Optical fiber with mirror for semiconductor laser
AssigneeApplied Optoelectronics, Inc.
InventorsChih-Hsiang Lin, Wen-Yen Hwang, Jun Zheng, Stefan J. Murry, James N. Baillargeon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting laser (VECSEL) is formed by providing a monolithic portion having a first laser cavity mirror and an active region disposed on the first mirror. The cavity is completed with a second laser cavity mirror, such as a DBR, deposited onto the light-receiving end of an optical device, such as an optical fiber. The DBR-on-fiber-end is mounted with respect to the active region to complete the laser cavity and to provide automatic coupling of the output laser light into the fiber.
Claims43
A laser apparatus comprising:
- (a) a first laser cavity mirror;
- (b) an active region disposed on the first mirror;
- and
- (c) a light-receiving optical device having a light-receiving end and a second laser cavity mirror disposed on said light-receiving end.
A method for fabricating a laser having a particular lasing wavelength, comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a monolithic VECSEL portion having a first mirror and an active region, the first mirror having a reflectivity of at least about 99.5% for light at about the lasing wavelength and the active region having a maximum gain at about the lasing wavelength;
- (b) selecting, from a plurality of optical fibers each having disposed on a light-receiving end thereof a second cavity mirror having a respective reflectivity and phase spectrum, one of said optical fibers the second cavity mirror of which has a phase spectrum and/or reflectivity spectrum corresponding to the lasing wavelength;
- and
- (c) mounting said optical fiber with respect to said laser portion so as to form a laser which will lase at said lasing wavelength.
A VECSEL array, comprising:
- (a) a substrate having a surface;
- (b) a plurality of VECSEL portions, one for each VECSEL of the array, each VECSEL portion comprising a first laser cavity mirror disposed on the surface of the substrate and an active region disposed on the first laser cavity mirror, wherein:
- each VECSEL is for lasing at a respective lasing wavelength;
- the first mirror has a reflectivity of at least about 99.5% for light at about the lasing wavelength;
- and the active region having a maximum gain at about the lasing wavelength;
- and
- (c) a plurality of optical fibers, one for each VECSEL, each fiber having disposed on a light-receiving end thereof a second cavity mirror having a respective reflectivity and phase spectrum, each fiber being mounted over a corresponding one of the VECSEL portions so that its second laser cavity mirror is positioned over the active region to complete a laser optical cavity for each said VECSEL, wherein said second laser cavity mirror has a reflectivity of at least about 99% for light at about the lasing wavelength for its corresponding VECSEL.
An optical fiber for use in a VECSEL comprising a VECSEL portion having a first laser cavity mirror and an active region, the active region having a maximum gain at about a lasing wavelength, the optical fiber comprising:
- (a) an optical fiber portion having a core and a light-receiving end having an end surface;
- and
- (b) a second laser cavity mirror disposed on said end surface adapted to complete a laser optical cavity of the VECSEL, the second laser cavity mirror having a sufficiently high reflectivity at about the lasing wavelength to permit the VECSEL to lase at the lasing wavelength.
A method for forming an optical fiber for use in a VECSEL comprising a VECSEL portion having a first laser cavity mirror and an active region, the active region having a maximum gain at about a lasing wavelength, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a fiber having a core and a light-receiving end having an end surface;
- and
- (b) disposing a second laser cavity mirror on said end surface which second laser cavity mirror is adapted to complete a laser optical cavity of the VECSEL, the second laser cavity mirror having a sufficiently high reflectivity at about the lasing wavelength to permit the VECSEL to lase at the lasing wavelength.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.