A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-tunable vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) in which the MEMS mirror is bonded to the active region. This allows for a separate electrostatic cavity that is outside the laser's optical resonant cavity. Moreover, the use of this cavity configuration allows the MEMS mirror to be tuned by pulling the mirror away from the active region. This reduces the risk of snap down. Moreover, since the MEMS mirror is now bonded to the active region, much wider latitude is available in the technologies that are used to fabricate the MEMS mirror. This is preferably deployed as a swept source in an optical coherence tomography (OCT) system.

A design and method for introducing asymmetric crystal strain to control polarization in a tunable VCSEL, either optically or electrically pumped. The invention is especially relevant to wafer- or die-bonded tunable VCSELs. Then, mechanical stress is applied to the half VCSEL device by asymmetric arrangement of metal bond pads.

A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) has a shortened overall laser cavity by combining the gain section with a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR). The overall cavity length can be contracted by placing gain structures inside the DBR. This generally applies to a number of semiconductor material systems and wavelength bands, but this scheme is very well suited to the AlGaAs/GaAs material system with strained InGaAs quantum wells as a gain medium, for example.

An optically pumped tunable VCSEL swept source module has a VCSEL and a pump, which produces light to pump the VSCEL, wherein the pump is geometrically isolated from the VCSEL. In different embodiments, the pump is geometrically isolated by defocusing light from the pump in front of the VCSEL, behind the VCSEL, and/or by coupling the light from the pump at an angle with respect to the VCSEL. In the last case, angle is usually less than 88 degrees. There are further strategies for attacking pump noise problems. Pump feedback can be reduced through (1) Faraday isolation and (2) geometric isolation. Single frequency pump lasers (Distributed feedback lasers (DFB), distributed Bragg reflector lasers (DBR), Fabry-Perot (FP) lasers, discrete mode lasers, volume Bragg grating (VBG) stabilized lasers can eliminate wavelength jitter and amplitude noise that accompanies mode hopping.

A laser device, a light source module and a laser radar. The laser device comprises: a light-emitting lamination, comprising a first reflector (105), an active region (104) and a second reflector (102), which are sequentially arranged in a light emergence direction, wherein the light-emitting lamination comprises one or more light-emitting units (200), and each of the light-emitting units (200) comprises a plurality of regularly arranged light-emitting points (203); and electrode units (107) located on the side of the first reflector (105) that is away from the active region (104), wherein each of the electrode units (107) corresponds to one light-emitting unit (200) and is used for loading a driving signal to the light-emitting unit (200). The laser device can improve the uniformity of luminous intensity.

A method for controlling an electromagnetic radiation source to produce single mode operation having an optimized side-mode suppression ratio over a set of wavelengths within a prescribed temporal profile. The electromagnetic radiation source is configured to output electromagnetic radiation at a given wavelength based upon parameters. The method includes determining a set of parameter combinations that satisfy a condition for a desired set of wavelengths and a minimum side mode suppression ratio over the range of wavelengths. The set of parameter combinations define sub-paths for nearly arbitrary transitions from one wavelength to another wavelength. Combinations of select sub-paths provide a multivariate path for transitioning over the range of wavelengths. The method also includes controlling the semiconductor laser to emit electromagnetic radiation over the range of wavelengths by traversing the multivariate path in a desired manner.

A vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) and method of fabrication thereof is provided. The VCSEL includes a mesa structure disposed on a substrate. The mesa structure has a first reflector stack, a second reflector stack, and an active region disposed between the first and second reflector stacks. The active region is configured to cause the VCSEL to emit light having a characteristic wavelength of 910 nanometers. The active region includes alternating layers of quantum wells and barriers, the quantum wells having high indium content (up to 18%). The VCSEL features a first contact layer disposed at least partially on a surface of the mesa structure and configured to serve as an electrical signal layer and a second contact layer disposed at least partially about the mesa structure and configured to serve as an electrical ground.

A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-tunable vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) in which the MEMS mirror is bonded to the active region. This allows for a separate electrostatic cavity that is outside the laser's optical resonant cavity. Moreover, the use of this cavity configuration allows the MEMS mirror to be tuned by pulling the mirror away from the active region. This reduces the risk of snap down. Moreover, since the MEMS mirror is now bonded to the active region, much wider latitude is available in the technologies that are used to fabricate the MEMS mirror. This is preferably deployed as a swept source in an optical coherence tomography (OCT) system.

A light source package structure is provided. The light source package structure includes a substrate, an upper electrode layer, a surrounding wall, a light emitting unit, an adhesive, and a light permeable element. The surrounding wall is annular with step structure and includes an upper tread surface arranged away from the substrate, an upper riser surface connected to an inner edge of the upper tread surface, a lower tread surface disposed at an inner side of the upper riser surface, an accommodating groove disposed between the lower tread surface and the upper riser surface, and a lower riser surface connected to an inner edge of the lower tread surface and arranged away from the upper tread surface. The lower riser surface and the first surface jointly define a receiving space.

Disclosed is an optically pumped vertical cavity laser structure operating in the mid-infrared region, which has demonstrated room-temperature continuous wave operation. This structure uses a periodic gain active region with type I quantum wells comprised of InGaAsSb, and barrier/cladding regions which provide strong hole confinement and substantial pump absorption. A preferred embodiment includes at least one wafer bonded GaAs-based mirror. Several preferred embodiments also include means for wavelength tuning of mid-IR VCLs as disclosed, including a MEMS-tuning element. This document also includes systems for optical spectroscopy using the VCL as disclosed, including systems for detection concentrations of industrial and environmentally important gases.