Jds Uniphase Corporation

Sdl Inc.

Ii-vi Laser Enterprise Gmbh

Oclaro Photonics, Inc.

Other

Ii-vi Incorporated

Edmund L Wolak

John G Endriz

Robert J Lang

Sang-Ki Park

Serge Cutillas

Robert G Waarts

Tae Kyun Kim

Jay A Skidmore

Lei Xu

James Harrison

Daming Liu

Julian S Osinski

Harrison Ransom

John Kelly Johnson

Oscar D Romero, Jr

Donald R Scifres

Tae Jin Kim

Vincent M Wong

Marc K Von Gunten

Kuochou Tai

Yongdan Hu

Jo S Major

Prasad Yalamanchili

Richard L Duesterberg

D Philip Worland

Erik Paul Zucker

Jeffrey P Zack

Nina D Morozova

Chris Hart

Donald C Hargreaves

David D Dawson

Randolph W Hines

Hilary Clarke

Christopher L Hart

William Bardy

G Rainer Dohle

Jose Chan

Devices and methods for maintaining the brightness of laser emitter bar outputs having multiple emitters for coupling and other applications. In some embodiments, at least one brightness enhancement optic may be used in combination with a beam reformatting optic.

High brightness diode output methods and devices

A high brightness, high power laser output is produced using a technique of splitting the outputs of multiple laser diode sources into two polarization states, wavelength combining the first polarization state from the multiple laser diodes, separately wavelength combining the second polarization state from the multiple laser diodes, and recombining the two polarized wavelength combined beams using a polarization combiner.

Systems and methods to provide high brightness diode laser outputs

Optical systems and components thereof are disclosed which may be used for efficiently coupling laser energy into an optical conduit while maintaining a homogenous beam output from the optical conduit. Some embodiments are directed more specifically to far field beam homogenization of optical fiber coupled radiation.

Homogenization of far field fiber coupled radiation

Embodiments are directed to laser emitter modules, or subassemblies thereof, and methods and devices for making or using the modules. Some module embodiments are configured to provide hermetically sealed enclosures that are thermally stable during use, highly reliable in adverse environments, convenient and cost effective to manufacture or any combination of the foregoing.

High reliability laser emitter modules

Embodiments are directed to laser emitter modules and methods and devices for making the modules. Some module embodiments are configured to provide hermetically sealed enclosures that are convenient and cost effective to assemble and provide for active alignment of optical elements of the module.

Laser emitter modules and methods of assembly

Methods and devices for coupling the output of multiple emitters of a laser diode bar using a beam transform system with high brightness and coupling efficiency. Some embodiments may include wavelength locking with devices such as VBGs and other suitable devices and methods.

Multiple emitter coupling devices and methods with beam transform system

A high power light source having an array, bundle or separate plurality of laser diodes coupled to a same number of multimode waveguides to collect beams of light emitted from the of laser diodes is provided. An optical combiner receives the beams of light and combines the beams of light into a single forward propagating beam of light so that substantially all optical radiation within each beam of light overlaps the optical radiation each other beam to form the single beam. A reflective element is located to receive the single forward propagating beam of light and transmits greater than 60% of the single forward propagating beam of light therethrough. The reflective element reflects between 3&#x2013;40% of the single forward propagating beam back to the laser diodes as feedback to stabilize said laser diodes.

Wavelength stabilized laser

A fiber tail assembly (FTA) with a micro-lens formed in the fiber tip is used to couple the laser light out of the package and along the fiber. The FTA is soldered at two points where metallized bands are deposited on the fiber pigtail, one at a fiber mount near the diode where it can be soldered into alignment with the laser diode, and two at the snout which forms a feed through the housing and seal for the package. Typically, the FTA is metallized along its entire length within the package. In this invention the two-metallized bands are separated by a region that is unmetallized.

Optical fiber pigtail assembly

A laser package comprises a laser diode source having a first Fabry-Perot cavity between a highly reflective back facet and low reflective front facet for providing a first light output for an optical application. A light monitor is positioned adjacent to the back facet and aligned to receive a second light output from the laser diode back facet. A pigtail fiber having a lensed fiber input end is positioned from the laser diode front facet to form an optical coupling region and is aligned relative to the lasing cavity to receive the first light output into the fiber, the light output exiting the package for coupling to the application. A portion of the first light output from the lasing cavity is reflected off the lensed fiber input end with a portion directed back into the lasing cavity and another portion reflected off of the laser diode front facet. The front facet forms with the lensed fiber input end a second Fabry-Perot cavity generating light which is periodically in and out of phase with the light generated in the first Fabry-Perot cavity due to changes in the length of the second Fabry-Perot cavity caused by package ambient temperature changes so that a tracking error is generated in a signal developed by the light monitor. Thus, this invention provides several ways to suppress the formation of the second Fabry-Perot cavity.

Laser pump module with reduced tracking error

Tracking error suppression and method of reducing tracking error

A microlens on the end of an optical fiber has reduced back reflections to a light source, such as a pump laser diode. In a particular embodiment, the microlens is lapped on two radii, at least one of which is offset from the center axis of the fiber, to form a point on the end of the fiber, thus reducing a surface for reflecting light back to the light source. In another embodiment, the microlens is formed with two different side surface angles to accommodate misalignment of the light source to the fiber mount. In another embodiment a Fresnel lens structure on the end of the fiber operates optically as an angled chisel lens.

Lensed optical fiber

Laser modules that are operated intermittently are prone to stop operating after only a few thousand cycles or less. The laser modules sometimes experience a significant increase in operating temperature before they stop operating and, in some cases, manifest an opening of the electrical circuit that connects the laser diodes in the stack of laser subassemblies. In extreme cases, the laser module disintegrates into component subassemblies. These problems arise from structural failures in affixing agents like solder that are used to affix component parts to each other. The structural failures are caused by cyclical thermal expansion and contraction of component parts that exceed the elastic limit of the solder. Resistance to global plastic deformation (creep) and to local plastic deformation (fatigue) is improved by selecting materials to reduce mechanical strain and increase resistance to creep and fatigue, by altering the structural design of the laser module to reduce mechanical strain induced into the affixing agents, and by altering operational practices to reduce the range of temperatures imposed on laser module components. One design method improves resistance to creep and fatigue by controlling the thickness of the affixing agents used to affix component parts to each other.

Solder and material designs to improve resistance to cycling fatigue in laser diode stacks

Coherent light sources combining a semiconductor optical source with a light diverging region, such as a flared resonator type laser diode or flared amplifier type MOPA, with a single lens adapted to correct the astigmatism of the light beam emitted from the source is disclosed. The lens has an acircular cylindrical or toroidal first surface and an aspheric or binary diffractive second surface. The first surface has a curvature chosen to substantially equalize the lateral and transverse divergences of the astigmatic beam. Sources with an array of light diverging regions producing an array of astigmatic beams and a single astigmatism-correcting lens array aligned with the beams are also disclosed. The single beam source can be used in systems with frequency converting nonlinear optics. The array source can be stacked with other arrays to produce very high output powers with high brightness.

High brightness laser diode source

A system and method for operating a high power laser diode device with high efficiency coupling of a laser diode bar. The laser diode bar and a micro-cylinder lens are vertically oriented in a device package, such that the array axis of the laser bar and the longitudinal axis of the micro-cylinder lens are aligned substantially parallel to a gravity vector. In the two different embodiments disclosed, either initial collimation of the fast-axis divergence or, alternatively, initial collimation of both the fast-axis and slow-axis divergences take place before beam reformatting via a beam array turning mirror. Additionally, the vertical orientation of these components is combined with methods of compensating for the bending or 'smile' of the laser diode bar to provide for optimal output beam coupling, resulting in a uniform far field intensity distribution.

Packaged laser diode array system and method with reduced asymmetry

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Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Edmund L Wolak