Hybrid silicon lasers and amplifiers having resonator cavities within a silicon substrate and a two-dimensional material film on the substrate as an optical gain medium are described. The two-dimensional material film may be formed of one or more atomic layers of phosphorene (BP). The number of phosphorene layers may be adjusted to tune the emission wavelength of the hybrid devices.

A multi-section semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) includes at least two sections in seriesan input section at an input side and an output section at an output sidewith the input section having a higher optical confinement (also referred to as a high gamma) and the output section having a lower optical confinement (also referred to as a low gamma). The input section may also have a shorter length than the output section. The multi-section structure allows optimizing the input side and the output side design separately such that the input section provides a high gain section configured to quickly increase optical power and the output section provides a low differential gain section that improves saturation. As a result, the multi-section SOA can achieve higher output power with high gain and lower signal noise while demanding low input power.

An edge-emitting semiconductor laser and a method for operating a semiconductor laser are disclosed. The edge-emitting semiconductor laser includes an active zone within a semiconductor layer sequence and a stress layer. The active zone is configured for being energized only in a longitudinal strip perpendicular to a growth direction of the semiconductor layer sequence. The semiconductor layer sequence has a constant thickness throughout in the region of the longitudinal strip so that the semiconductor laser is gain-guided. The stress layer may locally stress the semiconductor layer sequence in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal strip and in a direction perpendicular to the growth direction. A refractive index of the semiconductor layer sequence, in regions which, seen in plan view, are located next to the longitudinal strip, for the laser radiation generated during operation is reduced by at least 210.sup.4 and by at most 510.sup.3.

Hybrid silicon lasers and amplifiers having resonator cavities within a silicon substrate and a two-dimensional material film on the substrate as an optical gain medium are described. The two-dimensional material film may be formed of one or more atomic layers of phosphorene (BP). The number of phosphorene layers may be adjusted to tune the emission wavelength of the hybrid devices.

A method of manufacturing a vertical cavity surface emitting laser element includes: providing a nitride semiconductor layer including an n-side semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a p-side semiconductor layer layered in this order, with the p-side semiconductor layer defining an upper surface of the nitride semiconductor layer; forming a mask member on a portion of the upper surface of the nitride semiconductor layer; placing the p-side semiconductor layer in an oxygen atmosphere together with a member containing aluminum or quartz and performing reactive ion etching on a portion of the p-side semiconductor layer; performing, in an oxygen atmosphere, heat treatment on the p-side semiconductor layer; removing the mask member; and forming an electrode on the upper surface of the nitride semiconductor layer across the portion having been subjected to the reactive ion etching and the portion from which the mask member has been removed.

A method for making a laser diode with a distributed grating reflector (RT) in a planar section of a semiconductor laser with stabilized wavelength includes providing a diode formed by a substrate (S), a first cladding layer (CL1) arranged on the substrate (S), an active layer (A) arranged on the first cladding layer (CL1) and adapted to emit a radiation, and a second cladding layer (CL2) arranged on the active layer (A), said cladding layers (CL1, CL2) being adapted to form a heterojunction to allow for efficient injection of current into the active layer (A) and optical confinement, and a contact layer. The manufacturing method provides for creating, on a first portion (ZA) of the device, a waveguide (GO) for confinement of the optical radiation and, on the remaining portion (ZP) of the device, two different gratings for light reflection and confinement. The two gratings define two different zones (R1, R2), wherein the first zone (R1) includes a grating of low order and high duty cycle, and is intended for reflection, and the second zone (R2) includes a grating of the same order, or a grating of a higher order than the previous one, and low duty cycle, and is mainly intended for light confinement. The waveguide (GO) for confining the optical radiation is implemented through a lithography and a subsequent etching, whereas the grating (RT) requires a high-resolution lithography and a shallow etching starting from a planar zone.

Embodiments may relate to a multiple quantum well (MQW) laser for operating at high temperatures, comprising at least one quantum well made of compressively strained InGaAlAs layers that are alternatively stacked with tensile strained InGaAlAs layers, the at least one quantum well surrounded on one side by a n-doped InP cladding and on the other by a p-doped InP cladding so as to form a double hetero-junction. A confinement layer of lattice-matched InAlAs may be provided between the quantum well and the p-doped cladding, having a first surface facing or adjacent to the quantum well and a second surface facing or adjacent to the p-doped cladding. An additional electron containment layer of tensile strained InAlAs may be provided facing or adjacent to one surface of the confinement layer, having a thickness smaller than that of the confinement layer. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

A semiconductor vertical light source includes upper and lower mirrors with an active region in between, an inner mode confinement region, and an outer current blocking region that includes a common epitaxial layer including an epitaxially regrown interface between the active region and upper mirror. A conducting channel including acceptors is in the inner mode confinement region. The current blocking region includes a first impurity doped region with donors between the epitaxially regrown interface and active region, and a second impurity doped region with acceptors between the first doped region and lower mirror. The outer current blocking region provides a PNPN current blocking region that includes the upper mirror or a p-type layer, first doped region, second doped region, and lower mirror or an n-type layer. The first and second impurity doped region force current flow into the conducting channel during normal operation of the light source.

An edge-emitting semiconductor laser and a method for operating a semiconductor laser are disclosed. In an embodiment, the edge-emitting semiconductor laser includes an active zone within a semiconductor layer sequence and a stress layer. The active zone is configured for being energized only in a longitudinal strip perpendicular to a growth direction of the semiconductor layer sequence. The semiconductor layer sequence has a constant thickness throughout in the region of the longitudinal strip so that the semiconductor laser is gain-guided. The stress layer may locally stress the semiconductor layer sequence in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal strip and in a direction perpendicular to the growth direction. A refractive index of the semiconductor layer sequence, in regions which, seen in plan view, are located next to the longitudinal strip, for the laser radiation generated during operation is reduced by at least 210.sup.4 and by at most 510.sup.3.

Embodiments may relate to a multiple quantum well (MQW) laser for operating at high temperatures, comprising at least one quantum well made of compressively strained InGaAlAs layers that are alternatively stacked with tensile strained InGaAlAs layers, the at least one quantum well surrounded on one side by a n-doped InP cladding and on the other by a p-doped InP cladding so as to form a double hetero-junction. A confinement layer of lattice-matched InAlAs may be provided between the quantum well and the p-doped cladding, having a first surface facing or adjacent to the quantum well and a second surface facing or adjacent to the p-doped cladding. An additional electron containment layer of tensile strained InAlAs may be provided facing or adjacent to one surface of the confinement layer, having a thickness smaller than that of the confinement layer. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.