Active Photonic Lattices: Lasers for Watt-Range, Coherent-Power Generation

摘要

Active photonic lattices (APLs) of large index steps have been used, as early as 1988, for effective lateral-mode control in large-aperture (100-200 microns) high-power coherent devices. Photonic-bandpass (PBP) structures relying on long-range resonant leaky-wave coupling, so called ROW arrays, have allowed stable, near-diffraction-limited beam operation to powers as high as 1.6W CW and 10W peak pulsed. Photonic-bandgap (PBG) structures with a built-in lattice defect, so called ARROW lasers, have provided up to 0.5W peak-pulsed stable, single-mode power and hold the potential for 1W CW reliable single-mode operation from apertures ~10 microns wide. The solution for high-efficiency surface emission, from 2nd-order DFB/DBR lasers, in an orthonormal, single-lobe beam pattern was found in 2000. Recently, single-lobe and single-mode operation in a diffraction-limited beam orthonormal to the chip surface was demonstrated from 1.5mm-long DFB/DBR ridge-guide lasers. That opens the way for the realization of 2-D surface-emitting, 2nd-order APLs for the stable generation of watts of CW single-lobe, single-mode power from large 2-D apertures, as well as scalability of such devices at the wafer level.