Wide-waveguide interferometric array with interelement losses

Patent · Tue Sep 12 04:00:00 EDT 1989

OSTI ID:5438086

Botez, D; Mawst, L J

This patent describes a semiconductor laser array structure. It comprises: means for producing lasing action in a semiconductor structure, including a substrate, an active semiconductor layer, cladding layers, electrodes for applying a voltage across the active layer, and a pair of reflective facets, at least one of which is an emitting facet, located at opposite ends of the array structure; an array of waveguides with parallel longitudinal axes, formed in the structure and including semiconductor structural means between the waveguides to provide interelement regions of increased loss between the waveguides, to favor higher-order array modes; and means for favoring operation in a selected array mode exclusively. Wherein the means to provide interelement losses includes a buffer layer having an intermediate index of refraction between the index of refraction of the cladding layers and the index of refraction of the substrate, to provide sufficient transverse antiguiding in the interelement regions to favor operation in a higher-order array mode.

• Assignee: TRW Inc., Redondo Beach, CA
• Patent Number(s): US 4866724
• Application Number: PPN: US 7233390A
• OSTI ID: 5438086
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
426002* -- Engineering-- Lasers & Masers-- (1990-)
DESIGN
INTERFEROMETRY
LASERS
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
REFRACTIVITY
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMICONDUCTOR LASERS
SOLID STATE LASERS
WAVEGUIDES