MODE CONTROL WAVEGUIDE-TYPE LASER DEVICE

摘要

Provided is a mode control waveguide-type laser device with a broadened control range of the focal distance of a generated thermal lens and with improved reliability. The mode control waveguide-type laser device includes: a laser medium which is planar and has a waveguide structure in a thickness direction of a cross section perpendicular to an optical axis (6), for generating gain with respect to laser light; a cladding bonded onto one surface of the laser medium; and a heat sink (2) bonded via the cladding onto the one surface side of the laser medium. The laser medium generates a lens effect due to a refractive index distribution, and the laser light oscillates in a waveguide mode in the thickness direction, and oscillates in a spatial mode due to the lens effect in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis and the thickness direction. The refractive index distribution within the laser medium is created by generating a desired temperature distribution in the laser medium depending on a junction area of the cladding and the heat sink (2) .