A semiconductor light-emitting element has a distributed Bragg reflector that is grown by depositing an InAlN layer and a GaN layer a plurality of times in that order on a semipolar plane of a semiconductor substrate, and a semiconductor structure layer that is formed on the distributed Bragg reflector and includes an active layer. The InAlN layer has a plurality of projections on an interface with the GaN layer, and the InAlN layer has a low In region which is formed at the top of each of the plurality of projections and which is lower in In composition than the remaining region.

The disclosed embodiments provide a tunable laser that includes a set of M reflective silicon optical amplifiers (RSOAs) and a set of N narrow-band reflectors. It also includes a silicon-photonic optical switch, having M amplifier ports, which are coupled through a set of M optical waveguides to the set of M RSOAs, and N reflector ports, which are coupled to the set of N narrow-band reflectors. The tunable laser also includes a switching mechanism that facilitates coupling at least one selected amplifier port from the M amplifier ports with a selected reflector port from the N reflector ports, thereby causing an RSOA coupled to the selected amplifier port to form a lasing cavity with a narrow-band reflector coupled to the selected reflector port. The tunable laser also includes a laser output, which is optically coupled to the lasing cavity.

The disclosed embodiments provide a tunable laser that includes a set of M reflective silicon optical amplifiers (RSOAs) and a set of N narrow-band reflectors. It also includes a silicon-photonic optical switch, having M amplifier ports, which are coupled through a set of M optical waveguides to the set of M RSOAs, and N reflector ports, which are coupled to the set of N narrow-band reflectors. The tunable laser also includes a switching mechanism that facilitates coupling at least one selected amplifier port from the M amplifier ports with a selected reflector port from the N reflector ports, thereby causing an RSOA coupled to the selected amplifier port to form a lasing cavity with a narrow-band reflector coupled to the selected reflector port. The tunable laser also includes a laser output, which is optically coupled to the lasing cavity.

A light-emitting device is provided. The light-emitting device is configured to emit a radiation and comprises: a substrate; an epitaxial structure on the substrate and comprising a first DBR stack, a light-emitting stack and a second DBR stack and a contact layer in sequence; an electrode; a current blocking layer between the contact layer and the electrode; a first opening formed in the current blocking layer; and a second opening formed in the electrode and within the first opening; wherein a part of the electrode fills in the first opening and contacts the contact layer; and the light-emitting device is devoid of an oxidized layer and an ion implanted layer in the second DBR stack.

A light-emitting device is provided. The light-emitting device is configured to emit a radiation and comprises: a substrate; an epitaxial structure on the substrate and comprising a first DBR stack, a light-emitting stack and a second DBR stack and a contact layer in sequence; an electrode; a current blocking layer between the contact layer and the electrode; a first opening formed in the current blocking layer; and a second opening formed in the electrode and within the first opening; wherein a part of the electrode fills in the first opening and contacts the contact layer; and the light-emitting device is devoid of an oxidized layer and an ion implanted layer in the second DBR stack.

An optical device may include an array of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) having a design wavelength, each VCSEL having an emission area. The optical device may include a first metal layer, substantially covering the array, a second metal layer substantially covering the first metal layer, and an electrical isolation layer, between the first metal layer and the second metal layer, that includes vias for electrically connecting portions of the first metal layer and portions of the second metal layer. The optical device may include a dielectric disposed over the emission area of each VCSEL. A variation in a thickness of the dielectric across at least approximately 90% of an area of the dielectric may be less than approximately 2% of the design wavelength. A depth of a well around the emission area may be equal to at least approximately 10% of a width of the emission area.

A light emitting apparatus includes a laminated structure including a plurality of columnar portions. The plurality of columnar portions each includes a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer different from the first semiconductor layer in terms of conductivity type, and a light emitting layer provided between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer. The second semiconductor layer has a first section, and a second section that surrounds the first section in a plan view along a lamination direction in which the first semiconductor layer and the light emitting layer are laminated structured on each other and has a bandgap wider than a bandgap of the first section. The second section forms a side surface of each of the columnar portions.

A grating coupler having first and second ends for coupling a light beam to a waveguide of a chip includes a substrate configured to receive the light beam from the first end and transmit the light beam through the second end, the substrate having a first refractive index n1, a grating structure having curved grating lines arranged on the substrate, the grating structure having a second refractive index n1, wherein the curved grating lines have line width w and height d and are arranged by a pitch Λ, wherein the second refractive index n2 is less than first refractive index n1, and a cladding layer configured to cover the grating structure, wherein the cladding layer has a third refractive index n3.

One aspect relates to a light-emitting element having a layer forming a resonance mode. The light-emitting element includes a structure body constituted by a substrate and a semiconductor laminate body including a first cladding layer, a second cladding layer, an active layer, and a resonance-mode forming layer including a basic layer and modified refractive index regions. A laser light output region and a metal electrode film are on opposing surfaces of the structure body. The metal electrode film includes a first layer forming ohmic contact with the structure body, a second layer reflecting light from the resonance-mode forming layer, a third layer, and a fourth layer for solder bonding. The third layer has a different composition from the second layer and the fourth layer, and has a lower diffusion degree than the second layer and the fourth layer to that of a solder material.

A semiconductor light emitting element that can form a useful beam pattern is provided. A semiconductor laser element LD includes an active layer 4, a pair of cladding layers 2 and 7 between which the active layer 4 is interposed, and a phase modulation layer 6 optically coupled to the active layer 4. The phase modulation layer 6 includes a base layer 6A and different refractive index regions 6B that are different in refractive index from the base layer 6A. The different refractive index regions 6B desirably arranged in the phase modulation layer 6 enable emission of laser light including a dark line with no zero-order light.