Curved waveguides for spatial mode filters in semiconductor lasers

Author

Swint, R.B. ; Yeoh, T.S. ; Elarde, V.C. ; Coleman, J.J. ; Zediker, M.S.

Author_Institution

Univ. of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA

Volume

16

Issue

1

fYear

2004

Firstpage

12

Lastpage

14

Abstract

Curved waveguides are used as a lateral spatial mode filter to increase the threshold for the first-order mode in high-power narrow stripe semiconductor lasers. Beam propagation analysis is used to determine optimal waveguide geometries and radii of curvature to establish appropriate amounts of bend loss. Curved waveguide devices are fabricated and compared against conventional devices. Use of a curved waveguide increases the current level at which lateral beam instabilities occur from ∼400 to ∼700 mA with no decline in slope efficiency.

Keywords

laser beams; laser modes; laser stability; quantum well lasers; spatial filters; waveguide lasers; 400 to 700 mA; beam propagation analysis; bend loss; curved waveguides; first-order laser mode threshold; high-power narrow stripe semiconductor lasers; lateral beam instabilities; lateral spatial mode filter; optimal waveguide geometries; radii of curvature; semiconductor lasers; slope efficiency; spatial mode filters; Laser beams; Laser modes; Optical filters; Optical propagation; Optical refraction; Optical waveguides; Propagation losses; Semiconductor lasers; Semiconductor waveguides; Waveguide lasers;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1041-1135

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LPT.2003.818933

Filename

1255935