Abstract: A diode laser having a plurality of layers including a thin (e.g., about 0.3 ?m or less) p-type cladding layer, the plurality of layers having a substantially asymmetric refractive index profile with respect to the layer growth direction to produce an optical field distribution with a larger fraction of the distribution in n-type layers than in p-type layers of the laser. The layers can be configured to produce a ridge diode laser having an internal loss less than about 3 cm?1, and able to generate an approximately 980 nm laser beam with a transverse divergence of about 28° or less, and a spot size of about 0.8 ?m or more.

Abstract: A device and method for hetero laser and light-emission of high polarization radiation. Previous light emitting devices suffered from very low degree of the radiation polarization. A hetero laser and light emitting device with a semiconductor layer sandwiched between ?-doped layers and ferromagnets allows for highly polarized light to be emitted.

Abstract: A CPT detector and a method for detecting CPT are disclosed. The CPT detector includes a quantum absorber, a polarization analyzer, and a detector. The quantum absorber includes a material having first and second low energy states coupled to a common high energy state. Transitions between the first low energy state and the common high energy state and between the second low energy state and the common high energy state are induced by electromagnetic radiation having a predetermined polarization state. The polarization analyzer blocks electromagnetic radiation of the predetermined polarization while passing electromagnetic radiation having a polarization state that is orthogonal to the predetermined polarization. The polarization analyzer is irradiated with a portion of the generated electromagnetic radiation that has passed through the quantum absorber. The detector generates a signal related to the intensity of electromagnetic radiation that leaves the polarization analyzer.

Abstract: There is provided a harmonic generator generates high power laser light and can be modulated at high modulation rate. The semiconductor laser emits a first output light when a bias current is supplied, and a second output light when a modulating current is superposed to the bias current. On of the first output lights has a wavelength inside of a wavelength tolerance of phase-matching of the wavelength-converting element. The other has a wavelength outside of the wavelength tolerance of phase-matching.

Abstract: A high power semiconductor laser device includes a semiconductor substrate, a lower clad layer formed on the semiconductor substrate, a lower guide layer formed on the lower clad layer, an active layer formed on the lower guide layer, an upper guide layer formed on the active layer, and an upper clad layer formed on the upper guide layer. The lower and upper clad layers have the same refractivity. The lower clad layer includes a high refractivity layer, which is spaced from the lower guide layer by a constant distance, and has a refractivity higher than that of the upper clad layer.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for synthesizing an electric field. In accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention, an electric field that changes across a distance in space is synthesized by applying voltage levels at several locations independently of one another. The independence in voltage levels allows the electric field that is synthesized to be made periodic or aperiodic. Such a synthesized electric field can be changed at any time for use in, for example, a tunable laser. According to an exemplary embodiment, the electric field is used to change the refractive index of an electro-optic substance in an optical filter. Such an optical filter can be used as part of, for example, a wavelength agile laser, an optical add drop multiplexer, an optical switch, or the like. Such an optical filter can also be used for dynamic power balancing, dynamic gain equalization, or the like.

Abstract: A laser system for producing a laser beam, the laser system having top and bottom heat-sinking bars forming the structure of the laser system and plurality of disks comprising a laser material mounted on both the bottom heat-sinking bar and the top heat-sinking bar. Also mounted on both heat-sinking bars is a plurality of pump diode bars. Each pump diode bar is preferably mounted opposite a corresponding laser disk on the opposite heat-sinking bar. The pump diode bars and the disks are symmetrically mounted on the top and bottom heat-sinking bars, so that each heat-sinking bar has an alternating pattern of pump diode bars and laser disks. The laser system is configured such that the lasing beams impinge on the disks with an incidence angle far off normal.

Abstract: According to an embodiment of the invention, improved multipass second harmonic generation (SHG) is provided by the use of an inverting, self-imaging telescope. This embodiment ensures parallelism of all passes of all beams within the nonlinear medium. According to another embodiment of the invention, improved multipass SHG is provided by the use of a wedged phasor. This arrangement provides a simple adjustment of the relative phase of the pump beam and second harmonic beam between passes. According to a further embodiment of the invention, improved multipass SHG is provided by the use of an inverting self-imaging telescope in combination with a wedged phasor. This arrangement provides a simple adjustment of the relative phase of the pump beam and second harmonic beam between passes, and ensures parallelism of all passes of all beams within the nonlinear medium.

Abstract: A large diameter optical waveguide, grating, and laser includes a waveguide 10 having at least one core 12 surrounded by a cladding 14, the core propagating light in substantially a few transverse spatial modes; and having an outer waveguide dimension d2 of said waveguide being greater than about 0.3 mm. At least one Bragg grating 16 may be impressed in the waveguide 10. The waveguide 10 may be axially compressed which causes the length L of the waveguide 10 to decrease without buckling. The waveguide 10 may be used for any application where a waveguide needs to be compression tuned, e.g., compression-tuned fiber gratings and lasers or other applications. Also, the waveguide 10 exhibits lower mode coupling from the core 12 to the cladding 14 and allows for higher optical power to be used when writing gratings 16 without damaging the waveguide 10. The shape of the waveguide 10 may have other geometries (e.g.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser apparatus of the present invention is composed of an insulating frame 11 in which at least a semiconductor laser device and a light receiving device are mounted. A plurality of leads 10 pass through each of two opposite faces 63A, 63B of the insulating frame 11 and extend from inside to outside of the insulating frame. The insulating frame 11 has external faces 61A, 61B that are parallel to a mounting face 30a on which the semiconductor laser device 1 is mounted. According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a semiconductor laser apparatus that has good productivity and that facilitates position adjustment such as optical axis adjustment and an optical pickup apparatus using the same.

Abstract: A surface-emission laser diode includes a distributed Bragg reflector tuned to wavelength of 1.1 ?m or longer, wherein the distributed Bragg reflector includes an alternate repetition of a low-refractive index layer and a high-refractive index layer, with a heterospike buffer layer having an intermediate refractive index interposed therebetween with a thickness in the range of 5-50 nm.

Abstract: A monolithic laser configuration has a substrate, a laser diode disposed on the substrate for generating a light beam, a photodetector disposed on the substrate in the path of the light beam for receiving at least one part of the light beam, and a deflection device disposed on the substrate for deflecting the light beam substantially perpendicularly to the substrate surface. The monolithic laser configuration can advantageously be used in a coupling module with a plastic SMT housing of a standard configuration, it being possible to produce the optical access through an opening in the leadframe of the coupling module.

Abstract: The invention herein is directed to a dual-chamber combustion laser assembly having lighter weight (per unit flow area), a more compact, flexible configuration for packaging in spacecraft, aircraft, or ground mobile vehicles, higher mass efficiency from lower heat loss and proven power extraction efficiency of linear lasers, superior output beam quality by incremental compensation of gain medium optical path disturbances and by reduction in time-dependent variations in structural and gain medium characteristics, lower cost and shorter fabrication time for modular dual flow laser and linear optics, more efficient pressure recovery with side-wall isolation nozzles and compact diffuser configurations, and increased small signal gains for more efficient extraction of overtone power.

Abstract: An optically pumped semiconductor laser device having a substrate (1) having a first main area (2) and a second main area (3), with at least one pump laser (11) being arranged on the first main area (2). The semiconductor laser device comprises a vertically emitting laser (4) having a resonator having a first mirror (9) being arranged on the side of the first main area (2) and a second mirror (20) being arranged on the side of the second main area (3) of the substrate (1).

Abstract: A system for mechanically tuning optical wavelengths emitted from an organic laser cavity device, that includes: a multi-layered film structure, wherein the multi-layered film structure is pumped by an incoherent source of photons; and a micro-electromechanical mirror assembly proximate to the multi-layered film structure, wherein the micro-electromechanical mirror assembly varies the cavity length of the organic laser cavity device.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser device and optical pickup in which the reflectance of the side beam at a header portion will not adversely affect the characteristics of the optical pickup, and superior in productivity, and a method of fabricating such a semiconductor laser device are obtained. A reflector is attached on a side beam incident region of a leading end plane of a header mounted with a laser chip that emits a laser beam. Said side beam is one of the two side beams generated by the reflected ±first order beams and fed back through the optical system returning towards the header portion to strike the side beam incident region. The reflector reflects side beam outside the optical system.

Abstract: A tunable laser and laser tuning method based on the use of a tunable etalon in reflection as a mirror within a laser cavity and forming an end reflective surface thereof. The laser emission wavelength is not necessarily at a wavelength of peak etalon reflectivity. A preferred embodiment makes use of a microelectromechanical etalon to tune an external cavity semiconductor.

Abstract: By substituting a ring optical parametric oscillator for the linear cavity, one eliminates the effects of feedback solved in the prior art by the use of isolators and by the purposeful off-axis alignment of the pump laser beam. The result is an exceedingly robust system with state-of-the-art efficiency for maximizing output power while preserving beam quality.

Abstract: Infrared laser light generated by a solid state diode pumped transform-limited Ti:Sapphire laser is converted to UV wavelengths using third and fourth harmonic generation systems. The resulting output is tunable between approximately 187 and 333 nm. The combined solid state Ti:Sapphire laser and harmonic generation system includes feedback mechanisms for improved power and wavelength stability. The system can operate at pulse repetition rates of several thousand Hertz.

Abstract: A tunable laser and laser tuning method based on the use of a tunable etalon in reflection as a mirror within a laser cavity. The laser emission wavelength is not necessarily at a wavelength of peak etalon reflectivity. A preferred embodiment makes use of a microelectromechanical etalon to tune an external cavity semiconductor laser.