US4995047A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Integrated injection-locked semiconductor diode laser
Assignee: United States Department of Energy
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Filing: 1989-08-30
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Granted: 1991-02-19
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Expires: 2009-08-30
Abstract
Abstract A continuous wave integrated injection-locked high-power diode laser array is provided with an on-chip independently-controlled master laser. The integrated injection locked high-power diode laser array is capable of continuous wave lasing in a single near-diffraction limited output beam at single-facet power levels up to 125 mW (250 mW total). Electronic steering of the array emission over an angle of 0.5 degrees is obtained by varying current to the master laser. The master laser injects a laser beam into the slave array by reflection of a rear facet.
Inventors
- 👤 G. Ronald Hadley
- 👤 John P. Hohimer
- 👤 Adelbert Owyoung
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 23:57
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S5/00; H01S5/40; H01S5/4025; H01S5/4031; H01S5/4006; H01S5/06; H01S5/062; H01S5/06233; H01S5/06243
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
48 words
A semiconductor laser apparatus, comprising: a slave array of semiconductor laser elements, and a master laser, integrated on one semiconductor chip with said slave array, for producing a laser beam and for controlling said slave array to produce a single, phase-locked, steerable emission beam from said slave array.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
48 words
A semiconductor laser apparatus, comprising: a slave array of semiconductor laser elements, and a master laser, integrated on one semiconductor chip with said slave array, for producing a laser beam and for controlling said slave array to produce a single, phase-locked, steerable emission beam from said slave array.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The semiconductor laser apparatus of claim 1, wherein the master laser injects said laser beam into the slave array by reflection at a facet interface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The semiconductor laser apparatus of claim 1, wherein said slave array is a diode laser array.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The semiconductor laser apparatus of claim 3, wherein said slave array is a stripe geometry gain-guided diode laser array.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The semiconductor laser apparatus of claim 4, wherein said slave array is a single-quantum-well graded-index separate-confinement-heterostructure with nine stripes.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The semiconductor laser apparatus of claim 1, wherein said master laser is an isolated single channel master laser.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The semiconductor laser apparatus of claim 1, wherein said master laser and said slave array are independently controlled.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The semiconductor laser apparatus of claim 1, wherein said master laser and slave array have a cavity length which corresponds to a repetition of a photomask pattern.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
The semiconductor laser apparatus of claim 8, wherein said cavity length is 250 μm.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The semiconductor laser apparatus of claim 1, wherein said master laser and slave array have a cavity length which provides a lateral discontinuity in the master laser.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The semiconductor laser apparatus of claim 1, wherein said cavity length is 370 μm.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The semiconductor laser apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for external injection of a second laser beam.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The semiconductor laser apparatus of claim 12, wherein said means is a tunable single-frequency continuous wave dye laser.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
The semiconductor laser apparatus of claim 1, wherein said master laser is arranged at a tilt angle which matches an internal angle of a free-running emission of said slave array.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
The semiconductor laser apparatus of claim 14, wherein said tilt angle ranges from about 0.5 to about 2 degrees.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
The semiconductor laser apparatus of claim 14, wherein said tilt angle is about 1.4 degrees.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The semiconductor laser apparatus of claim 1, wherein an array emission beam is electronically steered by varying current to the master laser.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
37 words
The semiconductor laser apparatus of claim 1, wherein said master laser is operated single-frequency and made wavelength tunable by external injection of a second laser beam thereby generating a single-frequency wavelength tunable output from the slave array.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
31 words
The semiconductor laser apparatus of claim 1, wherein said master laser and slave array are operated single-frequency and made wavelength tunable by incorporating into the master laser a separate-contact cleave-coupled-cavity structure.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
31 words
The semiconductor laser apparatus of claim 1, wherein said master laser and slave array are operated single-frequency and made wavelength tunable by incorporating into the master laser a separate-contact distributed-Bragg-reflector structure.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
118 words
A method for converting a twin-lobed far-field emission into a single near-diffraction-limited output beam, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a slave array which gives rise to a twin-lobed far-field emission when operated alone; (b) integrating a master laser, which is operably attached to a source of current and which produces a laser beam, on one semiconductor chip with said slave array; (c) injecting said laser beam from said master laser into said slave array, via reflection from a rear facet of said slave array; and (d) varying the current from said source of current to said master laser to control said slave array, such that said twin-lobed far-field emission is converted into a single near-diffraction-limited output beam.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
118 words
A method for converting a twin-lobed far-field emission into a single near-diffraction-limited output beam, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a slave array which gives rise to a twin-lobed far-field emission when operated alone; (b) integrating a master laser, which is operably attached to a source of current and which produces a laser beam, on one semiconductor chip with said slave array; (c) injecting said laser beam from said master laser into said slave array, via reflection from a rear facet of said slave array; and (d) varying the current from said source of current to said master laser to control said slave array, such that said twin-lobed far-field emission is converted into a single near-diffraction-limited output beam.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
118 words
A method for converting a multi-longitudinal-mode emission into a single-longitudinal-mode output beam, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a slave array which gives rise to a multi-longitudinal-mode emission when operated alone; (b) integrating a master laser, which is operably attached to a source of current and which produces a single-frequency laser beam, on one semiconductor chip with said slave array; (c) injecting said single-frequency laser beam from said master laser into said slave array, via reflection from a rear facet of said slave array; and (d) varying the current from said source of current to said master laser to control the frequency of said slave array, such that said multi-longitudinal-mode emission is converted into a single-longitudinal-mode output beam.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
118 words
A method for converting a multi-longitudinal-mode emission into a single-longitudinal-mode output beam, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a slave array which gives rise to a multi-longitudinal-mode emission when operated alone; (b) integrating a master laser, which is operably attached to a source of current and which produces a single-frequency laser beam, on one semiconductor chip with said slave array; (c) injecting said single-frequency laser beam from said master laser into said slave array, via reflection from a rear facet of said slave array; and (d) varying the current from said source of current to said master laser to control the frequency of said slave array, such that said multi-longitudinal-mode emission is converted into a single-longitudinal-mode output beam.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-02-18 | 1994-08-20 | 1995-02-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-02-18 | 1998-08-20 | 1999-02-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-02-18 | 2002-08-20 | 2003-02-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |