A light-emitting element includes: a laminated structure body 20 which is formed from a GaN-based compound semiconductor and in which a first compound semiconductor layer 21 including a first surface 21a and a second surface 21b that is opposed to the first surface 21a, an active layer 23 that faces the second surface 21b of the first compound semiconductor layer 21, and a second compound semiconductor layer 22 including a first surface 22a that faces the active layer 23 and a second surface 22b that is opposed to the first surface 22a are laminated; a first light reflection layer 41 that is provided on the first surface 21a side of the first compound semiconductor layer 21; and a second light reflection layer 42 that is provided on the second surface 22b side of the second compound semiconductor layer 22. The first light reflection layer 41 includes a concave mirror portion 43, and the second light reflection layer 42 has a flat shape.

A bottom-emitting vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) chip may include a VCSEL array including plurality of VCSELs and an integrated optical element including a plurality of lens segments. The integrated optical element may direct beams provided by the plurality of VCSELs to a particular range of angles to create a diffusion pattern using the beams provided by the plurality of VCSELs. A surface of a first lens segment may be sloped to cause a beam from a first VCSEL to be steered at a first angle and a surface of a second (adjacent) lens segment may be sloped to cause a beam from a second VCSEL to be steered at a second angle. A direction of the second angle with respect to a surface of the VCSEL array may be opposite to a direction of the first angle with respect to the surface of the VCSEL array.

A surface light emitting semiconductor laser element, comprises a substrate, a lower reflector including a semiconductor multi-layer disposed on the substrate, an active layer disposed on the lower reflector, an upper reflector including a semiconductor multi-layer disposed on the active layer, a compound semiconductor layer having a first opening for exposing the upper reflector and extending over the upper reflector, and a metal film having a second opening for exposing the upper reflector disposed inside of the first opening and extending over the compound semiconductor layer, wherein the metal film and the compound semiconductor layer constitute a complex refractive index distribution structure where a complex refractive index is changed from the center of the second opening towards the outside. A method of emitting laser light in a single-peak transverse mode is also provided.

A surface light emitting semiconductor laser element, comprises a substrate, a lower reflector including a semiconductor multi-layer disposed on the substrate, an active layer disposed on the lower reflector, an upper reflector including a semiconductor multi-layer disposed on the active layer, a compound semiconductor layer having a first opening for exposing the upper reflector and extending over the upper reflector, and a metal film having a second opening for exposing the upper reflector disposed inside of the first opening and extending over the compound semiconductor layer, wherein the metal film and the compound semiconductor layer constitute a complex refractive index distribution structure where a complex refractive index is changed from the center of the second opening towards the outside. A method of emitting laser light in a single-peak transverse mode is also provided.

A method of manufacturing a light emitting element includes, sequentially (a) forming a first light reflecting layer having a convex shape; (b) forming a layered structure body by layering a first compound semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second compound semiconductor layer; (c) forming, on the second surface of the second compound semiconductor layer, a second electrode and a second light reflecting layer formed from a multilayer film; (d) fixing the second light reflecting layer to a support substrate; (e) removing the substrate for manufacturing a light emitting element, and exposing the first surface of the first compound semiconductor layer and the first light reflecting layer; (f) etching the first surface of the first compound semiconductor layer; and (g) forming a first electrode on at least the etched first surface of the first compound semiconductor layer.

A system and method of reducing speckle for an illuminator comprises driving current at varying levels or average frequency to provide varying light wavelengths.

An optical device may include a semiconductor laser chip to independently generate four laser beams at different wavelengths. Each laser beam, of the four laser beams, may be directed to a respective optical output of the optical device with a sub-micron level of tolerance of each laser beam relative to the respective optical outputs of the optical device, and each laser beam, of the four laser beams, may be associated with a different optical path from the semiconductor laser chip to the respective optical output of the optical device. The optical device may include a lens to receive each of the four laser beams. The lens may be positioned to direct each laser beam, of the four laser beams, toward the respective optical output of the optical device. The optical device may include an optical isolator to receive each of the four laser beams.

Mapping apparatus includes a transmitter, which is configured to emit at least one beam including a sequence of pulses of light toward a plurality of points in a scene. A receiver is configured to receive the light reflected from the scene and to generate an output indicative of a time of flight of the pulses to and from the points in the scene. A processor is coupled to process the output of the receiver so as to generate a 3D map of the scene, while controlling a power level of the pulses emitted by the transmitter responsively to a level of the output from the receiver in response to one or more previous pulses.

A laser device includes a semiconductor laser component. The semiconductor laser component includes a laser array. The laser array includes a plurality of semiconductor lasers emitting a laser light vertically. The laser device further includes an optics device. The optics device includes at least a second optics element, and a first optics element arranged between the second optics element and the laser array along an optical axis. The optics device is configured for expanding the laser light emitted from the semiconductor lasers, collimating the expanded laser light, and for shaping a beam profile of the collimated laser light.

A surface light emitting semiconductor laser element, comprises a substrate, a lower reflector including a semiconductor multi-layer disposed on the substrate, an active layer disposed on the lower reflector, an upper reflector including a semiconductor multi-layer disposed on the active layer, a compound semiconductor layer having a first opening for exposing the upper reflector and extending over the upper reflector, and a metal film having a second opening for exposing the upper reflector disposed inside of the first opening and extending over the compound semiconductor layer, wherein the metal film and the compound semiconductor layer constitute a complex refractive index distribution structure where a complex refractive index is changed from the center of the second opening towards the outside. A method of emitting laser light in a single-peak transverse mode is also provided.