Disclosed herein are self-mixing interferometry (SMI) sensors, such as may include vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) diodes and resonance cavity photodetectors (RCPDs). Structures for the VCSEL diodes and RCPDs are disclosed. In some embodiments, a VCSEL diode and an RCPD are laterally adjacent and formed from a common set of semiconductor layers epitaxially formed on a common substrate. In some embodiments, a first and a second VCSEL diode are laterally adjacent and formed from a common set of semiconductor layers epitaxially formed on a common substrate, and an RCPD is formed on the second VCSEL diode. In some embodiments, a VCSEL diode may include two quantum well layers, with a tunnel junction layer between them. In some embodiments, an RCPD may be vertically integrated with a VCSEL diode.

A semiconductor optical amplifier includes a conductive region that is provided on a substrate and allows light transmission, and a nonconductive region that is provided around the conductive region and prohibits light transmission. The conductive region includes a first region including a light-coupling portion to which light from an external light-source unit is coupled, and a second region having a narrower width than the first region and connected to the first region through a connecting portion, the second region including a light-amplifying portion amplifying the light from the light-coupling portion by propagating the light in a predetermined propagating direction along a surface of the substrate, the light-amplifying portion outputting the amplified light in a direction intersecting the surface of the substrate. Seen in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate, the semiconductor optical amplifier includes a portion where a width of the conductive region is continuously reduced from the first region to the second region.

An example device may include a light source, an optical element, and, optionally, an encapsulant layer. A light beam generated by the light source may be received by the optical element and redirected towards an illumination target, such as an eye of a user. The optical element may include a material, for example, with a refractive index of at least approximately 2 at a wavelength of the light beam. The light source may be a semiconductor light source, such as a light-emitting diode or a laser. The optical element may be supported by an emissive surface of the light source. Refraction at an exit surface of the optical element, and/or within a metamaterial layer, may advantageously modify the beam properties, for example, in relation to illuminating a target. In some examples, the light source and optical element may be integrated into a monolithic light source module.

A semiconductor light-emitting device, includes: a semiconductor light-emitting element; a support including a base and a conductive part and configured to support the semiconductor light-emitting element; and a cover configured to overlap the semiconductor light-emitting element as viewed in a first direction, and to transmit light from the semiconductor light-emitting element, wherein the cover includes a base layer having a front surface and a rear surface which transmit the light from the semiconductor light-emitting element and face opposite sides to each other in the first direction, wherein the rear surface faces the semiconductor light-emitting element, wherein the base layer includes a plurality of undulation parts bonded to the support by a bonding material, and wherein the undulation parts are more uneven than the rear surface.

A portable lighting apparatus is provided with a gallium-and-nitrogen containing laser diode based white light source combined with an infrared illumination source which are driven by drivers disposed in a printed circuit board assembly enclosed in a compact housing and powered by a portable power supply therein. The portable lighting apparatus includes a first wavelength converter configured to output a white-color emission and an infrared emission. A beam shaper may be configured to direct the white-color emission and the infrared emission to a front aperture of a compact housing of the portable lighting apparatus. An optical transmitting unit is configured to project or transmit a directional light beam of the white light emission and/or the infrared emission for illuminating a target of interest, transmitting a pulsed sensing signal or modulated data signal generated by the drivers therein. In some configurations, detectors are included for depth sensing and visible/infrared light communications.

A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) device comprises an interior light generating region, an exterior light emitting surface, and a spatial modulation region monolithically integrated with the interior light generating region so that the spatial modulation region is located between the interior light generating region and the exterior light emitting surface. The spatial modulation region is configured to shape the light generated by the interior light generating region before the generated light is emitted from the exterior light emitting surface. The VCSEL device may be configured to emit a beam of light along a predetermined direction, to emit a beam of light having a predetermined beam divergence, and/or to emit a beam of light having a predetermined shape or structure transverse to a direction of propagation so that the beam of light forms a predetermined spot or pattern of light when projected onto a surface. A plurality of VCSEL devices and a method for use in manufacturing a VCSEL device are also disclosed.

A surface-emitting semiconductor laser includes a first-conductivity-type layer, an active layer, and a second-conductivity-type layer. The active layer and the second-conductivity-type layer are electrically connected in a current constriction layer through an opening. The surface-emitting semiconductor laser further includes an insulating layer that has translucency with respect to an emission wavelength of the active layer, a first electrode electrically connected to the first-conductivity-type layer, and a second electrode electrically connected to the second-conductivity-type layer. In the surface-emitting semiconductor laser, a part of the insulating layer is exposed from the second electrode, and the insulating layer exposed from the second electrode includes a first portion that has a first thickness and a second portion that has a second thickness to make output of light emitted from the active layer smaller than the first portion in comparison with the first thickness and that surrounds the first portion.

A light-emitting device includes a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser, the resonant cavity of which is transverse multimode supporting transverse modes having rotational symmetry of order two about a main optical axis, and an index-contrast grating including a plurality of pads. The pads include: a central pad, a plurality of peripheral pads, which are periodically arranged along one or more lines that are concentric with respect to the central pad, and which are arranged so that the grating has, with respect to the main optical axis, a rotational symmetry of uneven order higher than or equal to three.

A semiconductor laser including: a first mirror layer; a second mirror layer; an active layer, a current confinement layer, a first region, and a second region, in which the first mirror layer, the second mirror layer, the active layer, the current confinement layer, the first region, and the second region constitute a laminated body, the first region and the second region constitute an oxidized region of the laminated body, in a plan view, the laminated body includes a first part, a second part, and a third part disposed between the first part and the second part and resonating light generated in the active layer, and in a plan view, at least at a part of the third part, W1>W3 and W2>W3, W1 is a width of the oxidized region of the first part, W2 is a width of the oxidized region of the second part, and W.sub.3 is a width of the oxidized region of the third part.

A distributed feedback (DFB) laser that includes a substrate comprising a first surface and a second surface, wherein the substrate comprises silicon; a plurality of shallow trench isolations (STIs) located over the second surface of the substrate; a grating region located over the plurality of STIs and the substrate, wherein the grating region comprises a III-V semiconductor material; a non-intentional doping (NID) region located over the grating region; and a contact region located over the NID region.