Embodiments provide a light source having a coherent light generator arrangement configured to generate at least one output light, and a waveguide arrangement optically coupled to the coherent light generator arrangement, the waveguide arrangement including at least one first resonator element and at least one second resonator element arranged in different orientations, wherein the waveguide arrangement is configured to interact with the at least one output light to cause the at least one first resonator element and the at least one second resonator element to emit respective first and second optical signals to co-operatively interact with each other to generate an output optical signal, and wherein the light source is configured to change a polarization characteristic of the output optical signal in response to at least one electrical signal applied to the light source to vary at least one of respective magnitudes of the first and second optical signals relative to each other.

An optoelectronic apparatus includes a semiconductor substrate, an electrically activated spatial light modulator disposed on the semiconductor substrate, and a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) disposed over the spatial light modulator on the semiconductor substrate. A controller is coupled to actuate the VCSEL to emit a beam of optical radiation and to control the spatial light modulator so as to modify an optical property of the beam.

A disclosed laser device includes a laser diode configured to output laser light with a variable pulse pattern, a pre-amp optical unit configured to amplify the laser light output from the laser diode to a first energy level and includes a plurality of Pockels cells and a first amplifier, a second amplifier configured to amplify the laser light amplified to the first energy level to a second energy level, a third amplifier configured to amplify the laser light amplified to the second energy level to a third energy level, and a control unit configured to set a pulse pattern of the laser light output from the laser diode and control a driver of the laser diode, the first amplifier, the second amplifier, and the third amplifier based on the pulse pattern.

A photonic microwave generation apparatus and a method thereof are disclosed. A comb-like optical signal generation module of the photonic microwave generation apparatus generates a comb-like optical signal. The comb-like optical signal is injected into a photonic microwave generation module of the photonic microwave generation apparatus, wherein the photonic microwave generation module includes a microwave generation laser. An optical power and a carrier frequency of the comb-like optical signal are adjusted so as to place the microwave generation laser in period-one nonlinear dynamics, and, at the same time, to phase-lock an oscillation sideband of the period-one nonlinear dynamics by one harmonic of the comb-like optical signal. Under such operation, the microwave generation laser emits an output optical signal that carries a microwave signal of a narrow linewidth and a stable frequency, which can be retrieved from the output optical signal by using a photodetector.

We disclose a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) whose optical resonator can support multiple transverse resonator modes. The VCSEL has a plurality of electrodes that can apply individually controllable electrical currents to the active semiconductor region of the optical resonator and be configured to excite, e.g., a single selected transverse resonator mode or a desired linear combination of transverse resonator modes. In some embodiments, the VCSEL's optical resonator may have an effective lateral geometric shape that causes the excitable transverse resonator modes to correspond to the waveguide modes of a cylindrical optical fiber.

We disclose a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) whose optical resonator can support multiple transverse resonator modes. The VCSEL has a plurality of electrodes that can apply individually controllable electrical currents to the active semiconductor region of the optical resonator and be configured to excite, e.g., a single selected transverse resonator mode or a desired linear combination of transverse resonator modes. In some embodiments, the VCSEL's optical resonator may have an effective lateral geometric shape that causes the excitable transverse resonator modes to correspond to the waveguide modes of a cylindrical optical fiber.

A photonic microwave generation apparatus and a method thereof are disclosed. A comb-like optical signal generation module of the photonic microwave generation apparatus generates a comb-like optical signal. The comb-like optical signal is injected into a photonic microwave generation module of the photonic microwave generation apparatus, wherein the photonic microwave generation module includes a microwave generation laser. An optical power and a carrier frequency of the comb-like optical signal are adjusted so as to place the microwave generation laser in period-one nonlinear dynamics, and, at the same time, to phase-lock an oscillation sideband of the period-one nonlinear dynamics by one harmonic of the comb-like optical signal. Under such operation, the microwave generation laser emits an output optical signal that carries a microwave signal of a narrow linewidth and a stable frequency, which can be retrieved from the output optical signal by using a photodetector.

A laser module of includes a semiconductor laser which oscillates with either one of clockwise circularly polarized light and counterclockwise circularly polarized light; and a quarter-wave retarder disposed on an emission surface side of the semiconductor laser, wherein the semiconductor laser is driven by a current which is higher than a threshold current of the one circularly polarized light and lower than a threshold current of the other circularly polarized light. A semiconductor laser includes an n-type clad layer, an active layer, and a p-type clad layer. Further, the laser module includes an n-type electrode and a p-type electrode, and at least one of the n-type electrode and the p-type electrode is a ferromagnetic electrode.

A semiconductor component for emitting light includes a main body that comprises at least one mesa body. The mesa body has an emission region for emitting the light. The emission region is assigned a first mirror portion, a second mirror portion, and an active portion arranged between the two mirror portions and serving to produce the light. The semiconductor component further includes electrical contacts for feeding electrical energy into the active portion, with at least one stress element that is attached to a surface of the main body. The stress element is configured to generate in the main body a material stress which has an effect on one or more polarization properties of the emitted light.