Abstract: Fast on-line electro-optical detection of wafer defects by illuminating with a short light pulse from a repetitively pulsed laser, a section of the wafer while it is moved across the field of view of an imaging system, and imaging the moving wafer onto a focal plane assembly, optically forming a continuous surface of photo-detectors at the focal plane of the optical imaging system. The continuously moving wafer is illuminated by a laser pulse of duration significantly shorter than the pixel dwell time, such that there is effectively no image smear during the wafer motion. The laser pulse has sufficient energy and brightness to impart the necessary illumination to each sequentially inspected field of view required for creating an image of the inspected wafer die. A novel fiber optical illumination delivery system, which is effective in reducing the effects of source coherence is described.

Abstract: A surface-emission laser diode of a vertical-cavity surface-emission laser structure includes a substrate and a mesa structure formed on the substrate, the mesa structure including therein a current confinement structure, wherein the current confinement structure includes a conductive current confinement region and an insulation region surrounding the conductive current confinement region, the insulation region being an oxide of a semiconductor material forming the conductive current confinement region, and wherein a center of the current confinement region is offset from a center of the mesa structure in a plane perpendicular to a laser oscillation direction.

Abstract: Provided is a long wavelength laser of which the operating point is stabilized and the laser oscillation is stabilized. The long wavelength laser comprises a resistor element provided to a portion where the surface current is maximum in a surface plasmon waveguide to stabilize a potential difference between a first cladding and a second cladding in the surface plasmon waveguide.

Abstract: An integrated photonic circuit includes waveguides (12-19) and other photonic components. The photonic circuit has a first part (1) and a second part (2), the first part and the second part being connected to a mirror in the form of a half 2×2 multimode interferometer (MMI) (32), which comprises solely one half MMI (31) in a longitudinal direction, the half MMI (32) having two ports (33, 34) and being arranged to reflect half of the light that is incident on one of the ports to one port and transmit half of the incident light to the second port, and the free surface (35) of the half MMI (32) having been treated with a highly reflective material.

Abstract: A method for a calibration module to calibrate laser bias current in an optical transceiver. The method comprises causing the calibration module to configure a control module of the optical transceiver for a calibration operation, causing the calibration module to determine a laser bias current monitored by the control module, and determining one or more calibration factor values that cause the laser bias current monitored by the control module to substantially match a laser bias current as measured by an external test meter.

Abstract: A laser diode package includes a laser diode, a cooler, and a metallization layer. The laser diode is used for converting electrical energy to optical energy. The cooler receives and routes a coolant from a cooling source via internal channels. The cooler includes a plurality of ceramic sheets and a highly thermally-conductive sheet. The ceramic sheets are fused together and the thermally-conductive sheet is attached to a top ceramic sheet of the plurality of ceramic sheets. The metallization layer has at least a portion on the thermally-conductive sheet. The portion is electrically coupled to the laser diode for conducting the electrical energy to the laser diode.

Abstract: A laser light source device 1, comprising M number of laser light sources, of which frequency is shifted from a fundamental frequency by (m?1)·a·??, a first laser light source section 2 and a first fiber amplifier section 4 for amplifying these laser lights, a first optical multiplexer 6 for approximately coaxially superimposing the laser lights emitted from the first fiber amplifier section 4 and emitting the laser lights, a first wavelength conversion device 9 for multiplying the frequency of the laser lights emitted from the first optical multiplexer 6 by A, M number of laser light sources, of which frequency is shifted from the fundamental frequency by (m?1)·b·??, a second laser light source section 3 and a second fiber amplifier section 5 for amplifying these laser lights, a second optical multiplexer 7 for approximately coaxially superimposing the laser lights emitted from the second fiber amplifier section 5 and emitting the laser lights, a second wavelength conversion device 10 for multiplying the fre

Abstract: A pulse laser apparatus includes a laser configured to generate a pulse of a laser beam, a fiber amplifier, and a pulse compressor. The fiber amplifier includes a rare-earth doped fiber that exhibits normal dispersion at a wavelength of the laser beam generated from the laser. The pulse laser apparatus further includes a unit configured to give a loss to energy portions in a wavelength region corresponding to a zero-dispersion wavelength of the rare-earth doped fiber and/or a wavelength region longer than the zero-dispersion wavelength within a wavelength spectrum of the laser beam having been chirped in the fiber amplifier.

Abstract: A two terminal semiconductor device for producing light emission in response to electrical signals, includes: a terminal-less semiconductor base region disposed between a semiconductor emitter region and a semiconductor collector region having a tunnel junction adjacent the base region; the base region having a region therein exhibiting quantum size effects; an emitter terminal and a collector terminal respectively coupled with the emitter region and the collector region; whereby application of the electrical signals with respect to the emitter and collector terminals, causes light emission from the base region. Application of the electrical signals is operative to reverse bias the tunnel junction. Holes generated at the tunnel junction recombine in the base region with electrons flowing into the base region, resulting in the light emission. The region exhibiting quantum size effects is operative to aid recombination.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical frequency synthesizer and an optical frequency synthesizing method using femtosecond laser optical injection locking, which inject a femtosecond laser optical frequency comb into a diode laser, thus obtaining single-mode laser light, phase-locked to only a single mode in the optical frequency comb, and which change the optical frequency and interval, that is, the repetition rate, of a femtosecond laser, together with the frequency of a semiconductor laser, thus scanning optical frequencies while realizing a single desired optical frequency. The optical frequency synthesizer using femtosecond laser optical injection locking, includes a mode-locked femtosecond laser (110), which is a master laser, and a diode laser (120), which is a slave laser and into which laser light emitted from the femtosecond laser is injected.

Abstract: A vertical cavity surface emitting laser diode (VCSEL) is disclosed, which reduces the light scattering by the step formed at the interface between the dielectric DBR and the semiconductor that reflects the mesa shape of the tunnel junction. The dielectric DBR of the invention includes a plurality of first films with relatively smaller refractive index and a plurality of second films with relatively larger refractive index. These first and second films are alternately stacked to each other to cause the periodic structure of the refractive indices. The VCSEL of the invention, different from the conventional device, provides the dielectric film with relatively larger refractive index that directly comes in contact with the semiconductor to set the node of the optical standing wave at the interface between the dielectric DBR and the semiconductor.

Abstract: A VCSEL array device formed of a monolithic array of VCSELs and short circuited mesas is disclosed. The VCSELs can be spaced symmetrically or asymmetrical, in a manner to improve power or speed, or in phase and in parallel. The VCSELs are connected to a first metal contact pad formed on a heat-spreading substrate. The short-circuited mesas are formed alongside the VCSELs and are bonded to and form a short circuit to a second metal contact pad on the grounding substrate. Each VCSEL is encompassed by a thick metal heat sink to increase the height of VCSEL mesas. The structure of the heat sink, the VCSELs and the shorting mesas reduce parasitic impedance thereby increasing output power and high frequency response. The VCSELs and shorting mesas can be packaged as a coplanar waveguide in a ground-signal-ground configuration that improves signal modulation characteristics.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a light source apparatus having a structure to enable a short pulse optical output with high pulse energy or a high pulse peak equivalent to that of a Q switch laser light source. The light source apparatus comprises a seed light source, a pre-stage optical amplifier, a subsequent-stage optical amplifier, and a control section. After the pulse light outputted from the seed light source is amplified by the pre-stage optical amplifier, the pulse light is amplified further by the subsequent-stage optical amplifier. In the subsequent-stage optical amplifier, a ring-type resonator is constituted by an optical coupler, an optical coupler, an optical amplification waveguide, an optical isolator, an optical coupler, an optical waveguide, a lens, a Q switch, a lens, and an optical waveguide that are disposed sequentially on the propagation path of the pulse light.

Abstract: A controller (320) for controlling various operational parameters of the Laser Module (303). The modulation drive signal (300) causes the circuits in the driver (301) to send a signal to the output (302) so that the laser can send an optical power output (304) proportional to the drive signal (300). The control methods in Laser Controller IC (320) consist of control algorithms embedded in firmware. The Laser Controller IC (320) includes support circuits for control of a laser. Some of the distinguishing features in the present invention are 1) feedback information from the sensors is obtained in a synchronous manner as a snapshot of the laser performance, and 2) algorithms handle the entire set of controls in firmware. The algorithm feature allows for advanced servo controls, which precisely stabilize the laser, can accommodate adaptive controls, and can be leveraged from one laser transmitter design to another.

Abstract: An array of optically coupled cavities (called micro-cavities) of a semiconductor laser are defined by either an etch and/or by a native oxide of an aluminum-bearing III-V semiconductor material and are arranged serially end-to-end along the longitudinal direction. An etch and/or native oxide defines a refractive index change for the longitudinal optical mode and confines the optical field within the micro-cavities, resulting in reflection and optical feedback distributed periodically along the laser stripe in the form of an optically coupled micro-cavity. The wavelength of emission of the laser is controlled by a combination of the length of the optical micro-cavities and the spacing between adjacent optical micro-cavities. Single-longitudinal-mode operation is exhibited over an extended drive current range. In one embodiment, two or more linear arrays of end-coupled micro-cavities are arranged in the longitudinal axis of the laser cavity to obtain a tunable laser.

Abstract: A tunable distributed feedback semiconductor laser includes a substrate; an optical waveguide structure disposed on a main surface of the substrate and including an active layer and a diffraction grating, the optical waveguide structure being divided into a first DFB portion, a wavelength-tuning region, and a second DFB portion in that order; a first electrode for injecting carriers into the active layer in the first DFB portion; a second electrode for injecting carriers into the active layer in the second DFB portion; and a third electrode for supplying a wavelength tuning signal to the wavelength-tuning region. The diffraction grating extends over the first DFB portion, the wavelength-tuning region, and the second DFB portion. An optical confinement factor of the wavelength-tuning region is smaller than that of the first and second DFB portions.

Abstract: An integrated, low profile, high power laser light emission device is disclosed. The integrated laser light emission device provides uniform heat dissipation, as well as uniform pumping of the laser gain medium without the need for a pumping cavity. The laser system includes a pump diode array that can be mounted directly to a laser gain medium without intervening correcting optics hardware. Heat generated by the laser light emission device is cooled by a single cooling system. In the laser device, a pump diode array is preferably a Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser (VCSEL) array. VCSEL arrays are mounted on the laser gain crystal by a metal cavity frame or metal stilts. The slightly elevated mounting of the VCSEL's enables increased cooling and maximizing the quantity of VCSEL's on the laser gain medium in order to achieve highly efficient and high power laser light output.

Abstract: An apparatus and source arrangement for filtering an electromagnetic radiation can be provided which may include at least one spectral separating arrangement configured to physically separate one or more components of the electromagnetic radiation based on a frequency of the electromagnetic radiation. The apparatus and source arrangement may also have at least one continuously rotating optical arrangement, e.g., polygonal scanning mirror and spinning reflector disk scanner, which is configured to receive at least one signal that is associated with the one or more components. Further, the apparatus and source arrangement can include at least one beam selecting arrangement configured to receive the signal.

Abstract: An array of optically coupled cavities (called micro-cavities) of a semiconductor laser are defined by either an etch and/or by a native oxide of an aluminum-bearing III-V semiconductor material and are arranged serially end-to-end along the longitudinal direction. An etch and/or native oxide defines a refractive index change for the longitudinal optical mode and confines the optical field within the micro-cavities, resulting in reflection and optical feedback distributed periodically along the laser stripe in the form of an optically coupled micro-cavity. The wavelength of emission of the laser is controlled by a combination of the length of the optical micro-cavities and the spacing between adjacent optical micro-cavities. Single-longitudinal-mode operation is exhibited over an extended drive current range. In one embodiment, two or more linear arrays of end-coupled micro-cavities are arranged in the longitudinal axis of the laser cavity to obtain a tunable laser.

Abstract: High-power, phased-locked, laser arrays as disclosed herein utilize a system of optical elements that may be external to the laser oscillator array. Such an external optical system may achieve mutually coherent operation of all the emitters in a laser array, and coherent combination of the output of all the lasers in the array into a single beam. Such an “external gain harness” system may include: an optical lens/mirror system that mixes the output of all the emitters in the array; a holographic optical element that combines the output of all the lasers in the array, and an output coupler that selects a single path for the combined output and also selects a common operating frequency for all the coupled gain regions.