Gain/index of refraction compound guide forma semiconductor re - and areire - the

摘要

A hybrid index/gain guided semiconductor laser has a gain guide type body with index waveguide attributes is characterized by having two regions of current confinement means. The first of these regions contains primary current confinement means and at least one second region which includes a pair of current confinement means parallel to each other and axially offset relative to the axis of the primary current confinement means and extend from the other laser facet toward the first region. The axially offset current confinement means in the second region provide regions of lower refractive index in the laser structure compared to the region of the laser optical cavity established between the offset current confinement means and, as a result, function as an index optical waveguide for the laser. The first region may be electrically isolated from the second region so that the first region is independently pumped relative to the second region. By varying the pumping current to the regions of the axially offset current confinement means, one can selectively change the refractive index differences established between the axially offset confinement means regions and the optical cavity region therebetween. The primary and offset current confinement geometry may be utilized in single or multiple element lasers.