Integrated laser-amplifier with steerable beam

摘要

A monolithic integrated master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) device including a single mode diode laser with distributed Bragg reflectors, an amplifier in tandem with the laser, lateral phase controllers and a detuned second order grating surface output coupler, all on a common substrate. The amplifier is a flared waveguide in one embodiment, and a branching network of single mode waveguides followed by an array of single mode gain waveguides in another embodiment. The diode laser is tunable by means of a separate tuning current applied to the rear Bragg reflector. Tuning the laser wavelength provides, in conjunction with the output coupler, a longitudinal steering of the output beam. The lateral phase controllers are an array of separately addressable electrodes that adjust the optical path length to compensate for phase variation in the amplifiers and also to provide lateral steering of the output beam. An additional embodiment includes a chain of amplifiers and grating output couplers for providing multiple output beams.