Intracavity frequency-converted optically-pumped semiconductor laser

• US 5,991,318 A
• Filed: 10/26/1998
• Issued: 11/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Coherent Inc (Coherent Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Coherent Inc (Coherent Corp.)
• Inventors: Caprara, Andrea, Chilla, Juan L., Spinelli, Luis A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Scott, Jr., Leon
• Application Number:
  US09/179,022
• Time in Patent Office: 393 Days
• Field of Search: 372/22, 372/50, 372/97, 372/43, 372/99, 372/92, 372/98, 372/105, 372/23, 372/45
• US Class Current: 372/22
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/082 defining a plurality of resonators, e.g. for mode selection or suppression
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/09415 the pumping beam being parallel to the lasing mode of the pumped medium, e.g. end-pumping
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/1083 using parametric generation
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/109 Frequency multiplication, e.g. harmonic generation
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/041 Optical pumping
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/141 using a wavelength selective device, e.g. a grating or etalon H01S5/146 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18383 with periodic active regions at nodes or maxima of light intensity

Abstract

An intracavity, frequency-doubled, external-cavity, optically-pumped semiconductor laser in accordance with the present invention includes a monolithic surface-emitting semiconductor layer structure including a Bragg mirror portion and a gain portion. An external mirror and the Bragg-mirror portion define a laser resonant-cavity including the gain-portion of the semiconductor layer structure. A birefringent filter is located in the resonant-cavity for selecting a frequency of the laser-radiation within a gain bandwidth characteristic of semiconductor structure. An optically-nonlinear crystal is located in the resonant-cavity between the birefringent filter and the external mirror and arranged to double the selected frequency of laser-radiation.

Claims

1. A laser, comprising:

an epitaxially-grown monolithic semiconductor multilayer structure having a surface-emitting gain-portion, said gain portion including a plurality of active layers spaced-apart by spacer layers and arranged to provide optical gain in a laser resonant-cavity;

said laser resonant-cavity having a resonator axis and being terminated by first and second mirrors, said laser resonant-cavity configured to include said gain-portion of said monolithic semiconductor multilayer structure;

a pump-radiation source arranged to deliver pump-radiation to said gain-portion of said monolithic semiconductor multilayer structure for generating laser-radiation in said laser resonant-cavity;

a birefringent filter located in said laser resonant-cavity for selecting a frequency of said laser-radiation within a gain bandwidth characteristic of the composition of said gain-portion of said monolithic semiconductor multilayer structure; and

an optically-nonlinear crystal located in said resonant-cavity and arranged to convert said selected frequency of laser-radiation to light of at least one different frequency, thereby providing frequency-converted radiation.

2. The laser of claim 1, wherein said laser resonant-cavity is configured as a straight resonant-cavity with said first mirror spaced-apart from said gain-portion of said semiconductor multilayer structure and a Bragg-mirror portion of said semiconductor multilayer structure being said second mirror.

3. The laser of claim 2, wherein said first mirror serves an outcoupling mirror for said frequency-converted radiation.

4. The laser of claim 1, wherein said laser resonant-cavity is configured as a folded resonant-cavity with a Bragg-mirror portion of said semiconductor multilayer structure being said second mirror and a third mirror being located between said first mirror and said semiconductor multilayer structure for folding said resonator axis.

5. The laser of claim 4, wherein said third mirror serves an outcoupling mirror for said frequency-converted radiation.

6. The laser of claim 1, wherein said laser resonant-cavity is configured as a folded resonant-cavity with said first and second mirrors being spaced-apart from said gain-portion of said semiconductor multilayer structure and a Bragg-mirror portion of said semiconductor multilayer structure serving as a fold mirror for folding said resonator axis.

7. The laser of claim 1 wherein said optically nonlinear crystal is selected and arranged to double said selected frequency.

8. The laser of claim 1 wherein said optically non-linear crystal is selected an arranged to convert said selected frequency into first and second different converted-frequencies.

9. A laser, comprising:

an epitaxially-grown monolithic semiconductor multilayer structure having a Bragg-mirror portion and a surface-emitting gain-portion, said gain portion including a plurality of active layers spaced-apart by spacer layers;

an external mirror separated from the semiconductor multilayer structure and arranged such that said Bragg-mirror portion of said monolithic semiconductor multilayer structure and said external mirror define a laser resonant-cavity including said gain-portion of said monolithic semiconductor multilayer structure;

a pump-radiation source arranged to deliver pump-radiation to the gain-portion of said monolithic semiconductor multilayer structure for generating laser-radiation in said laser resonant-cavity;

a birefringent filter located in said laser resonant-cavity for selecting a frequency of said laser-radiation within a gain bandwidth characteristic of the composition of said gain-portion of said monolithic semiconductor multilayer structure; and

an optically-nonlinear crystal located in said resonant-cavity between said birefringent filter and said external mirror and arranged to double said selected frequency of laser-radiation, thereby providing frequency-doubled radiation.

10. The laser of claim 9 wherein said resonant-cavity and components therein are arranged such that the laser operates in a single axial mode.

11. The laser of claim 10 wherein said laser resonator is folded into first and second arms by a fold mirror located between said optically-nonlinear crystal and said birefringent filter.

12. A laser, comprising:

an epitaxially-grown monolithic semiconductor multilayer structure having a surface-emitting gain-portion, said gain portion including a plurality of active layers spaced-apart by spacer layers and arranged to provide optical gain in a laser resonant-cavity;

said laser resonant-cavity having a resonator axis and being terminated by first and second mirrors, said laser resonant-cavity configured to include said gain-portion of said monolithic semiconductor multilayer structure;

a pump-radiation source arranged to deliver pump-radiation to said gain-portion of said monolithic semiconductor multilayer structure for generating laser-radiation in said laser resonant-cavity, said laser-radiation having a fundamental frequency; and

an optically-nonlinear crystal located in said resonant-cavity and arranged to convert said fundamental frequency of laser-radiation into at least one different frequency, thereby providing frequency-converted radiation.

13. A laser, comprising:

an epitaxially-grown monolithic semiconductor multilayer structure having a Bragg-mirror portion and a surface-emitting gain-portion, said gain portion including a plurality of active layers spaced-apart by spacer layers and arranged to provide optical gain in a laser resonant-cavity;

an external mirror separated from the semiconductor multilayer structure and arranged such that said Bragg-mirror portion of said monolithic semiconductor multilayer structure and said external mirror define a laser resoneint-cavity including said gain-port ion of said monolithic semiconductor multilayer structure;

a pump-radiation source arranged to deliver pump-radiation to said gain-portion of said monolithic semiconductor multilayer structure for generating laser-radiation in said laser resonant-cavity, said laser-radiation having a fundamental frequency; and

an optically-nonlinear crystal located in said resonant-cavity and arranged convert said fundamental frequency of laser-radiation into at least one different frequency, thereby providing frequency-converted radiation.

14. A laser, comprising:

an epitaxially-grown monolithic semiconductor multilayer structure having a surface-emitting gain-portion, said gain portion including a plurality of active layers spaced-apart by spacer layers and arranged to provide optical gain in a laser resonant-cavity;

said laser resonant-cavity having a resonator axis and being terminated by first and second mirrors, said laser resonant-cavity configured to include said gain-portion of said monolithic semiconductor multilayer structure;

a pump-radiation source arranged to deliver pump-radiation to said gain-portion of said monolithic semiconductor multilayer structure for generating laser-radiation in said laser resonant-cavity; and

a frequency-selective element located in said laser resonant-cavity for selecting a frequency of said laser-radiation within a gain bandwidth characteristic of the composition of said gain-portion of said monolithic semiconductor multilayer structure.

18. A laser as recited in claim 14 wherein said frequency selective filter is a birefringent filter.

19. A laser as recited in claim 14 wherein said frequency selective filter is an etalon.

20. A laser as recited in claim 14 wherein said frequency selective filter is prism.

15. An optical parametric oscillator, comprising:

an epitaxially-grown monolithic semiconductor multilayer structure having a surface-emitting gain-portion, said gain portion including a plurality of active layers spaced-apart by spacer layers and arranged to provide optical gain in a laser resonant-cavity;

said first laser resonant-cavity having a first resonator axis and being terminated by first and second mirrors, said laser resonant-cavity configured to include said gain-portion of said monolithic semiconductor multilayer structure;

a pump-radiation source arranged to deliver pump-radiation to said gain-portion of said monolithic semiconductor multilayer structure for generating laser-radiation in said laser resonant-cavity said laser-radiation having a fundamental frequency;

an optically-nonlinear crystal located in said resonant-fundlamental frequency of said laser-radiation to light of at least two different frequencies, one thereof being selected to provide signal-light for output; and

a second resonant-cavity having a second resonator axis and being configured to cause oscillation of said signal-light through said optically non-linear crystal.

16. The oscillator of claim 15 wherein said first and second resonator axes are collinear.

17. The oscillator of claim 15 wherein said first and second resonator axes are at angle to each other and intersect within said optically-nonlinear crystal.