Laser having tapered region

A semiconductor laser comprising:

• a waveguide comprising:
• a first waveguide region extending in a longitudinal direction between first and second ends of said first waveguide region and having a width extending in a lateral direction, said width of said first waveguide region being configured such that said first waveguide region supports a single bound transverse mode;
• a second waveguide region extending in the longitudinal direction between said first and second ends of said second waveguide region and having a width extending in the lateral direction;
• and
• first and second optical reflectors, said first and second waveguide regions disposed between said first and second optical reflectors, said first optical reflector closer to said first end of said first waveguide region than said second end of said first waveguide region, said second optical reflector closer to said second end of said second waveguide region than said first end of said second waveguide region, said first and second optical reflectors disposed with respect to each other to form a laser cavity therebetween,
• wherein the width of said second waveguide region at said second end of said second waveguide region is larger than the width at said first end of said second waveguide region;
• wherein a reflectivity of the first optical reflector is greater than 20%;
• wherein the second waveguide region is configured to provide optical gain for light propagating within said laser cavity;
• wherein the first waveguide region does not provide the optical gain for the light propagating within said laser cavity;
• and
• wherein said second waveguide region is configured to support and provide optical gain to a plurality of bound transverse modes, and the laser cavity sustains and outputs a single transverse mode.