Title: Frequency-doubled vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting laser

Abstract

A frequency-doubled semiconductor vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting laser (VECSEL) is disclosed for generating light at a wavelength in the range of 300-550 nanometers. The VECSEL includes a semiconductor multi-quantum-well active region that is electrically or optically pumped to generate lasing at a fundamental wavelength in the range of 600-1100 nanometers. An intracavity nonlinear frequency-doubling crystal then converts the fundamental lasing into a second-harmonic output beam. With optical pumping with 330 milliWatts from a semiconductor diode pump laser, about 5 milliWatts or more of blue light can be generated at 490 nm. The device has applications for high-density optical data storage and retrieval, laser printing, optical image projection, chemical-sensing, materials processing and optical metrology.

Inventors:

Raymond, Thomas D ^[1]; Alford, William J ^[2]; Crawford, Mary H ^[2]; Allerman, Andrew A ^[2]

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+ Show Inventor Affiliations

1. Edgewood, NM
2. Albuquerque, NM

Issue Date:

Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2002

Research Org.:

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)

OSTI Identifier:

874452

Patent Number(s):

6393038

Assignee:

Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):

H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01S - DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT

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H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01S - DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT

H01S2301/163 - Single longitudinal mode
H01S3/082 - defining a plurality of resonators, e.g. for mode selection {
H01S3/109 - Frequency multiplying, e.g. harmonic generation
H01S5/041 - {Optical pumping}
H01S5/141 - {using a wavelength selective device, e.g. a grating or etalon
H01S5/18383 - {with periodic active regions at nodes or maxima of light intensity}
H01S5/2009 - {by using electron barrier layers}

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DOE Contract Number:  

AC04-94AL85000

Resource Type:

Patent

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

frequency-doubled; vertical-external-cavity; surface-emitting; laser; semiconductor; vecsel; disclosed; generating; light; wavelength; range; 300-550; nanometers; multi-quantum-well; active; region; electrically; optically; pumped; generate; lasing; fundamental; 600-1100; intracavity; nonlinear; frequency-doubling; crystal; converts; second-harmonic; output; beam; optical; pumping; 330; milliwatts; diode; pump; blue; generated; 490; nm; device; applications; high-density; data; storage; retrieval; printing; image; projection; chemical-sensing; materials; processing; metrology; data storage; surface-emitting laser; cavity surface; generating light; /372/