High-power single-mode triple-ridge waveguide semiconductor laser

A methodology for providing an edge-emitting laser diode capable of high-power single-transverse-mode operation based on the principle of unbroken supersymmetry (SUSY), comprising:

• providing a triple-ridge waveguide (TRW) structure, having a main ridge waveguide in between a pair of lossy auxiliary ridge waveguides, with the main ridge relatively wider than either of the auxiliary ridges;
• respectively configuring the two auxiliary waveguides to support guided modes that only couple with the higher-order modes of the main waveguide, to introduce optical loss by the two auxiliary waveguides, which suppresses unwanted higher-order modes in the main waveguide other than its fundamental mode;
• providing additional loss in the auxiliary waveguides using ion implantation during fabrication of the auxiliary waveguides;
• providing secondary cross-sectional trenches respectively within the auxiliary waveguides;
• and
• providing absorbing layers associated with the auxiliary waveguides,
• wherein the absorbing layers comprise at least one of Germanium (Ge), Chromium (Cr), alloys of Ge and Cr, and other material with high absorption for the lasing wavelengths of the edge-emitting laser diode.

A high-power single transverse mode laser, comprising:

• a ridged waveguide structure, having a main waveguide and at least one auxiliary waveguide on a lateral side of the main waveguide,
• wherein the main waveguide is relatively wider than the at least one auxiliary waveguide, to support high-order modes of the main waveguide, and
• the at least one auxiliary waveguide is configured to support at least one guided mode which couples with a higher-order mode of the main waveguide other than its fundamental mode, to suppress at least one higher-order mode in the main waveguide;
• and
• further comprising another auxiliary waveguide situated on a lateral side of the main waveguide opposite to that of the at least one auxiliary waveguide, so that the main waveguide is situated in between the pair of the two auxiliary waveguides;
• implanted ions associated with the auxiliary waveguides for providing additional loss in the auxiliary waveguides;
• secondary cross-sectional trenches respectively within the auxiliary waveguides;
• and
• absorbing layers associated with the auxiliary waveguides,
• wherein the main waveguide is relatively wider than the auxiliary waveguide,
• the pair of auxiliary waveguides each have propagation constants β which match with those of guided modes associated with the main waveguide other than the main waveguide fundamental mode, and
• the absorbing layers comprise at least one of Germanium (Ge), Chromium (Cr), alloys of Ge and Cr, and other material with high absorption for the lasing wavelengths of the high-power single transverse mode laser.