A laser diode includes a semiconductor structure having an n-type layer, an active region, and a p-type layer. One of the n-type and p-type layers includes a lasing aperture thereon having an optical axis oriented perpendicular to a surface of the active region between the n-type and p-type layers. First and second contacts are electrically connected to the n-type and p-type layers, respectively. The first and/or second contacts are smaller than the lasing aperture in at least one dimension. Related arrays and methods of fabrication are also discussed.

Provided is an optical phased array including a light injector, a first splitter connected to the light injector, a first phase shifter connected to the first splitter, a plurality of waveguides connected to the first splitter, portions of the plurality of waveguides being connected to the first splitter via the first phase shifter, an antenna array connected to the plurality of waveguides, a single mode filter provided in each of the plurality of waveguides, and a first photodetector connected to the first splitter and configured to detect a portion of light radiated onto the antenna array.

A method of manufacturing a light emitting device includes: providing a light source including one or more semiconductor laser elements, an optical member including one or more lens parts, a condensing lens, and a photodetector, one above the other; causing at least one semiconductor laser element to emit light; determining a reference detection position of light; placing a first light-shielding member to shield a portion of the light passed through the lens parts; determining a post-shielding detection position; adjusting a distance between the light source and the optical member based on the reference detection position and the post-shielding detection position; and securing the optical member and the light source to each other.

A beam steering device is provided and includes: a first layer including a plurality of reflection regions; a second layer on the first layer and including a plurality of refractive-index-variable regions, each having a refractive index that is controlled by an applied voltage; an antenna layer on the second layer and including a plurality of nano-structures; and a driving circuit layer on a lower side of the first layer and comprising a plurality of circuit units, each respectively configured to control a voltage applied to one of the refractive-index-variable regions. The antenna layer is divided into a first region configured to control a travelling direction of incident light and a second region that is not configured to control the travelling direction of the incident light.

A deformometer includes: a cavity body; entry and exit optical cavity optics, such that the optical cavity produces filtered combined light from combined light; a first laser that provides first light; a second laser that provides second light; an optical combiner that: receives the first light; receives the second light; combines the first light and the second light; produces combined light from the first light and the second light; and communicates the combined light to the entry optical cavity optic; a beam splitter that: receives the filtered combined light; splits the filtered combined light; a first light detector in optical communication with the beam splitter and that: receives the first filtered light from the beam splitter; and produces a first cavity signal from the first filtered light; and a second light detector that: receives the second filtered light; and produces a second cavity signal from the second filtered light.

A deformometer includes: a cavity body; entry and exit optical cavity optics, such that the optical cavity produces filtered combined light from combined light; a first laser that provides first light; a second laser that provides second light; an optical combiner that: receives the first light; receives the second light; combines the first light and the second light; produces combined light from the first light and the second light; and communicates the combined light to the entry optical cavity optic; a beam splitter that: receives the filtered combined light; splits the filtered combined light; a first light detector in optical communication with the beam splitter and that: receives the first filtered light from the beam splitter; and produces a first cavity signal from the first filtered light; and a second light detector that: receives the second filtered light; and produces a second cavity signal from the second filtered light.

Provided is an optical phased array including a light injector, a first splitter connected to the light injector, a first phase shifter connected to the first splitter, a plurality of waveguides connected to the first splitter, portions of the plurality of waveguides being connected to the first splitter via the first phase shifter, an antenna array connected to the plurality of waveguides, a single mode filter provided in each of the plurality of waveguides, and a first photodetector connected to the first splitter and configured to detect a portion of light radiated onto the antenna array.

A laser array includes a plurality of laser emitters arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns on a substrate that is non-native to the plurality of laser emitters, and a plurality of driver transistors on the substrate adjacent one or more of the laser diodes. A subset of the plurality of laser emitters includes a string of laser emitters that are connected such that an anode of at least one laser emitter of the subset is connected to a cathode of an adjacent laser emitter of the subset. A driver transistor of the plurality of driver transistors is configured to control a current flowing through the string.

A laser diode includes a semiconductor structure having an n-type layer, an active region, and a p-type layer. One of the n-type and p-type layers includes a lasing aperture thereon having an optical axis oriented perpendicular to a surface of the active region between the n-type and p-type layers. First and second contacts are electrically connected to the n-type and p-type layers, respectively. The first and/or second contacts are smaller than the lasing aperture in at least one dimension. Related arrays and methods of fabrication are also discussed.

In one embodiment, described herein is an apparatus for projecting linear illumination fanned out along the slow axis of a laser source array. In addition to the laser source array, the apparatus can include a number of fast axis collimators (FACs) to collimate the laser beams from the laser source array along the fast axis, a cylinder lens array for converting the collimated laser beams to parallel laser beams, and a prism array pair for reducing the pitch of the parallel laser beams. The system further includes a first cylinder lens for focusing the laser beams from the prism array pair onto a MEMS mirror, which redirects the laser beams as a linear laser beam towards a predetermined direction.