Fabrication method of a polarization selective semiconductor laser

• US 6,043,104 A
• Filed: 06/24/1999
• Issued: 03/28/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Uchida, Mamoru, Ogusu, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Monin, Jr., Donald L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLE, DOUGLAS A
• Application Number:
  US09/339,539
• Time in Patent Office: 278 Days
• Field of Search: 372/50, 438/31, 438/32, 438/47
• US Class Current: 438/32
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/06236 controlling the polarisation, e.g. TM/TE polarisation switching
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/06258 with DFB-structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/1017 Waveguide having a void for insertion of materials to change optical properties
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/1021 Coupled cavities H01S5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/125 Distributed Bragg reflector [DBR] lasers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/3404 influencing the polarisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4031 Edge-emitting structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4087 emitting more than one wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/5036 the arrangement being polarisation-selective

Abstract

A fabrication method of a semiconductor laser capable of controlling a polarization mode of output light is disclosed. In the fabrication method, after two laser portions are independently formed, the laser portions are positioned to be optically coupled to each other. In another fabrication method of the laser, after at least portions of two laser portions are separately formed, an irregularly-formed portion at a boundary portion therebetween is removed. The fabrication method can be facilitated and a degree of freedom in the polarization control can be increased, since the two laser portions are separately formed.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a semiconductor laser capable of switching a polarization mode of output light, said method comprising the steps of:

fabricating a first semiconductor laser structure, a gain for a first polarization mode being larger than a gain for a second polarization mode in the first semiconductor laser structure; and

fabricating a second semiconductor laser structure independently from said fabricating step of the first semiconductor laser structure, a gain for the second polarization mode being larger than a gain for the first polarization mode in the second semiconductor laser structure; and

arranging the first semiconductor laser structure and the second semiconductor laser structure along a waveguide direction on a common support member such that the first and second semiconductor laser structures-are optically coupled to each other.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said arranging step includes a step, in which one of the first semiconductor laser structure and the second semiconductor laser structure is caused to emit light after the first semiconductor laser structure is positioned on the support member, and the other of the first semiconductor laser structure and the second semiconductor laser structure is caused to receive the light output from the one of the first semiconductor laser structure and the second semiconductor laser structure, as a photodetector, and is positioned.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said arranging step includes a step in which the semiconductor laser structure and the support member are brought into a desired positional relationship and the semiconductor laser structure is positioned, using a marker provided on at least one of the semiconductor laser structure and the support member.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said arranging step includes a step in which the semiconductor laser structure is abutted against a abutment portion of the support member and is positioned.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein in said arranging step the first semiconductor laser structure and the second semiconductor laser structure are arranged with a spacing therebetween.

6. A method according to claim 5, further comprising a step of filling the spacing with a filler.

7. A method of fabricating a semiconductor laser capable of switching a polarization mode of output light, said method comprising the steps of:

fabricating at least a portion of a first semiconductor laser structure on a substrate, a gain for a first polarization mode being larger than a gain for a second polarization mode in the first semiconductor laser structure;

fabricating at least a portion of a second semiconductor laser structure on the substrate, a gain for the second polarization mode being larger than a gain for the first polarization mode in the second semi-conductor laser structure; and

removing at least one of a portion of the first semiconductor laser structure on the side of the second semiconductor laser structure and a portion of the second semiconductor laser structure on the side of the first semiconductor laser structure to form a spacing between the first semiconductor laser structure and the second semiconductor laser structure, wherein the first semiconductor laser structure and the second semiconductor laser structure are optically coupled to each other.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein a portion of the first semiconductor laser structure and a portion of the second semiconductor laser structure are simultaneously fabricated.

9. A method according to claim 7, further comprising a step of filling the spacing with a filler.

10. A method of fabricating a semiconductor laser capable of switching a polarization mode of output light, said method comprising the steps of:

fabricating a first semiconductor laser array, the first semiconductor laser array including a plurality of first semiconductor laser structures arranged in a parallel manner, and a gain for a first polarization mode being larger than a gain for a second polarization mode in each of the first semiconductor laser structures;

fabricating a second semiconductor laser array independently from said fabricating step of the first semiconductor laser array, the second semiconductor laser array including a plurality of second semiconductor laser structures arranged in a parallel manner, and a gain for the second polarization mode being larger than a gain for the first polarization mode in each of the second semiconductor laser structures; and

arranging the first semiconductor laser array and the second semiconductor laser array along a waveguide direction on a common support member such that the first semiconductor laser structure and the second semiconductor laser structure, corresponding to each other, are optically coupled to each other.

11. A method of fabricating a semiconductor laser capable of switching a polarization mode of output light, said method comprising the steps of:

fabricating a plurality of at least portions of first semiconductor laser structures on a substrate in parallel manner, a gain for a first polarization mode being larger than a gain for a second polarization mode in the first semiconductor laser structure;

fabricating a plurality of at least portions of second semiconductor laser structures on the substrate in a parallel manner, a gain for the second polarization mode being larger than a gain for the first polarization mode in the second semiconductor laser structure; and

removing at least one of portions of the first semiconductor laser structures on the side of the second semiconductor laser array and portions of the second semiconductor laser structures on the side of the first semiconductor laser array to form a spacing between the first semiconductor laser structure and the second semiconductor laser structure, corresponding to each other, wherein the first semiconductor laser structure and the second semiconductor laser structure, corresponding to each other, are optically coupled to each other.