Leland Stanford Junior University

University of California

Coherent, Inc.

Rashit F Nabiev

Constance J Chang-Hasnain

Michael Jansen

Kam-Yin Lau

Lars E Eng

Yongan Wu

Ian Edmond

Fang Fang

A multi-layer high reflective dielectric optical coating deposited on a laser diode facet that shifts the high amplitude peak of the electric field associated with the reflection of light away from the interface between the semiconductor material and the reflective coating, and into the reflective coating itself. By shifting the electric field peak in this manner, the laser diode can operate at much higher optical output powers without inducing catastrophic optical damage at the non-output facet.

Laser diode facet coating

A compact and cost-effective wavelength meter and photodetector (10) that can measure simultaneously both wavelength and intensity has two back-to-back photodiodes (12 and 14) with a wavelength dependent distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) (28) positioned in-between. The wavelength resolution of this device is 1 nm or less. Easy design and fabrication of the device provides for reliable and cost-effective manufacturing. Applications include instrumentation and wavelength-division-multiplexing (WDM) in optical communication systems.

Monolithic wavelength meter and photodetector using a wavelength

A single mode laser with a laser cavity consisting of an active medium and a first and second reflectors with an antiguide region or layer having a high refractive index positioned adjacent to the laser cavity to bleed off higher order lasing modes and preventing them from attaining the lasing condition. Specifically, light belonging to higher order modes leaks or bleeds into the antiguide region from the laser medium and from the first and second reflectors. When spacers for selecting the desired wavelength of laser light are provided, the light travelling through them leaks into the antiguide layer as well. Optimization of the bleeding of higher order modes into the passive antiguide region can be achieved by adjusting a taper angle of the laser cavity. Furthermore, by adjusting the ratio of the equivalent refractive index of the laser cavity and the passive antiguide region single mode operation at high current levels can be realized for apertures as large as 30 .mu.m. In addition, such lasers exhibit a repeatable and predetermined direction of polarization, most commonly along the [011] crystal orientation of the laser medium.

Single mode laser with a passive antiguide region

Growing community of inventors

Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Rashit F Nabiev