Surface emitting laser with an integrated absorber
A surface emitting laser (SEL) with an integrated absorber. A lower mirror and an output coupler define a laser cavity of the SEL. A monolithic gain structure positioned in the laser cavity includes a gain region and an absorber, wherein a saturation fluence of the absorber is less than a saturation fluence of the gain region.
1 . An apparatus, comprising:
a lower mirror and an output coupler defining a laser cavity;
a gain region in a monolithic gain structure positioned in the laser cavity; and
an absorber integrated with the gain region in the monolithic gain structure,
wherein a saturation fluence of the absorber is less than a saturation fluence of the gain region.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus is a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL).
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus is a vertical external cavity surface emitting laser (VECSEL).
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the absorber is aligned with a peak field intensity of a standing wave pattern generated during excitation of the gain region.
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an intermediate mirror positioned in the monolithic gain structure, the intermediate mirror to align a peak field intensity of a standing wave pattern generated during excitation of the gain region with the absorber.
6 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the absorber comprises a quantum dot layer and the gain region comprises a quantum well layer.
7 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the absorber comprises a first quantum well layer and the gain region comprises a second quantum well layer.
8 . The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the first quantum well layer comprises Gallium Indium Nitride Arsenide (GaInNAs) and the second quantum well layer comprises Indium Gallium Arsenide (InGaAs).
9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of electrical contacts electrically coupled to the absorber to receive an electrical signal to adjust the saturation fluence of the absorber.
10 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the monolithic gain structure comprises the lower mirror.
11 . The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the monolithic gain structure comprises the output coupler.
12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a nonlinear crystal optically coupled to the output coupler to change a wavelength of a laser output emitted from the output coupler.
13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a thermal lens within the laser cavity.
14 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a heat sink thermally coupled to the lower mirror.
15 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a second output coupler positioned proximate to the lower mirror to define a second laser cavity, the absorber and the gain region within the second laser cavity, wherein the first laser cavity defines a first SEL and the second laser cavity defines a second SEL.
16 . The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the first SEL and the second SEL are independently addressable.
17 . A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL), comprising:
a gain region positioned proximate to a lower mirror;
an absorber positioned proximate to the gain region, wherein a saturation fluence of the absorber is less than a saturation fluence of the gain region; and
a spacer positioned proximate to the absorber, the spacer including a microlens,
wherein the lower mirror, the gain region, the absorber, and the spacer are a monolithic structure fabricated from a substrate.
18 . The VCSEL of claim 17 wherein the absorber comprises at least one quantum dot layer and the gain region comprises at least one quantum well layer.
19 . The VCSEL of claim 17 wherein the absorber comprises at least one quantum well layer of Gallium Indium Nitride Arsenide (GaInNAs).
20 . The VCSEL of claim 17 wherein the absorber is aligned with a peak field intensity of a standing wave pattern generated during excitation of the gain region.
21 . The VCSEL of claim 17 , further comprising a first contact coupled to the lower mirror and a second contact coupled to the spacer, the first and second contacts to be used in electrical pumping of the VCSEL.
22 . A system, comprising:
a surface emitting laser (SEL) array, comprising:
a first output coupler and a lower mirror defining a first laser cavity of a first SEL;
a second output coupler and the lower mirror defining a second laser cavity of a second SEL;
a gain region positioned in the first and second laser cavities; and
an absorber positioned in the first and second laser cavities integrated with the gain region, wherein a saturation fluence of the absorber is less than a saturation fluence of the gain region; and
an optical fiber optically coupled to the SEL array to receive a first passively mode locked laser output from the first output coupler and to receive a second passively mode locked laser output from the second output coupler.
23 . The system of claim 22 wherein the lower mirror, the gain region, the absorber, the first output coupler, and the second output coupler are a monolithic structure fabricated from a substrate.
24 . The system of claim 22 wherein the first SEL and the second SEL are independently addressable.
25 . A computer system, comprising:
a chipset; and
a clock operatively coupled to the chipset, the clock comprising:
a lower mirror and an output coupler defining a laser cavity, the output coupler to emit a passively mode-locked laser output for generating a clock signal;
a gain region in a monolithic gain structure positioned in the laser cavity; and
an absorber in the monolithic gain structure, wherein a saturation fluence of the absorber is less than a saturation fluence of the gain region.
26 . The computer system of claim 25 wherein the monolithic gain structure comprises the lower mirror, the gain region, the absorber, and the output coupler.
27 . The computer system of claim 25 wherein the clock to output an optical clocking signal.
28 . An apparatus, comprising:
a quantum dot semiconductor saturable absorber mirror;
an output coupler, the quantum dot saturable mirror and the output coupler defining a laser cavity; and
a laser medium positioned within the laser cavity.
29 . The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the quantum dot semiconductor saturable absorber mirror is integrated with the laser medium.
30 . The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the output coupler is a curved reflector integrated with the laser medium.