Abstract: An optical navigation input device with a light guide which acts as a beam shaping element. The optical navigation input device includes a light source and the light guide. The light source emits a light beam having a substantially elliptical or substantially circular cross section. The light guide is positioned relative to the light source to receive the light beam from the light source in a first direction. The light guide also redirects the light beam in a second direction toward an illumination surface at a non-zero angle of incidence. The light guide directs the light beam through a refraction interface in order to illuminate a substantially circular area on the illumination surface.

Abstract: An optical navigation input device with a light guide which acts as a beam shaping element. The optical navigation input device includes a light source and the light guide. The light source emits a light beam having a substantially elliptical or substantially circular cross section. The light guide is positioned relative to the light source to receive the light beam from the light source in a first direction. The light guide also redirects the light beam in a second direction toward an illumination surface at a non-zero angle of incidence. The light guide directs the light beam through a refraction interface in order to illuminate a substantially circular area on the illumination surface.

Abstract: A laser, a p-spacer, an n-spacer, and an active region is disclosed. The p-spacer has a p-doped region and an undoped region, and the n-spacer has an n-doped region and an undoped region. The active region is located between the undoped regions of the p-spacer and the n-spacer. The active region generates light of wavelength &lgr; through the recombination of holes and electrons. The undoped region of the p-spacer has a thickness that is different from that of the undoped region of the n-spacer. In one embodiment, the p-spacer has a thickness greater than the n-spacer. If the laser is a VCSEL, the p-spacer and the n-spacer form an optical cavity having a thickness Lc=(n+1)&lgr;/2, n is an integer greater than 2. In another embodiment, the cavity has a standing electromagnetic wave and wherein the active layer is located at a maximum of the standing electromagnetic wave.