SEMICONDUCTOR LASER DEVICES

Abstract: It is possible to narrow the emission spectrum linewidth of a semiconductor laser device by coupling optically an external resonator (2) with one end surface of the semiconductor laser (l). However, the structure of the external resonator (2) should match the phase of the light emitted by the laser (l). Heretofore, this matching has been effected by adjusting the length of the external resonator (2), and hence productivity and reproducibility have not been good. According to this invention, characteristics of the external resonator (2) can be adjusted electrically to be matched with the phase of the emitted light owing to the fact that the external resonator (2) is made of a material, whose refractive index can be varied electrically. Therefore the semiconductor laser device according to this invention is very practical.

Description: This invention relates to semiconductor laser devices and in particular to the stabilization in narrowing the spectrum linewidth, suitable for the light emitting source in coherent optical transmission systems. Heretofore the narrowing of the emission spectrum linewidth of semiconductor laser devices with external cavity is effected by utilizing coupling between the modes of the cavity within the laser and the external cavity. However, the condition to get this effect is very critical and it is known that widening of spectrum linewidth, wavelength jumping or output power fluctuations are caused by slight variations in injection current and temperature. An example therefor may be the one reported in an article in the preliminary reports for the national meeting of the Institute of Electronics and Communication Engineers of Japan 4, 1985, p. 22. Further, it is conceivable to control the length of the external cavity in submicron order by jointing a piezo element with the reflecting surface of the external cavity and by utilizing electro-striction as a method for varying the length of the external cavity in order to control the phase of feedback light to the internal cavity. This method is described e.g. in IEEE J. Quantum Electron. Vol. QE-16, p. 347, (1980). However, since, according to this method, optical axis alignment, mounting process, etc. need very precise techniques, this method is not practical. It is known from JP-A-60-100491 (and Patents Abstracts of Japan, vol 9, no 251 (E-348) (1974)) to provide a semiconductor laser device which has a semicondctor laser with a first resonant cavity which has a pair of light emitting end surfaces. One of those light emitting end surfaces is optically coupled to a second resonant cavity. That second resonant cavity is made of a material with an electrically changeable refractive index. In this way the refractive index of that material is controllable so as substantially to match the phase of the light at the junction between the first and second resonant cavities. Thus, this document corresponds to the pre-characterising part of claim 1. In fact, phase matching at the junction between the two cavities must be controlled with a high precision for narrowing the spectrum linewidth of the semiconductor laser using an external cavity, because the phase matching between the lights of the internal and external cavities of the laser is utulized therefor. When the injection current is varied in a semiconductor laser having a fixed external cavity, phase matching is achieved at an appropriate injection current and light is emitted with a very narrow spectrum linewidth. It is thought that this is due to the fact that the refractive index varies with variations of the carrier density within the cavity and the phase of the light varies at the junction interface so that the phase matching condition is satisfied. However, when the optical path length in the external cavity is constant, the phase matching condition for narrowing spectrum linewidth varies with variations in refractive index due to variations in laser injection current and temperature. Thus, the spectrum linewidth and the oscillation wavelength can change easily. If, the phase and the intensity in the external cavity can be controlled electrically, the optical path length in the external cavity can also be controlled so that the phase in the external cavity is always matched with that in the internal cavity. In order to control the optical path length in the external cavity, a material the refractive index of which can be changed electrically is used for forming the cavity. Other arrangements using two resonant cavities in a semiconductor laser device are disclosed in EP-A-0117734 and US-A-4485474. Both propose that the refractive indicies of one of the two cavities are controllable. However, in both disclosures there is a gap between the resonant cavities. Furthermore, in US-A-4485474 the purpose of varying the one resonant cavity is to select different modes of the laser. According to the present invention, however, the second resonant cavity includes an area for regulating electrically the intensity of light passing therethrough. This enables a narrow spectrum linewidth and a stable oscillation wavelength to be obtained. The present invention is defined in claim 1. Optional features of the invention are set out in the dependant claims. An embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a semiconductor laser and an external cavity made of LiNbO₃ and jointed therewith, and is useful in understanding the present invention; Fig. 2a is a cross-sectional view illustrating a semiconductor laser and a phase controllable external cavity constructed in a monolithic form and is useful in understanding the present invention, although not an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2b is a perspective view of the device indicated in Fig. 2a; Fig. 3 is a top view illustrating an embodiment of the present invention in which a semiconductor laser and a feedback light intensity and phase controllable external cavity are constructed in a monolithic form; Fig. 4a is a top view illustrating an alternative semiconductor laser and phase controllable external cavity arrangement, and is useful in understanding the present invention, although not an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 4b is a cross-sectional view along the line A-A' of the arrangement indicated in Fig. 4a. Fig. 1 illustrates a well-known semiconductor laser 1 and an optical waveguide path 3 for the external cavity made of a crystal of LiNbO₃, which is an electro-optic material and in contact with a facet at one side thereof. The semiconductor laser 1 and an LiNbO₃ crystal 2 for the external cavity are so aligned and fixed that light reflected by a reflective end 9 of the LiNbO₃ returns to the semiconductor laser 1. This external cavity is 7 mm long and 6 µm wide. The incidence end 6 of the external cavity is in contact with the semiconductor laser. A reflective facet 9 is disposed at the end surface opposite to the incidence end of the external cavity. The LiNbO₃ is Z-cut and the optical waveguide path 3 is formed by Ti diffusion. Electrodes 4 and 5 are so formed that electric field is applied along the y-axis of the crystal. The semiconductor laser 1 is made of InGaAsP/InP and its oscillation wavelength is 1.54 µm. It is possible to control narrowing of the spectrum linewidth with respect to an arbitrary laser output and wavelength by varying the voltage applied to the external cavity 2 within a range of 0 to 3 V so as to control the optical path length of the external cavity. Further the similar result can be obtained, even if LiNbO₃ is replaced by LiTaO₃. Another arrangement useful in understanding the invention will now be described referring to Figs. 2a and 2b. This arrangement is not an embodiment of the invention. A diffraction grating having a period of 234 nm is cut on the surface of an n-conductivity type InP substrate 14. A guiding layer 10 (InGaAsP having a band gap wavelength λg = 1.3 µm) for the distributed feedback type laser, an active layer 11 (λg = 1.53 µm), an antimeltback layer 12 (λg = 1.3 µm) and a p-conductivity type InP layer 16-1 are superposed on each other by liquid phase growth. Then, after having removed the grown layers located on the external cavity 2 by selective etching, an optical waveguide layer 15 (λg = 1.3 µm) and a p-conductivity type InP layer 16-2 are superposed on each other by liquid phase growth. A part of the grown layers is removed so that a mesa stripe about 1 µm wide, which stretches over both the two regions (1 and 2) is formed. After that, p-, n-, and p-conductivity type InP layers are grown one after another as a clad layer for blocking a current and for forming a waveguide by distributed refractive index. In order to isolate electrically the laser and the external cavity, unnecessary portions of the grown layers are removed by etching, remaining the optical waveguide path. An SiO₂ layer is formed thereon, in which a window is formed at the region for current injection, where an anode electrode 4 is formed by evaporation. After having formed a cathode electrode 5 by evaporation on the back (rear) side surface, an SiO₂ layer for isolation is superposed on the end surface of the external cavity and an Au film for reflection mirror is formed thereon by evaporation. In the case where the external cavity is 2 mm long, when an electric current of 20 mA flows through the external cavity (the refractive index being controlled by such injection level), it is confirmed that the mode in the external cavity is changed by 1. Furthermore, even in the case where oscillation wavelength of the laser varies in a range of 1.5455 - 1.5465 µm due to variations in injection current, the condition for continuously narrowing the spectrum linewidth can be realized, through the observation in varying the current level flowing through the external cavity in the range of 0 to about 100 mA. Fig. 2b is a perspective view of the element of Fig. 2a. As explained above, by forming the monolithic form it is easy to control the spectrum linewidth narrowing. Explanation of an embodiment of the invention will be made while referring to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a top view of an element, in which an optical waveguide path 22, a reflective and transparent area 23 for adjusting the feedback light intensity (i.e. the ratio of reflected light intensity to refracted or transmitted light intensity being adjustable), a phase controlling area (i.e. an external cavity) 25, an extra power reduction area 24 for reducing the feedback light intensity upon adjustment thereof and a reflective coating 26, all of which, except the coating 26, are made of III-V compound crystals. The intensity and the phase of the light within the external cavity can be controlled by varying the refractive index by allowing an electric current to flow through the reflective area 23 for adjusting the feedback light intensity and either by applying a voltage to the phase controlling area 25 or by making an electric current to flow therethrough. Owing to this construction, it is possible to suppress the mode fluctuation within the internal cavity at an arbitrary laser output and wavelength and to obtain a stable and narrow spectrum linewidth at a constant wavelength. Absorption of light by semiconductor and absorption of light by free carriers can be also utilized for this control of feedback power within the external cavity. Another arrangement useful in understanding the invention will be explained, referring to Figs. 4a and 4b. This arrangement is not an embodiment of the invention. An external resonator is constructed by forming electrodes 14, 15 for applying a voltage at both the sides of an optical waveguide path 13, which is formed by diffusing Ti in an LiNbO₃ substrate 27, Z-cut as indicated in Fig. 4a, beside a DFB (distributed feedback type) laser 1 having an oscillation wavelength 1.55 µm, comprising a positive and negative electrodes 30 and 33, respectively, and buried multiple layers 31 including an active layer formed on an InP substrate 32. This laser l and the external resonator are so regulated that the optical waveguide path receives the laser output and secured on a fixed base 34. This external resonator is 7 mm long and 6 µm wide and reflective coating of Au 35 is disposed on its end surface. Electric current for driving the DFB laser is set at an intensity two times as high as its threshold intensity. Variations in output intensity and spectrum linewidth accompanied by variations in phase of the returning light are confirmed by varying the voltage between the two electrodes of the external resonator in a range of 0 - 3 V. The similar results can be obtained also, when a semiconductor of GaAs family and Si family, is used instead of those of InP family in the above described embodiment.

Claims: A semiconductor laser device comprising: a semiconductor laser (1) having a first resonant cavity which has a pair of light emitting end surfaces; a second resonant cavity (2) being optically coupled with the laser (1) at one of the light emitting end surfaces, the second resonant cavity (2) being made of a material with an electrically changeable refractive index; wherein the first and second resonant cavities are aligned end to end and meet at a junction and wherein the refractive index of said material is controllable so as substantially to match the phase of light at the junction; characterised in that: the second resonant cavity (2) includes an area (23,24) for regulating electrically the intensity of light passing therethrough. A semiconductor laser device according to claim 1, in which the semiconductor laser (1) and the second resonant cavity (2) are formed in a monolithic form on a compound semiconductor crystal substrate (14,27). A semiconductor laser device according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the material has an electro-optical effect. A semiconductor laser device according to claim 1 or claim 2 of the preceding claims wherein the laser (1) and the second resonant cavity (2) are mainly formed of the same III-V compound material. A semiconductor laser device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the second resonant cavity (2) includes a reflection mirror (9) at the opposite end to the junction with the laser (1).

Inventors: MATSUMURA, HIROYOSHI, SAKANO, SHINJI HITACHI DAI-4-KYOSHINRYO
Applicants: HITACHI, LTD.
Application year: 1986
Main classification: H01S3
IPC codes: H01S5, H01S3