JPH03241883A - Wavelength variable semiconductor laser device - Google Patents

Wavelength variable semiconductor laser device

Info

Publication number
JPH03241883A
JPH03241883A JP3874490A JP3874490A JPH03241883A JP H03241883 A JPH03241883 A JP H03241883A JP 3874490 A JP3874490 A JP 3874490A JP 3874490 A JP3874490 A JP 3874490A JP H03241883 A JPH03241883 A JP H03241883A
Authority
JP
Japan
Prior art keywords
semiconductor laser
light
laser
collimator lens
reflectivity
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
JP3874490A
Other languages
Japanese (ja)
Inventor
Hidefumi Sakata
秀文 坂田
Osamu Yokoyama
修 横山
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Seiko Epson Corp
Original Assignee
Seiko Epson Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Seiko Epson Corp filed Critical Seiko Epson Corp
Priority to JP3874490A priority Critical patent/JPH03241883A/en
Publication of JPH03241883A publication Critical patent/JPH03241883A/en
Pending legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01S—DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL
    • H01S3/00—Lasers, i.e. devices using stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation in the infrared, visible or ultraviolet wave range
    • H01S3/10—Controlling the intensity, frequency, phase, polarisation or direction of the emitted radiation, e.g. switching, gating, modulating or demodulating
    • H01S3/105—Controlling the intensity, frequency, phase, polarisation or direction of the emitted radiation, e.g. switching, gating, modulating or demodulating by controlling the mutual position or the reflecting properties of the reflectors of the cavity, e.g. by controlling the cavity length
    • H01S3/1055—Controlling the intensity, frequency, phase, polarisation or direction of the emitted radiation, e.g. switching, gating, modulating or demodulating by controlling the mutual position or the reflecting properties of the reflectors of the cavity, e.g. by controlling the cavity length one of the reflectors being constituted by a diffraction grating
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01S—DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL
    • H01S5/00—Semiconductor lasers
    • H01S5/10—Construction or shape of the optical resonator, e.g. extended or external cavity, coupled cavities, bent-guide, varying width, thickness or composition of the active region
    • H01S5/14—External cavity lasers
    • H01S5/141—External cavity lasers using a wavelength selective device, e.g. a grating or etalon

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Electromagnetism (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Light Control Or Optical Switches (AREA)
  • Semiconductor Lasers (AREA)

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a variable wavelength laser ray source excellent in efficiency and small in loss, where a semiconductor laser is easily mounted, by a method wherein a grating element and the rear end face of the semiconductor laser high in reflectivity are made to constitute an external resonator using laser rays emitted from one end of the semiconductor laser. CONSTITUTION:A semiconductor laser 5, whose rear end face 7 is enhanced in reflectivity by coating and front face 6 is made low in reflectivity, is enveloped in a package, laser rays emitted from the semiconductor laser 5 are collimated by a collimator lens 2. A part of the collimated rays of narrow band is reflected by a diffraction grating 3 in a direction opposed to the incident ray. The reflected laser rays are fed back to the semiconductor laser 5 traveling reversely the same path and penetrating through the collimator lens 2, and the rear end face 7 high in reflectivity of the semiconductor laser 5 and the diffraction grating 3 constitute an external resonator.

Description

【発明の詳細な説明】 ［産業上の利用分野］ 本発明は外部共振器構造を持った波長可変であるレーザ
ー光源に関する。DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a wavelength tunable laser light source having an external resonator structure.

［従来の技術］ 従来より半導体レーザーから出射する光の波長を安定化
するために外部共振器構造にし、さらに出射光の波長を
変化させるために共振器長を変化させることが行なわれ
てきた。例えば、第３図に示した特開平１−１５７５８
８のように、半導体レーザー５から−の放射光をコリメ
ートするたののレンズとしてフレネルレンズ１１を用い
て波長選択性を持たせて波長の安定化を図り、波長を変
化させるために圧電素子１３を用いて共振器長を変える
ものなどがあった。[Prior Art] Conventionally, an external resonator structure has been used to stabilize the wavelength of light emitted from a semiconductor laser, and the resonator length has been changed in order to change the wavelength of the emitted light. For example, JP-A-1-15758 shown in FIG.
8, a Fresnel lens 11 is used as a lens for collimating the emitted light from the semiconductor laser 5 to provide wavelength selectivity and stabilize the wavelength, and a piezoelectric element 13 is used to change the wavelength. There were some that used the method to change the resonator length.

［発明が解決しようとする課Ｈ］ しかし、従来の半導体レーザー装置の構成では半導体レ
ーザーのヒートシンクへの実装が困難であり、またヒー
トシンクによって放射光の一部が遮られてしまい効率が
悪くなるという問題点があった。そこで本発明は、こう
した問題点を解決するためのものでその目的とする所は
、半導体レーザーの一方から出る光を用いて外部共振器
を構成することによって半導体レーザーの実装が容易で
損失の少ない波長可変半導体レーザー装置を提供するこ
とにある。[Problem H that the invention seeks to solve] However, in the configuration of conventional semiconductor laser devices, it is difficult to mount the semiconductor laser on a heat sink, and a part of the emitted light is blocked by the heat sink, resulting in poor efficiency. There was a problem. The present invention is intended to solve these problems, and its purpose is to construct an external resonator using the light emitted from one side of the semiconductor laser, thereby making it easier to implement the semiconductor laser and with less loss. An object of the present invention is to provide a wavelength tunable semiconductor laser device.

［課題を解決するための手段］ 本発明の波長可変半導体レーザー装置は、半導体レーザ
ーと、該半導体レーザーの一方の面から放射される光を
平行光にするコリメータレンズと、前記平行光が入射す
る透過性を持つグレーティング素子と、該グレーティン
グ素子を回転させる機構からなることを特徴とする。[Means for Solving the Problems] A wavelength tunable semiconductor laser device of the present invention includes a semiconductor laser, a collimator lens that converts light emitted from one surface of the semiconductor laser into parallel light, and a collimator lens into which the parallel light is incident. It is characterized by comprising a transparent grating element and a mechanism for rotating the grating element.

また、本発明の波長可変半導体レーザー装置は前記半導
体レーザーと、前記コリメータレンズと、前記平行光が
入射する反射型のグレーティング素子と、前記コリメー
タレンズと該グレーティング素子の間に配置したビーム
スプリッタ−と、前記のグレーティング素子回転機構か
ら構成されることを特徴とする。Further, the wavelength tunable semiconductor laser device of the present invention includes the semiconductor laser, the collimator lens, a reflective grating element into which the parallel light is incident, and a beam splitter disposed between the collimator lens and the grating element. , characterized in that it is comprised of the grating element rotation mechanism described above.

また、本発明の波長可変半導体レーザ装置は、前記半導
体レーザーがガラス窓を有するパッケージ内に封入され
ていることを特徴する。Further, the wavelength tunable semiconductor laser device of the present invention is characterized in that the semiconductor laser is enclosed in a package having a glass window.

また、前記ビームスプリッタ−が透明な平板から構成さ
れていることを特徴とする。Further, the beam splitter is made of a transparent flat plate.

［作用コ 本発明の上記の構成では、半導体レーザーの片側の面の
反射率を高くしてその反対方向の反射率の低い面から放
出される光を用いる。半導体レーザーから放出される光
をコリメータレンズで平行にし、グレーティング素子で
逆向きに反射させて半導体レーザーへと帰還させて共振
状態をつくる。[Operations] In the above configuration of the present invention, the reflectance of one side of the semiconductor laser is increased, and light is emitted from the opposite side of the surface with low reflectance. The light emitted from the semiconductor laser is made parallel by a collimator lens, reflected in the opposite direction by a grating element, and returned to the semiconductor laser, creating a resonant state.

グレーティングは入射する光の波長に一次回折角が依存
しているため、−次回折光が入射光と同じ経路をたどる
ようにすると、半導体レーザーの反射率の高い面とグレ
ーティングの間で共振状態が得られる。ここで、グレー
ティングを回転させ、グレーティングに入射する光の角
度を変えると入射光と同じ経路に反射される光の波長が
変化するため、共振波長を変えることができる。Since the first-order diffraction angle of a grating depends on the wavelength of the incident light, if the -order diffracted light follows the same path as the incident light, a resonance state can be created between the highly reflective surface of the semiconductor laser and the grating. It will be done. Here, when the grating is rotated to change the angle of the light incident on the grating, the wavelength of the light reflected along the same path as the incident light changes, so the resonant wavelength can be changed.

本発明では、半導体レーザーから出る一方向の光をｆｌ
Ｊ用することに依って放射光がヒートシンク等によって
遮られること無しにコリメータレンズに結合でき、効率
よく外部共振状態をつくれる。また、光を取り出すため
に光軸中に入れるビームスプリッタ−として平板構造を
もったガラス等を用いることでビームスプリッタ−から
半導体レーザーへの戻り光を抑えることができ、：ｌ＠
振モードを安定化することができる。In the present invention, the unidirectional light emitted from the semiconductor laser is
By using J, the emitted light can be coupled to the collimator lens without being blocked by a heat sink or the like, and an external resonance state can be efficiently created. In addition, by using glass with a flat plate structure as a beam splitter that is inserted into the optical axis to extract light, the return light from the beam splitter to the semiconductor laser can be suppressed.
The vibration mode can be stabilized.

以下、実施例により本発明の詳細を示す。Hereinafter, the details of the present invention will be shown by examples.

［実施例］ 実施例１ 第１図は本発明の第一の実施例の構成を示している。コ
ーティングによって後端面７の反射率を高くし、前面６
の反射率を低くした半導体レーザー５はパッケージに封
入されており、半導体レーザー５から放出されるレーザ
ー光をコリメータレンズ２を用いて平行にする。この平
行光を直線等間隔１２００本／　ｍ　ｍブレーズ波長８
００ｎｍの回折格子３を使って一部の狭帯域の光を入射
光と逆向きに反射させる。反射した光は同じ経路を逆向
きにコリメータレンズ２を通って再び半導体レーザー５
に帰還する。すなわち、半導体レーザー５の反射率の高
い後端面７と回折格−子３とで外部共振器を構成する。[Example] Example 1 FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a first example of the present invention. The coating increases the reflectance of the rear end surface 7, and the front surface 6
A semiconductor laser 5 with a low reflectance is enclosed in a package, and the laser light emitted from the semiconductor laser 5 is collimated using a collimator lens 2. This parallel light is divided into 1200 linearly equally spaced lines/mm blaze wavelength 8
A part of the narrow band light is reflected in the opposite direction to the incident light using the 00 nm diffraction grating 3. The reflected light passes through the collimator lens 2 in the opposite direction along the same path and returns to the semiconductor laser 5.
to return to. That is, the rear end surface 7 of the semiconductor laser 5 having a high reflectance and the diffraction grating 3 constitute an external resonator.

回折格子３は入射光の一部を透過させる構造を持ち、グ
レーティング構造を持った面と別の面から共振状態にあ
る。光を取り出すことができる。回折格子３は回転する
ことで入射光とのなす角度を変えることができ、−これ
によって共振波長を任意に選ぶことができる。The diffraction grating 3 has a structure that transmits a part of the incident light, and is in a resonant state from a surface having the grating structure and another surface. Light can be extracted. By rotating the diffraction grating 3, the angle between it and the incident light can be changed, and thus the resonant wavelength can be arbitrarily selected.

実施例２ 第２図は本発明の第二の実施例の構成を示している。第
一の実施例の場合の回折格子３に替えて反射型の回折格
子９にしたもので、共振状態の光取り出しのために共振
器内にビームスプリッタ１゜を配置したものである。ビ
ームスプリッタ−１０によって入射光と垂直方向に二つ
の光を取り出すことができ、一方を光源用、また他方を
モニター用あるいは帰還回路を設けてパワーの安定化を
図ることができる。波長を変化させる方法は実施例１の
場合と同様である。またビームスプリッタ−１０は直方
体の構造のものを用いる代わりに平板構造のものを使用
すると、戻り光を減少させることができ発振モードの安
定化を図ることができる。Embodiment 2 FIG. 2 shows the configuration of a second embodiment of the present invention. A reflective diffraction grating 9 is used instead of the diffraction grating 3 in the first embodiment, and a beam splitter 1° is disposed within the resonator to extract light in a resonant state. The beam splitter 10 can take out two lights perpendicular to the incident light, one for the light source and the other for the monitor or by providing a feedback circuit to stabilize the power. The method of changing the wavelength is the same as in the first embodiment. Furthermore, if the beam splitter 10 has a flat plate structure instead of a rectangular parallelepiped structure, the return light can be reduced and the oscillation mode can be stabilized.

［発明の効果］ 以上述べたように本発明によれば、半導体レーザーの一
方から出る光を用いて、グレーティング素子と半導体レ
ーザーの反射率の高い後端面とで外部共振器を構成する
ことによって、半導体レーザーの実装が極めて容易でし
かもヒートシンクによる損失を抑えた効率のよい可変波
長レーザー光源を得られるという効果を有する。[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, by using light emitted from one side of the semiconductor laser to configure an external resonator with the grating element and the rear end surface of the semiconductor laser with high reflectance, This has the effect that it is extremely easy to mount a semiconductor laser, and it is possible to obtain an efficient tunable wavelength laser light source that suppresses loss due to a heat sink.

また、ガラス窓を有するパッケージ内に半導体レーザー
を封入することにより、半導体レーザーが安定となり、
寿命が長くなるという効果を有する。In addition, by enclosing the semiconductor laser in a package with a glass window, the semiconductor laser becomes stable.
It has the effect of increasing the lifespan.

また、平板構造のビームスプリッタ−を用いることによ
り戻り光が減少し、安定した発振状態が得られるという
効果を有する。Further, by using a beam splitter having a flat plate structure, return light is reduced and a stable oscillation state can be obtained.

【図面の簡単な説明】[Brief explanation of drawings]

第１図は本発明の波長可変半導体レーザーの第一の実施
例を示す構成図である。 第２図は本発明の波長可変半導体レーザーの第二の実施
例を示す構成図である。 また第３図は従来の半導体レーザー装置の構成を示す図
である。 半導体レーザー（パッケージ付き〉 コリメータレンズ 透過型回折格子 回転ステージ 半導体レーザー 前面 　０ １ ２ ３ 後端面 ヒートシンク 反射型回折格子 ビームスプリッタ− フレネルレンズ ミラー 圧電素子 以 上FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the wavelength tunable semiconductor laser of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing a second embodiment of the wavelength tunable semiconductor laser of the present invention. Further, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of a conventional semiconductor laser device. Semiconductor laser (with package) Collimator lens Transmission type diffraction grating Rotating stage Semiconductor laser front side 0 1 2 3 Rear end face Heat sink Reflection type diffraction grating Beam splitter Fresnel lens mirror Piezoelectric element or higher

Claims (4)

【特許請求の範囲】[Claims] （１）半導体レーザーと、該半導体レーザーの一方の面
から放射される光を平行光にするコリメータレンズと、
前記平行光が入射する透過性を持つグレーティング素子
と、該グレーティング素子を回転させる機構からなるこ
とを特徴とする波長可変半導体レーザー装置。(1) a semiconductor laser; a collimator lens that converts the light emitted from one surface of the semiconductor laser into parallel light;
A wavelength tunable semiconductor laser device comprising a grating element having a transmittance through which the parallel light is incident, and a mechanism for rotating the grating element. （２）前記半導体レーザーと、前記コリメータレンズと
、前記平行光が入射する反射型のグレーティング素子と
、前記コリメータレンズと該グレーティング素子の間に
配置したビームスプリッターと、前記のグレーティング
素子回転機構から構成されることを特徴とする波長可変
半導体レーザー装置。(2) Consisting of the semiconductor laser, the collimator lens, a reflective grating element into which the parallel light is incident, a beam splitter placed between the collimator lens and the grating element, and the grating element rotation mechanism. A wavelength tunable semiconductor laser device characterized in that: （３）前記半導体レーザーがガラス窓を有するパッケー
ジ内に封入されていることを特徴する請求項１、または
請求項２記載の波長可変半導体レーザー装置。(3) The wavelength tunable semiconductor laser device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the semiconductor laser is enclosed in a package having a glass window. （４）前記ビームスプリッターが透明な平板から構成さ
れていることを特徴とする請求項２記載の波長可変半導
体レーザー装置。(4) The wavelength tunable semiconductor laser device according to claim 2, wherein the beam splitter is composed of a transparent flat plate.
JP3874490A 1990-02-20 1990-02-20 Wavelength variable semiconductor laser device Pending JPH03241883A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP3874490A JPH03241883A (en) 1990-02-20 1990-02-20 Wavelength variable semiconductor laser device

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP3874490A JPH03241883A (en) 1990-02-20 1990-02-20 Wavelength variable semiconductor laser device

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
JPH03241883A true JPH03241883A (en) 1991-10-29

Family

ID=12533825

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
JP3874490A Pending JPH03241883A (en) 1990-02-20 1990-02-20 Wavelength variable semiconductor laser device

Country Status (1)

Country Link
JP (1) JPH03241883A (en)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2009529786A (en) * 2006-03-09 2009-08-20 インフェイズ テクノロジーズ インコーポレイテッド External cavity laser
JPWO2013153999A1 (en) * 2012-04-09 2015-12-17 ソニー株式会社 Semiconductor laser device assembly
US11121526B2 (en) * 2018-05-24 2021-09-14 Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. Exchangeable laser resonator modules with angular adjustment

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2009529786A (en) * 2006-03-09 2009-08-20 インフェイズ テクノロジーズ インコーポレイテッド External cavity laser
US9190803B2 (en) 2006-03-09 2015-11-17 Akonia Holographics, Llc External cavity laser
JPWO2013153999A1 (en) * 2012-04-09 2015-12-17 ソニー株式会社 Semiconductor laser device assembly
US11121526B2 (en) * 2018-05-24 2021-09-14 Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. Exchangeable laser resonator modules with angular adjustment
US20210367408A1 (en) * 2018-05-24 2021-11-25 Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co. Ltd Exchangeable laser resonator modules with angular adjustment

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