Optically pumped edge-emitting semiconductor laser

A multilayer semiconductor laser, comprising:

• a substrate;
• a multilayer semiconductor heterostructure formed on the substrate;
• said heterostructure being divided into a plurality of electrically pumped regions and an elongated optically pumped region;
• said optically pumped region being optically pumped by radiation having a first wavelength generated and deposited laterally into the optical pumped region by said electrically pumped regions;
• wherein said optically pumped region is configured to generate radiation having a second wavelength longer than said first wavelength in response to said optical pumping and said second wavelength radiation is delivered as output radiation from one end of said optically pumped region;
• and
• wherein each of said electrically pumped regions has, at an end thereof furthest from said optically pumped region, a first multilayer mirror having a high reflectivity at said first wavelength and a low reflectivity at said second wavelength.

A multilayer semiconductor laser, comprising:

• a substrate;
• a multilayer semiconductor heterostructure formed on the substrate;
• said heterostructure being divided into an elongated first region having arranged along each side thereof a plurality of electrically pumped second regions;
• and
• said electrically pumped regions having equal width and having equal lateral spacing, with each of said electrically pumped regions on one side of said first region being aligned with a corresponding one of said electrically pumped regions on the opposite side of said first region, each of said electrically pumped regions having, at an end thereof furthest from said first region, a multilayer mirror having a high reflectivity at a first wavelength and a low reflectivity at a second wavelength longer than said first wavelength, said aligned ones of said electrically pumped regions generating laser radiation having said first wavelength, said first wavelength radiation circulating laterally through said first region between said first mirrors on the ends of said aligned ones of said electrically pumped regions with a portion of said circulating first wavelength radiation being absorbed in said first region in passing therethrough;
• and
• said first region being optically pumped by said absorbed first-wavelength radiation and said first region having at one end thereof a second multilayer mirror having a high reflectivity at said second wavelength and at an opposite end thereof a third mirror having a lower reflectivity at said second wavelength than said first mirror, whereby said optically pumped first region generates radiation having said second wavelength in response to said optical pumping, and said second wavelength radiation circulates in said optically pumped region between said second and third mirrors and is delivered as output radiation via said third mirror.

A multilayer semiconductor laser, comprising:

• a substrate;
• a multilayer semiconductor heterostructure formed on the substrate;
• said heterostructure being divided into an elongated first region having arranged along each side thereof a plurality of electrically pumped second regions;
• adjacent ones of said electrically pumped regions being laterally spaced apart and from each other by a first groove, and each of said electrically pumped regions longitudinally spaced from said first region by one of two first grooves formed in said heterostructure, one thereof along each side of said first region, each of said electrically pumped regions having, at an end thereof furthest from said first region, a multilayer mirror having a high reflectivity at a first wavelength and a low reflectivity at a second wavelength longer than said first wavelength, each of said electrically pumped regions generating laser radiation having said first wavelength and delivering said first wavelength radiation across said groove laterally into said first region;
• and
• said first region being optically pumped by said first-wavelength radiation delivered thereto, and said first region having at one end thereof a second multilayer mirror having a high reflectivity at said second wavelength and at an opposite end thereof a third mirror having a lower reflectivity at said second wavelength than said first mirror, whereby said optically pumped first region generates radiation having said second wavelength in response to said optical pumping, and said second wavelength radiation circulates in said optically pumped region between said second and third mirrors and is delivered as output radiation via said third mirror.

A multilayer semiconductor laser, comprising:

• a substrate;
• a multilayer semiconductor heterostructure formed on the substrate;
• said heterostructure being divided into an elongated first region and a plurality of electrically pumped second regions;
• said first region being optically pumped by radiation having a first wavelength generated and deposited laterally into said optically pumped region by said electrically pumped regions;
• wherein said optically pumped first region is in a laser resonator and generates radiation having a second wavelength longer than said first wavelength in response to said optical pumping, said second wavelength radiation being delivered as output radiation from one end of said optically pumped region;
• and
• wherein each of said electrically pumped second regions has, at an end thereof furthest from said optically pumped first region, a multilayer mirror having a high reflectivity at said first wavelength and a low reflectivity at said second wavelength.