Abstract: A laser light intensity controller includes a polarizing beam splitter for passing most of one of an x-direction polarization component perpendicular to a direction in which a laser beam emitted from a light source travels and a y-direction polarization component parallel with the traveling direction and for reflecting a little portion of the one polarization component as monitoring light, and a photodetector for receiving the reflected monitoring light to generate a light intensity signal. The controller drives the light source in accordance with the light intensity signal. An optical element which passes passing only the one polarization component is installed between the light source and the polarizing beam splitter.

Abstract: A Bragg Grating optical waveguide laser source comprising at least one Bragg grating in a rare earth doped waveguide and an optical pump source coupled to said doped waveguide, said Bragg gratings having at least two different peak reflection wavelengths and at least one of said Bragg gratings comprising a phase-shift and a phase-shift actuator being coupled to the phase-shift for controlled application of changes in the phase-shift thus activating or deactivating the corresponding Bragg grating waveguide laser.

Abstract: A micro-lens built-in vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL). The micro-lens built-in VSEL includes a VCSEL portion emitting a laser beam in a direction in which semiconductor material layers are stacked; a micro-lens formed of a material capable of transmitting the laser beam emitted from the VCSEL portion; and an adjusting portion located between the VCSEL portion and the micro-lens adjusting a distance between the micro-lens and the VCSEL portion. When constructing an optical system with the VCSEL including the VCSEL portion, the adjusting portion, and the micro-lens, there is no need for a separate condensing lens and focusing position adjusting element. In addition, optical alignment structure is simple with increased freedom in arranging elements, and the number of parts required is sharply reduced.

Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor laser device capable of being easily accurately mounted on the mounting portion of an optical pickup device. A semiconductor laser element is mounted on a side surface of a heat sink of a base via a submount, and a light-receiving element is mounted on an upper surface of the heat sink. A stem constructed by arranging two resin lead blocks on both sides of the base is covered with a cap, and a hologram element is arranged in an opening provided at an upper surface of the cap. Skirt portions constructed by partially extending peripheral surfaces of a long side of the cap are inserted into recess portions of the stem, and tip portions of projections projecting in the recess portions and inner surfaces of the skirt portions are joined to each other by resistance welding.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser having a lower clad layer, an active layer, a first upper clad layer and a dry-etching stop layer, all the layers being successively laminated on a compound semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor laser further includes (i) a second upper clad layer, in the form of a ridge, formed above the first upper clad layer, (ii) an etching stop layer present only between the dry-etching stop layer and the second upper clad layer, and (iii) block layers formed at sides of the second upper clad layer.

Abstract: Systems and methods of passivating planar index-guided oxide vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) are described. These systems and methods address the unique susceptibility of these devices to damage that otherwise might be caused by moisture intrusion into the etch holes that are used to form the index-guiding confinement regions. In one aspect, a VCSEL includes a vertical stack structure having a substantially planar top surface. The vertical stack structure includes a top mirror, a bottom mirror, and a cavity region disposed between the top mirror and the bottom mirror and including an active light generation region. At least one of the top mirror and the bottom mirror has a layer with a peripheral region that is oxidized into an electrical insulator as a result of exposure to an oxidizing agent. The vertical stack structure defines two or more etched holes each extending from the substantially planar top surface to the oxidized peripheral region.

Abstract: A current confinement element that can be used in constructing light-emitting devices. The current confinement element includes a top layer and an aperture-defining layer. The top layer includes a top semiconducting material of a first conductivity type that is transparent to light. The aperture-defining layer includes an aperture region and a confinement region. The aperture region includes an aperture semiconducting material of the first conductivity type that is transparent to light. The confinement region surrounds the aperture region and includes a material that has been doped to provide a high resistance to the flow of current. In one embodiment of the invention, the confinement region includes a semiconducting material of a second conductivity type.

Abstract: A surface emitting laser that provides an improved temperature characteristic, an improved optical output, and easy forming process. An optical communication system using this surface emitting laser is also provided. A surface emitting laser comprising: a substrate; a vertical cavity of layers formed on said substrate for propagating and resonating light along an axis vertical to a surface of said substrate, said light emitted from an active layer by current injection; and a reflective film disposed concentrically with the vertical axis around the outer periphery of said vertical cavity for reflecting the light from said active layer in a horizontal direction parallel to the surface of said substrate, the light emitted from said active layer forming a laser beam due to resonation, which laser beam is then emitted in a vertical direction. An optical communication system using the surface emitting laser.

Abstract: A vertical-cavity, surface-emission-type laser diode includes an optical cavity formed of an active region sandwiched by upper and lower reflectors, wherein the lower reflector is formed of a distributed Bragg reflector and a non-optical recombination elimination layer is provided between an active layer in the active region and the lower reflector.

Abstract: An optical module has a hermetically sealed package, a semiconductor laser element located within the package for outputting a laser beam, an optical fiber for receiving and externally delivering the laser beam outputted from the front end face of the semiconductor laser element, a prism for receiving a monitoring laser beam outputted from the back end face of the semiconductor laser element and for dividing the received laser beam into two laser beam components which are inclined relative to the optical axis with predetermined angles less than 90 degrees, a first photodiode for receiving one of the laser beam components divided by the prism, a second photodiode for receiving the other laser beam component from the prism, an optical filter disposed between the first photodiode and the prism and adapted to permit only a laser beam having a predetermined wavelength range to pass therethrough, and a PD carrier in which the first and second photodiodes are mounted on the same mount surface.

Abstract: The invention concerns a quantum cascade laser, comprising a substrate, a stack of layers, having a prismatic shape with substantially trapezoidal cross-section, comprising a lower surface arranged on the substrate, an upper surface and lateral surfaces, said stack forming a gain region and two walls between which the region is interposed, two electrodes arranged on either side of the stack, one of which is formed by an electrically conductive material layer covering at least partially the surface of the stack opposite the substrate, and an electrically insulating layer interposed between the two electrodes. The invention is characterised in that the electrically insulating layer completely covers the lateral surfaces of the prism, without overlapping on the upper surface, and its thickness is equal to at least a third of the stack thickness.

Abstract: This semiconductor laser diode module optically couples a laser diode and an optical fiber in which a fiber grating is formed, and a monitor photodiode for an optical output monitor is arranged at the rear of the laser diode. The semiconductor laser diode module improves the optical output characteristics at the optical fiber end versus the current of the monitor diode by setting the reflection center wavelength of the fiber grating to a longer wavelength than the oscillation center wavelength or the gain center wavelength in a laser diode.

Abstract: A light adjustment device for a laser oscillating cavity has a laser base having a housing that defines a laser chamber that retains a laser diode therein, and a fixing seat disposed at one end of the housing. The light adjustment device also includes an upper cover that is removably coupled with the fixing seat to define a spherical groove, an adjuster body having a ball and an adjusting shaft, and an oscillating cavity holder adjustably retained inside a bore that extends through the ball.

Abstract: An apparatus, program product and method enable a host system to read a signal or signals that are proportional to the output power and/or the bias of a laser in a fiber optic link connected to that host system without breaking that link. By reading one or more of these signals and being aware of the laser characteristics, the “health” of the laser is known and the integrity of the link is maintained. Consequently, the host system has a predictive tool which is able identify substandard lasers and replace them before a serious, and potentially costly, data disruption occurs.

Abstract: An electronic/photonic integrated circuit in which grating-outcoupled surface-emitting lasers are used both to provide external emission out of the plane of the chip (through gratings), and also to feed optical power into photonic waveguides parallel to the plane of the chip. Transistors are fabricated in a common multilayer semiconductor body with the lasers.

Abstract: A pumping module for use in a solid state laser comprises an annular array of laser diode segments (10) forming a passage (24), each segment (10) comprising an extended body supporting a laser diode array (17) that extends along the longitudinal axis of the segment (10) for directing light into the passage (24) from an inner face (12) of the annular array, wherein adjacent side faces of any two segments (10) in the annular array are in sealing engagement. The inner faces (12) of the array of segments (10) form a continuous surface so that coolant can flow between a laser rod and the segments (10) to reduce localized heating.

Abstract: A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) has a top mirror structure with a surface, a light generation region, and a bottom mirror structure for reflecting light toward said top mirror structure. The VCSEL has a semiconductor portion with a surface that is disposed substantially planar with respect to the surface of the top mirror structure. At least one aperture-defining layer having an isolatable material is disposed in at least one of the bottom mirror structure and the top mirror structure. The aperture-defining layer has a conducting region, an insulating region having an aperture-defining surface for defining the conducting region, and a single trench adjacent to the insulating region for use in generating the insulating region. The trench having a continuous geometry for reducing the parasitic capacitance of the VCSEL.

Abstract: A semitransparent mirror is utilized to reflect a laser light emitted from a semiconductor laser component used for a light source for an optical disc such as DVD-RAM, and a photo detector receiving the laser light having passed therethrough for monitoring with FAPC system is positioned behind the mirror. Furthermore, a transparent medium layer with a predetermined thickness is provided between the semitransparent mirror and the photo detector. Thanks to the transparent medium layer, the returned extra light from the DVD-RAM does not enter the photo detector and deviates therefrom, after it has passed through the semitransparent mirror.

Abstract: The present invention provides a surface emitting semiconductor laser, comprising: a semiconductor substrate having sequentially layered thereon a lower multi-layer mirror, an active layer region, and an upper multi-layer mirror that, together with the lower multi-layer mirror, contributes to the formation of a cavity; an upper electrode disposed on an upper layer of the upper multi-layer mirror and provided with an aperture that forms an emission region of a laser beam generated at the active layer region; and a current confinement portion disposed between the upper electrode and the lower multi-layer mirror and provided with an aperture that forms a current path; wherein an aperture diameter of the upper electrode and an aperture diameter of the current confinement portion are determined such that a difference between an optical loss of the cavity in a higher-order lateral mode of the laser beam and an optical loss of the cavity in a fundamental lateral mode of the laser beam becomes a value in the vicinity

Abstract: A cylindrical two-dimensional diode-laser assembly includes fractionally-cylindrical dielectric segments bonded in a circular aperture in a metal heat-sink. Diode laser bars are located in gaps between the segments with light from the diode-lasers directed inwardly. The segments are made by cutting slots in one end of a tube of the dielectric material with the width of the slots corresponding to the width of the gaps and the part of the tube between slots providing the segments. The slotted tube is metallized and the slotted end of the tube is inserted into the heat-sink aperture with an unslotted part of the tube outside the aperture. The slotted part of the tube is bonded in the aperture and the unslotted part of the tube separated from the slotted part leaving the segments bonded in the aperture.