Author(s): Yao, DY (Yao, Danyang); Zhang, JC (Zhang, Jinchuan); Jia, ZW (Jia, Zhiwei); Liu, Y (Liu, Yan); Liu, SM (Liu, Shuman); Han, GQ (Han, Genquan); Liu, FQ (Liu, Fengqi); Hao, Y (Hao, Yue)

Source: APPLIED OPTICS Volume: 61 Issue: 10 Pages: 2757-2762 DOI: 10.1364/AO.448112 Published: APR 1 2022

Abstract: In this paper, a novel, to the best of our knowledge, monolithic non-mechanical semiconductor laser scanner in the mid-infrared (MIR) spectrum is proposed. A deflector above the active region at the substrate side is used for coupling the vertical light into a lateral substrate waveguide, which creates a chain of coherent emitters such as optical phased arrays (OPAs) for beam steering. The numerical simulation reveals that GaSb-based surface-emitting interband cascade lasers (SE-ICLs) are an excellent platform for waveguide scanner integration. Due to the hundreds of micrometers of optical path difference and the narrow gap between each emitter, an extremely high angle tuning coefficient of 0.84 degrees/nm covering the whole 28.6 degrees steering range is obtained. This work theoretically verifies the feasibility of integrating an OPA scanner into the GaSb-based SE-ICLs, providing a practical solution to fabricate compact steerable MIR laser sources. Note that this substrate OPA concept has strong adaptation potential to extend to even longer wavelength devices such as InP and GaAs-based quantum cascade lasers. (C) 2022 Optica Publishing Group

Accession Number: WOS:000778797800041

ISSN: 1559-128X

eISSN: 2155-3165

Full Text: https://opg.optica.org/ao/fulltext.cfm?uri=ao-61-10-2757&id=470820