Mode selection and phase locking of sidelobe-emitting semiconductor laser arrays via reflection coupling from an external narrow-bandwidth grating

Abstract

A phase locked array design, utilizing direct reflection feedback between adjacent cavities by an external grating, is analyzed and proposed. The narrow grating reflection bandwidth causes longitudinal mode selection, while the array geometry causes transverse wavenumber selection through the coupling strength. As a result, only one among the free running cavity eigenmodes can couple effectively into a phase locked collective eigenmode. The coupled array mode is experiencing the high reflectivity of the grating and surpasses the low gain of the free running modes, that experience only a much lower reflectivity from the cavity edge antireflective coating. These results suggest that in-phase locking and single mode operation can be achieved simultaneously through the use of an external narrow-bandwidth grating