may comprise a core doped with one or more active ions to guide signal light from an input end of the optical fiber to an output end of the optical fiber, a cladding surrounding the core to guide pump light from the input end of the optical fiber to the output end of the optical fiber, and one or more inserts formed in the cladding surrounding the core. The core may have a geometry (e.g., a cross-sectional size, a helical pitch, and/or the like) that varies along a longitudinal length of the optical fiber, which may cause an absorption of the pump light to be modulated along the longitudinal length of the optical fiber.

Abstract: A driver circuit, for generating narrow electrical pulses of high repetition rate with high peak current and low after pulse ringing to drive an optical load, may include a source, a first circuit path, and a second circuit path. The first circuit path may be connected to the source and may include inductive elements and a switch. The switch being in a closed state may charge current in the inductive elements through the first circuit path. The second circuit path may connect to the optical load and may be connected to the source. The second circuit path may include the inductive elements and a capacitive element in series with the optical load. The switch transitioning from the closed state to an open state may discharge current from the inductive elements through the second circuit path to provide an electrical pulse to the optical load.

Abstract: In some implementations, an emitter module may include an emitter layer including a first emitter array configured to produce a first beam that provides flood illumination, and a second emitter array configured to produce a second beam that provides spot illumination. The emitter module may include a first optics layer, positioned in front of the emitter layer, that includes a first collimating lens positioned in front of the first emitter array, and a second collimating lens positioned in front of the second emitter array. The emitter module may include a second optics layer, positioned in front of the first optics layer, that includes an optical diffuser positioned in front of the first collimating lens, and a beamsplitter grating positioned in front of the second collimating lens.

Abstract: In some implementations, an electrical drive circuit may generate a rectangular optical pulse using cathode pre-charge and cathode-pull compensation. The electrical drive circuit may include an anode and a cathode to connect an optical load, a switch, a first source connected between the anode and a ground, a rectifier connected between the cathode and the switch, a capacitor connected in parallel with the rectifier, a second source connected to the ground, and an inductor connected between the switch and the second source. In some implementations, when the switch is closed and the optical load is connected, a first current is provided to the optical load through the first source, the rectifier, and the switch, and a second current is provided to the optical load through the first source, the capacitor, and the switch, where a rise time of the first current complements a fall time of the second current.

Abstract: In some implementations, a monolithic optical fiber may comprise a tapered core having a first diameter at an input end and a second diameter at an output end. The tapered core may comprise a first tapered region at the input end, a second tapered region at the output end, and a central region having a constant diameter that is larger than the first diameter and the second diameter. The first tapered region expands monotonically from the first diameter to the constant diameter of the central region along a length of the first tapered region, and the second tapered region contracts monotonically from the constant diameter of the central region to the second diameter along a length of the second tapered region. The monolithic optical fiber may be used as a delivery fiber to deliver a laser beam from a fiber laser engine to a process head.

Abstract: An emitter array may comprise a plurality of emitters that includes two adjacent emitters. The emitter array may comprise a plurality of emitters that includes two adjacent emitters. The ohmic metal layer may include a portion that is shared by, and located between, the two adjacent emitters. The emitter array may comprise a protective layer over the ohmic metal layer. The emitter array may comprise a via through the protective layer to the portion. The via is shared by, and located between, the two adjacent emitters.

Abstract: A pulse stretching fiber oscillator (or laser cavity) may comprise a chirped fiber Bragg grating (CFBG) and an optical circulator arranged such that a first portion of a beam that is transmitted through the CFBG continues to propagate through the laser cavity while a second portion of the beam that is reflected from the CFBG is stretched and chirped by the CFBG and directed out of the laser cavity by the optical circulator. Accordingly, a configuration of the CFBG and the optical circulator in the laser cavity may enable pulse stretching contemporaneous with outcoupling, which may prevent deleterious nonlinear phase from accumulating prior to stretching.

Abstract: A diffractive optical element may include sub-wavelength period stack-and-gap structured layers providing transmissive phase delay at a wavelength. The sub-wavelength period stack-and-gap structured layers may include a set of thin anti-reflection layers that are index matched to an environment or a substrate over a range of fill factors of the sub-wavelength period.

Abstract: In some implementations, an amplifier device may include a first amplifier configured to amplify signals in a first range of optical wavelengths. The first amplifier may include a first portion that includes one or more first optical gain components, and a second portion that includes one or more second optical gain components and a variable optical attenuator. The amplifier device may include a second amplifier configured to amplify signals in a second range of optical wavelengths. The amplifier device may include a filter for the first range of optical wavelengths and the second range of optical wavelengths. The filter may be located between the first portion and the second portion of the first amplifier.

Abstract: A shutdown circuit may include a filter, for receiving a laser trigger signal for a laser emitter, that is configured to output a filtered signal. The shutdown circuit may include a logic gate configured to receive the filtered signal and at least one of a first signal based on a signal from a photodiode or a second signal based on a signal from a conductive path. The shutdown circuit may include a flip-flop configured to receive an output of the logic gate and to output an enablement signal that is based on the output of the logic gate, and a driver circuit for a switch configured to control current flow to the laser emitter. The driver circuit may be configured to receive the enablement signal and the laser trigger signal and to output the laser trigger signal based on whether the enablement signal is a first or a second voltage.

Abstract: A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) may include an epitaxial structure that includes a first active layer, a second active layer, and a tunnel junction therebetween. The VCSEL may include a set of contacts that are electrically connected to the epitaxial structure. The set of contacts may include three or more contacts, and the set of contacts may be electrically separated from each other on the VCSEL. At least one contact, of the set of contacts, may be electrically connected to the epitaxial structure at a depth between the first active layer and the second active layer.

Abstract: A structured light system may include a semiconductor laser to emit light and a diffractive optical element to diffract the light such that one or more diffracted orders of the light, associated with forming a structured light pattern, are transmitted by the diffractive optical element. The diffractive optical element may be arranged such that the light is to be incident on the diffractive optical element at a substantially non-normal angle of incidence. The substantially non-normal angle of incidence may be designed to cause the diffractive optical element to transmit a zero-order beam of the light outside of a field of view associated with the diffractive optical element.

Abstract: An optical device may include an enclosure including an optical aperture and a plurality of optical components positioned within the enclosure, where the plurality of optical components are to emit and/or receive light through the optical aperture. The optical device may include at least one heating element or cooling element to provide an isothermal environment to the plurality of optical components, where the at least one heating element or cooling element is thermally coupled with the enclosure.

Abstract: An opto-mechanical assembly includes a first thermal control element disposed on a region of a first section of an enclosure; a second thermal control element disposed on a region of a second section of the enclosure; and an optical element that includes a first portion and a second portion. The first thermal control element is configured to heat the first portion of the optical element and to cause the first portion of the optical element to be associated with a first temperature, and the second thermal control element is configured to heat the second portion of the optical element and to cause the second portion of the optical element to be associated with a second temperature. This causes a difference between the first temperature and the second temperature to satisfy a temperature difference threshold. Accordingly, this also causes a temperature gradient along an axis of the optical element to satisfy a temperature gradient threshold.

Abstract: A micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) device may include a mirror structure suspended from a first hinge and a second hinge that are arranged to enable the mirror structure to be tilted about a tilt axis. The mirror structure may include a first actuator and a second actuator located on opposite sides of the tilt axis. The MEMS device may include a fixed electrode coupled to first actuator to cause the mirror structure to tilt about the tilt axis in a first direction based on a fixed voltage applied to the fixed electrode. The MEMS device includes a driving electrode coupled to the second actuator to cause the mirror structure to tilt about the tilt axis in a second direction opposite from the first direction based on a driving voltage applied to the driving electrode.