A tunable source includes a short-cavity laser optimized for performance and reliability in SSOCT imaging systems, spectroscopic detection systems, and other types of detection and sensing systems. The short cavity laser has a large free spectral range cavity, fast tuning response and single transverse, longitudinal and polarization mode operation, and includes embodiments for fast and wide tuning, and optimized spectral shaping. Disclosed are both electrical and optical pumping in a MEMS-VCSEL geometry with mirror and gain regions optimized for wide tuning, high output power, and a variety of preferred wavelength ranges; and a semiconductor optical amplifier, combined with the short-cavity laser to produce high-power, spectrally shaped operation. Several preferred imaging and detection systems make use of this tunable source for optimized operation are also disclosed.

A vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting laser (VECSEL) and a method of forming the VECSEL is disclosed. The VECSEL includes a heat sink; a heat spreader or heat spreader formed on a top surface of the heat sink, where the heat spreader comprises a first material having a first refractive index; and a high contrast grating formed on a top surface of the heat spreader or active region, wherein the high contrast grating comprises an active region and the high contrast grating comprising a second material having a second refractive index, the second refractive index is greater than the first refractive index.

The disclosure provides a nanolaser based on a depth-subwavelength graphene-dielectric hyperbolic dispersive cavity, comprising a pumping light source and the depth-subwavelength graphene-dielectric hyperbolic dispersive cavity; wherein the depth-subwavelength graphene-dielectric hyperbolic dispersive cavity is a spherical or hemispherical hyperbolic dispersive microcavity formed by alternately wrapping a dielectric core with graphene layers and dielectric layers. Because the graphene plasmon has unique excellent performances, such as an electrical adjustability, a low intrinsic loss, a high optical field localization, and a continuously adjustable resonance frequency from mid-infrared to terahertz, compared with a common metal-dielectric hyperbolic dispersive characteristic, a graphene-dielectric hyperbolic dispersive metamaterial used by the disclosure not only may highly localize an energy of an electromagnetic wave in a more depth-subwavelength cavity, but also may reduce an ohmic loss and improve a quality factor.

Ultraviolet light sources such as UV and DUV laser diodes and light emitting diodes (LEDs) are described. The UV light source may comprise at least one quantum well with first and second photoconductive layers on opposite sides thereof. The UV light source may further comprise at least one optical pump configured to direct pump light to the UV light emitter. The pump light may have a photon energy less than the band gap of the at least one quantum well to increase the conductivity of electrons and holes in the first and second photoconductive layers. The electrons and holes can thereby propagate to the quantum well where at least some of the electrons and holes combine resulting in the emission of UV light.

An optically pumped tunable VCSEL swept source module has a VCSEL and a pump, which produces light to pump the VSCEL, wherein the pump is geometrically isolated from the VCSEL. In different embodiments, the pump is geometrically isolated by defocusing light from the pump in front of the VCSEL, behind the VCSEL, and/or by coupling the light from the pump at an angle with respect to the VCSEL. In the last case, angle is usually less than 88 degrees. There are further strategies for attacking pump noise problems. Pump feedback can be reduced through (1) Faraday isolation and (2) geometric isolation. Single frequency pump lasers (Distributed feedback lasers (DFB), distributed Bragg reflector lasers (DBR), Fabry-Perot (FP) lasers, discrete mode lasers, volume Bragg grating (VBG) stabilized lasers can eliminate wavelength jitter and amplitude noise that accompanies mode hopping.

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL), a head gimbal assembly for mounting a VCSEL, devices incorporating such articles, and to a process for forming a VCSEL. In an embodiment, a VCSEL device provided. The VCSEL device includes a chip for mounting on a slider, the chip having a plurality of surfaces and a notch, the plurality of surfaces comprising: a bottom surface for facing the slider; a top surface opposite the bottom surface; and a plurality of side surfaces, wherein the notch forms a recessed edge spaced away from the bottom surface and toward the top surface, the notch having a shoulder, a side, and an angle (θ1) between the shoulder and the side. The VCSEL device further includes two laser diode electrodes positioned in any combination on one or more of the plurality of surfaces of the chip.

The laser module includes a QCL element and a light source. The QCL element includes a substrate, a lower clad layer provided on the substrate, an active layer that is provided on an opposite side of the lower clad layer from the substrate and generates a first terahertz wave, an upper clad layer provided on an opposite side of the active layer from the lower clad layer, and a first electrode provided on an opposite side of the upper clad layer from the active layer. The second terahertz wave from the light source enters the active layer through the substrate, is reflected by the first electrode, and is amplified or wavelength-converted. The third terahertz wave amplified or wavelength-converted in the active layer is emitted to the outside through the substrate.

A confinement assembly configured for confining quantum objects is provided. The confinement assembly includes a first substrate having potential generating elements formed thereon; and may include a second substrate that is secured with respect to the first substrate. The confinement assembly further includes at least a portion of a laser (e.g., gain media and at least part of a resonant structure) formed on the first and/or second substrate. The potential generating elements are operable for generating confinement regions configured for confining the quantum objects. The confinement assembly at least partially defines an optical path for causing an optical beam to interact with the at least a portion of the laser. The optical beam is (a) a seeding laser beam configured to control at least one property of light emitted by the laser or (b) an optical pumping beam configured to power the lasing activity of the laser.

The present invention relates to a single photon source, comprising: a microcavity arranged between a concave first minor and a semiconductor heterostructure forming a planar second minor, wherein the microcavity supports an optical mode, a quantum dot embedded in the semiconductor heterostructure and facing the first minor, and a laser light source configured to provide laser light in the microcavity to excite the quantum dot to emit single photons exiting the microcavity.

A lighting module includes a voltage-current controller to control power externally supplied, a capacitor charged with power supplied from the voltage-current controller, a laser light source to emit laser light driven by a current from the capacitor, first and second FETs electrically connected in series to the laser light source, and circuitry that controls a first voltage value applied to the first FET and a second voltage value applied to the second FET, to control a resistance value of the second FET. The first FET controls a pulse width of the current flowing through the laser light source in accordance with the first voltage value applied to a gate thereof. The second FET changes in resistance value in accordance with the second voltage value applied to a gate thereof and controls, with the resistance value, a peak value of the current flowing through the laser light source.