Laser with grating feedback unstable resonator
AssigneeHughes Aircraft Company
InventorsDavid M. Pepper, Richard R. Craig
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Abstract
A laser is disclosed which uses a curved spatial grating in either its reflective or output regions, or both, or distributed throughout the laser resonator, to produce an unstable optical reflection pattern which fills the resonating cavity more efficiently than in prior devices. Various combinations of different grating curvatures are disclosed. The invention is particularly adapted to semiconductor lasers.
Claims16
An unstable resonator laser, comprising:
- a gain medium,
- a partially reflective output coupler positioned on one side of the gain medium to partially reflect back into the gain medium and partially transmit optical radiation received from the gain medium, and
- a reflector positioned on the other side of the gain medium to reflect optical radiation received from the gain medium back into the gain medium,
- at least one of said output coupler and said reflector comprising a material capable of supporting an optical spatial grating, and having an optical spatial grating therein which is curved to produce unstable resonation through the gain medium in response to lasing stimulation.
The unstable resonator laser of claim comprising a semiconductor laser.
The unstable resonator laser of claim comprising a planar dye laser.
In a semiconductor laser, an improved laser structure comprising:
- a semiconductor member having a partially reflective output region, an opposed reflective region, and a gain medium between said output and reflective regions,
- at least one of said reflective region and said output region comprising an optical spatial grating formed in the semiconductor member and having a curvature which produces unstable resonation within the member in response to lasing stimulation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.