Patent ID: 6470039
Filing Date: 2002-10-22
Classification: B82Y,H01S

Abstract:
A semiconductor laser comprising:a first cladding layer; an active layer; a second cladding layer; and a current constriction means for defining a current injection region in said active layer; wherein said active layer has a gain region which acquires an optical gain by current injection thereto; a saturable absorption region in which current injection thereto little occurs and light effusion thereto occurs; and an outside region, being in contact with said saturable absorption region, in which current injection thereto little occurs and light effusion thereto little occurs; an effective band gap of said saturable absorption region is larger than that of said outside region; and said active layer has an arc-shaped cross section in a direction perpendicular to a resonator length direction such that said second cladding layer has a thickness greater at said gain region than at said saturable absorption region and a thickness greater at said saturable absorption region than at said outside region, and such that said first cladding layer has a thickness greater at said outside region than at said saturable absorption region and a thickness greater at said saturable absorption region than at said gain region.