Single-mode distributed-feedback (DFB) lasers including single mode DFB waveguides with tapered grating structures are provided herein. Tapered grating structures provide for single mode DFB waveguides with predictable single mode operation. Uniform grating structures may provide for single mode operation, however DFB waveguides implementing uniform grating structures may operate at one of two single modes. Advantageously, DFB waveguides with tapered gratings operate with a spectrally narrow single mode at the same predictable single mode for all DFB waveguides with substantially identical specifications. Such predictability may lead to increased yield during manufacture of DFB waveguides with tapered gratings.

An embodiment semiconductor optical device includes an optical waveguide including a core, and an active layer extending in the waveguide direction of the optical waveguide for a predetermined distance and arranged in a state in which the active layer can be optically coupled to the core. The core and the active layer are arranged in contact with each other. The core is formed of a material with a refractive index of about 1.5 to 2.2, such as SiN, for example. In addition, the core is formed to a thickness at which a higher-order mode appears. The higher-order mode is an E.sub.12 mode, for example.

Provided is a semiconductor laser device in which a distributed feedback laser part and an electro-absorption modulator part are formed on the same semiconductor substrate, and laser light emitted from the laser part is emitted from an emission end face of the modulator part. The laser part includes a first diffraction grating formed to extend in a direction of an optical axis of the laser light and the modulator part partially including a second diffraction grating formed to extend in the direction of the optical axis of the laser. A non-diffraction grating region in which a diffraction grating is not formed is interposed between the second diffraction grating of the modulator part and an emission end face of the laser part from which the laser light is emitted to the modulator part.

According to one embodiment, a surface-emitting quantum cascade laser includes a substrate; a mesa portion of a semiconductor stacked body located on the substrate, and a reflective film located at a sidewall of the mesa portion. The mesa portion includes a light-emitting layer emitting light due to an intersubband transition of a carrier, and a photonic crystal layer including a two-dimensional diffraction grating.

The invention relates to a method for producing a semiconductor laser comprising the method steps: generating a lateral structure layer, at least in the material abrasion areas, a basic selection of the laser modes amplified or amplifiable through stimulated emission taking place via the lateral structure layer; and generating an optical element for defining the phasing of the amplified or amplifiable laser modes, the optical element being generated in such a manner that it has a distance d to an end of the lateral structure layer in the longitudinal direction of the waveguide ridge, distance d fulfilling the condition

[00001]$\min .Math.d-m.Math.\frac{{\lambda }_{eff}}{2}.Math.\le \frac{{\lambda }_{eff}}{4},$

being a natural number (m∈) and λ.sub.eff being the effective wavelength in the material.

A laser includes a distributed Bragg minor and is configured to emit monochromatic light radiation along a longitudinal direction. The laser has layers, stacked along a first transverse direction normal to the longitudinal direction and made of III-V materials, including an active region configured to emit the radiation. The mirror is formed by periodic lateral corrugations which extend mainly along the longitudinal direction and having a dimension along a second transverse direction normal to the longitudinal direction. The lateral corrugations of the Bragg minor extend from a top surface of the waveguide pattern along the first transverse direction on a height strictly less than the depth, at which the active region is located starting from the top surface, such that a portion of lateral flanks of the waveguide is free of any lateral corrugations at the active region.

A laser is provided, including: a distributed Bragg mirror; a waveguide, the laser to emit light radiation along a longitudinal direction x, and the waveguide formed at least in part in a stack of layers made of III-V materials including at least one active region to emit the light radiation, the mirror including lateral corrugations distributed periodically along the direction x in a period Λ, the corrugations being carried by at least a lateral plane xz defined by the direction x and a first transverse direction z normal to the direction x, the corrugations having a dimension d along a second transverse direction y normal to the direction x; and a top electrode arranged on the waveguide along the direction z, the corrugations being partly located at lateral flanks of the top electrode, extending parallel to the plane xz, and extending only on the lateral flanks of the top electrode.

An optical modulator includes a light-emitting device and an upper electrode disposed on the light-emitting device. The upper electrode includes at least one first electrode portion for injecting a direct current to form a direct-current modulated segment, and a second electrode portion for injecting an alternating current to form an alternating-current modulated segment. The at least one first electrode portion and the second electrode portion are spaced apart from each other, and have a first length and a second length, respectively. The first length is greater than the second length. A method for manufacturing the optical modulator is also provided herein.

A laser including a grating configured to reduce lasing threshold for a selected vertically confined mode as compared to other vertically confined modes.

A semiconductor laser accelerator includes several laser acceleration units linked in a cascade manner, and a controller configured to control excitation current supplied to the laser acceleration units. Each laser acceleration unit includes electrodes, an active layer, a first waveguide layer defining one acceleration channel, a second waveguide layer, and a reflecting layer. One or two optical gratings are formed on one or two sides of the acceleration channel to serve as an accelerating area. The semiconductor laser accelerator exhibits a higher acceleration gradient and a smaller structure while not requiring a complex external optical system. In addition, an optical field is controlled by external excitation current, the matching control of an electron beam and an optical field phase can be realized, and the problem of a phase slip can be solved by means of cascade expansion.