An analysis of the lateral-mode behavior of broad-area semiconductor lasers operating with a simple external-cavity configuration is presented. A numerical approach is employed for propagating the optical field around the external-cavity resonator, as well as for the calculation of realistic carrier-density profiles inside the active region of the broad-area laser. By slightly detuning the position of the laser relative to the collimation lens, it is shown that the lateral- mode selectivity can be significantly enhanced compared to that of a free-running broad-area laser. The lateral-mode selectivity and the shape of the far field radiation pattern emitted from the external mirror are found to depend heavily upon the separation between the external mirror and the collimation lens. The calculations also revealed that output powers of a few hundreds mW can be emitted in a single-lateral-mode output beam for configurations maximizing the lateral-mode selectivity.

Date Published: 5 January 1994
PDF: 12 pages
Proc. SPIE 2041, Mode-locked and Other Ultrashort Laser Designs, Amplifiers, and Applications, (5 January 1994); doi: 10.1117/12.165641

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 2041:
Mode-locked and Other Ultrashort Laser Designs, Amplifiers, and Applications
Michel Piche; Paul W. Pace, Editor(s)