DE102004038283B4 - Optoelectronic element and method for the coherent coupling of active regions of optoelectronic elements - Google Patents

Abstract

Optoelectronic element,
full
layered materials having different complex indices of refraction, wherein at least one layer comprises active regions and at least one layer comprises waveguiding regions having at least one modal fields by diffraction transforming zone (transformation zone), the transformation zones having local changes in the effective complex refractive index, which are partially reflecting deep trenches , Combinations of planar microprisms, microlenses and / or planar diffractive structures are formed, and the active areas are coherently coupled by the active areas connected via the transformation zones and the transformation zones are formed such that
- Directed radiation from at least two active areas in a transformation zone and superimposed when passing through the transformation zone to a beam and / or
- Directed radiation from an active area in a transformation zone and divided into several beams when passing through the transformation zone
will, and the
have at least partitions without lattice structure or with at most a single lattice structure over the transformation zones connected active areas, and the active ...

Description

The invention relates to an optoelectronic element and a method for the coherent coupling of active regions of optoelectronic elements, which are particularly suitable for the generation and amplification of coherent radiation, as required for the laser material processing and other applications of high-energy laser radiation with a diffraction factor M ² near 1 ,

For the most diverse applications of semiconductor laser radiation, a high output power is required, if possible in connection with single-mode emission. Since the radiation load in the laser interior and especially on the facets can not be arbitrarily increased, a widening of the facet surface must be avoided in planar semiconductor laser structures. A broadening of the waveguide carrying the radiation leads, above a waveguide width of 5 to 10 μm, to multimode operation, in which the quality parameter M ^{2 of} the emitted radiation greatly increases above the characteristic value M ² = 1 for single-mode operation. With the necessary widening of the waveguide carrying the laser radiation, it must be achieved by additional filtering measures that the higher modes are suppressed and only the fundamental mode is amplified.

One method of filtering is to apply corrugation to the waveguide with Bragg gratings perpendicular to the light propagation direction. These distributed feedback lasers (DFB lasers) are in KJebeling, "Integrated Optoelectronics", Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1992, p. 359 ff. , in PG Agrawal and NK Dutta, "Long Wavelength Semiconductor Lasers," van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 1986, Chapter 7 , or in LA Coldren and SW Corzine, "Diode Lasers and Photonic Integrated Circuits", J. Wiley and Sons, New York, 1995 , described.

A similar Method for mode selection is a Bragg reflector outside of the active part of the waveguide. These distributed Bragg reflector lasers (DBR lasers) are also described in the literature cited above.

Another method for mode filtering is the MOPA (master oscillator power amplifier) principle, according to which a monomodal emitting "master oscillator" with a narrow waveguide (width about 3 to 5 microns) emits in a trapezoidal amplifier, which monomode the radiation while maintaining the high beam quality Such lasers are described in the scriptures US 5,914,978 A (H01S 3/19) of 22 June 1999 and US 6,130,903 A (H01S 3/19) of 10 October 2000.

A modification of this principle is the taper laser, which in WO 93/15537 A1 (H01S 3/19) of 31 January 1993 or in B. Sumpf et al, IEE Electronics Letters, vol. 37, pp. 351-353 (2001) is set forth, and in which a weak feedback from the facet terminating the taper takes place in a designed as a single mode waveguide part of the laser.

Another method for mode filtering is in the Scriptures US 5,337,328 A (H01S 3/19) of 9 August 1994 as α-DFB laser and represented by US 6,122,299 A (H01S 3/085) of 31 December 1997. In this case, the planar waveguide is provided with a corrugation in the form of a Bragg grating, whose straight and equidistantly arranged furrows are inclined to the Facettennomalen. The light propagation preferably takes place along the grid grooves in the form of coupled pairs of modes.

In the scriptures DE 198 09 167 A1 and DE 198 27 824 A1 from 26.2.98 or 7.6.98 a rhombus-shaped cutout from a cross lattice is actively pumped.

A similar modification of the α-DFB laser is the PCDFB laser (photonic crystal DFB laser) in FIG I. Vurgaftman and JR Meyer, Appl. Phys. Lett., Vol. 78, pp. 1475-1477 (2001) , In addition, the Bragg grating in an α-DFB laser is additionally overwritten by a grating of half the effective wavelength of the vertical waveguide mode with the grooves parallel to the facets. This leads to a stabilization of the wave propagation in the thus modified α-DFB laser, but requires a great effort for the production technology.

Of the Disadvantage of producing a limited single-mode laser power through narrow waveguides in the range of 3 to 5 μm Width could initially thereby overcome be that the principle of mode filtering by an inclined Bragg grating or by the use of trapezoidal amplifiers no limitation to the Waveguide width and thus to the achievable performance appeared.

• 1. Für den α-DFB-Laser existieren folgende einander widersprechende Bedingungen: Der durch die Streifenelektrode definierte Pumpbereich legt die Breite des aktiven Wellenleiters fest. Große Wellenleiterbreite bedeutet schwache Dämpfung des Grundmode, aber auch schlechte Diskriminierung zwischen Grundmode und erstem angeregten Mode. Ein schmaler Wellenleiter bedeutet gute Diskriminierung bei hohem Verlust des Grundmode. Daher lautet der Kompromiss etwa 1 cm^-1 Verlust für den Grundmode und 4 cm^-1 Verlust für den ersten angeregten Mode. Das bedeutet etwa 80 μm Streifenbreite bei 10° Neigungswinkel, 100 μm Streifenbreite bei 12° Neigungswinkel und 160 μm Streifenbreite bei 15° Neigungswinkel des Bragg-Gitters. Damit ist man für einen einzigen α-DFB-Laser auf 3 Watt Emissionsleistung bei guter Strahlqualiät beschränkt.
• 2. Der rhombusförmige Kreuzgitterlaser nach DE 19827824 A1 zeigt in der experimentellen Realisierung eine sehr kleine Effizienz bei der Umsetzung von Pumpenergie in Strahlung, was besonders durch große Verluste infolge Abstrahlung in das Innere des Rhombusgebietes verursacht wird.
• 3. Die Trapezlaser und die nachdem Prinzip des monolithischen MOPA arbeitenden Laser erreichen bei einer Strahlqualität von M² = 2.3 eine Leistung von 4 Watt, im cw-Betrieb, wobei eine Überschreitung des Taper-Divergenzwinkels von 4° zur Vergrößerung der verstärkenden Fläche wegen auftretender Modeninstabilitäten nicht zweckmäßig ist. Einer Leistungserhöhung durch beliebige Verlängerung eines Trapezlasers steht das Problem entgegen, dass Mittel fehlen, um nach einmodig zurückgelegten Ausbreitungswegen des Strahles eine wiederholte Filterung auf Monomodigkeit herbeizuführen.

However, with more precise knowledge of the principles of these lasers, the waveguide width is limited to 100 to 200 μm with powers in the 2 to 4 watt range, as shown here:

• 1. For the α-DFB laser, the following conflicting conditions exist: the pumping region defined by the strip electrode defines the width of the active waveguide. Large waveguide width means weak attenuation of fundamental mode, but also poor discrimination between fundamental mode and first excited mode. A narrow waveguide means good discrimination with high loss of Fundamental mode. Therefore, the tradeoff is about 1 cm ^-1 loss for the fundamental mode and 4 cm ^-1 loss for the first excited mode. This means about 80 μm strip width at 10 ° tilt angle, 100 μm strip width at 12 ° tilt angle and 160 μm strip width at 15 ° inclination angle of the Bragg grating. Thus, one is limited to a 3-watt emission power with good beam quality for a single α-DFB laser.
• 2. The rhombus-shaped cross lattice laser after DE 19827824 A1 shows in the experimental realization a very low efficiency in the conversion of pump energy into radiation, which is particularly caused by large losses due to radiation into the interior of the rhombic area.
• 3. The trapezoidal lasers and the laser operating on the principle of the monolithic MOPA achieve a power of 4 watts, in cw mode, with a beam quality of M ² = 2.3, whereby exceeding the taper divergence angle of 4 ° to increase the reinforcing surface due to occurring Mode instabilities is not appropriate. A power increase by any extension of a trapezoidal laser counteracts the problem that means are missing to bring about one-time propagated paths of propagation of the beam repeated filtering on single-mode.

The external coupling of semiconductor lasers or semiconductor laser arrays is out V. Raab and R. Menzel, "Coherent Seeding of a Broadband Lasers", Paper P. 13.3 Spring DPG Conference 2001 Berlin, 2-6.4.2001 known. But for the production of high power, it requires large volumes and the highest adjustment accuracy.

A laser in which radiation from two active regions are coupled in a multimode interference region is disclosed in US Pat US 6,717,970 B2 described.

The publication WO 98/48495 A2 discloses a laser device in which radiation from a laser diode array is coupled into a system of single-mode waveguides. In this case, the laser beams of the individual juxtaposed laser diodes of the array are coherently coupled by means of a plurality of binary branches in a single output waveguide.

The The object of the invention is an optoelectronic element and a method for coherent Provide coupling of active regions of optoelectronic elements, which overcome the disadvantages of the known solutions and in particular the performance of an optoelectronic radiation source of high brilliance over the above explained limits increase the broadly emitting single laser while maintaining a monolithic construction.

These The object is achieved by the features of the claims 1 and 8 Convenient configurations The invention are contained in the subclaims.

• – Strahlung aus mindestens zwei aktiven Bereichen in eine Transformationszone geleitet und beim Durchlaufen der Transformationszone zu einem Strahl überlagert und/oder
• – Strahlung aus einem aktiven Bereich in eine Transformationszone geleitet und beim Durchlaufen der Transformationszone in mehrere Strahlen geteilt

wird, und über Transformationszonen verbundene aktive Bereiche wenigstens Teilbereiche ohne Gitterstruktur oder mit höchstens einer Einfachgitterstruktur aufweisen. Erfindungsgemäß ist weiter vorgesehen, dass aktive Bereiche als RW-Laser-Strukturen, Breitstreifenlaser-Strukturen, α-DFB-Laser-Strukturen, Kreuzgitterlaser-Strukturen, photonische Kristall-Laser-Strukturen oder Taperlaser-Strukturen ausgebildet sind.A particular advantage of the invention is that the amplification of particularly broad planar laser beams is made possible by using an optoelectronic element which comprises:
layered materials having different complex indices of refraction, wherein at least one layer comprises active regions and at least one layer comprises waveguiding regions having at least one modal fields by diffraction transforming zone (transformation zone), the transformation zones having local changes in the effective complex refractive index, which are partially reflecting deep trenches , Combinations of planar microprisms, microlenses and / or planar diffractive structures are formed, and active areas connected via transformation zones and the transformation zones are formed such that

• - Directed radiation from at least two active areas in a transformation zone and superimposed when passing through the transformation zone to a beam and / or
• - Directed radiation from an active area in a transformation zone and divided into several beams when passing through the transformation zone

and active regions connected via transformation zones have at least partial regions without a lattice structure or with at most a single lattice structure. According to the invention, it is further provided that active regions are formed as RW laser structures, wide-band laser structures, α-DFB laser structures, cross-grating laser structures, photonic crystal laser structures or taper laser structures.

Regarding the diffractive structures may prove advantageous the diffractive structures are transverse and longitudinal to the mode propagation direction Mode transforming changes of the effective refractive index.

In a further preferred embodiment of the optoelectronic element, it is provided that active regions and transformation regions are arranged such that the radiation is coupled into at least one active region after passing through a transformation region. Preferably, the coupling by partial facet reflection and / or reflective Teilberei realized.

In another preferred embodiment of the optoelectronic element is provided that the diffractive Structure of an area with a first effective refractive index and an area with a second effective refractive index, and related to the plane of the optoelectronic element Boundary curve between the two areas of a transversely to the mode propagation locally appropriate designed Phase change of front causes.

When Advantage also proves it, if the optoelectronic element by at least one semi-mirrored, vertical facet on the edge is completed, and at least two α-DFB lasers via a cross-grating or Multiple lattice trained transformation zone coupled to coherent emission are such that the radiation of the coupled laser is the optoelectronic Element over one common facet leaves. When using two α-DFB lasers Advantageously, a cross-grating coupling element is used.

A Another preferred embodiment of the optoelectronic element looks over the optoelectronic element distributed network of active areas and cross-lattice or multiple lattice coupling elements, which in mutual Coupling to a coherent one Coupling of all active areas lead.

In a further preferred embodiment of the optoelectronic element is provided that the optoelectronic Element curved Bragg grating which are arranged so that they are parts of different Represent active areas on each other.

• – Strahlung aus mindestens zwei aktiven Bereichen in eine Transformationszone geleitet und beim Durchlaufen der Transformationszone zu einem Strahl überlagert und/oder
• – Strahlung aus einem aktiven Bereich in eine Transformationszone geleitet und beim Durchlaufen der Transformationszone in mehrere Strahlen geteilt

wird, wobei über Transformationszonen verbundene aktive Bereiche wenigstens Teilbereiche ohne Gitterstruktur oder mit höchstens einer Einfachgitterstruktur aufweisen, und als aktive Bereiche RW-Laser-Strukturen, Breitstreifenlaser-Strukturen, α-DFB-Laser-Strukturen, Kreuzgitterlaser-Strukturen, photonische Kristall-Laser-Strukturen oder Taperlaser-Strukturen verwendet werden.A method for the coherent coupling of active regions in optoelectronic components is characterized in that an optoelectronic component is used, which is constructed of layered materials having different complex refractive indices, at least one layer active regions and at least one layer waveguiding regions with at least one mode fields Diffraction-transforming zone (transformation zone), wherein the transformation zones have local changes of the effective complex refractive index, which are formed as partially reflecting deep trenches, combinations of planar microprisms, microlenses and / or planar diffractive structures, and the coherent coupling is performed by active regions connected via transformation zones and the transformation zones are formed such that

• - Directed radiation from at least two active areas in a transformation zone and superimposed when passing through the transformation zone to a beam and / or
• - Directed radiation from an active area in a transformation zone and divided into several beams when passing through the transformation zone

wherein active regions connected via transformation zones have at least partial regions without a lattice structure or with at most a single lattice structure, and as active regions RW laser structures, broad-stripe laser structures, .alpha.-DFB laser structures, cross lattice laser structures, photonic crystal lasers. Structures or Taperlaser structures are used.

In a preferred embodiment the method according to the invention it is envisaged that the layers consist of semiconductor materials and optical gain in the active areas by power supply in active, in the waveguide layer sequence introduced p-n junctions generated becomes. Alternatively, the profit can also be generated by external Irradiation of pump light in semiconductor layers or in active Ions or dyes that are in the active regions of the waveguide are stored.

For the reinforcement of coherent Radiation, it proves to be advantageous if the optoelectronic Element completed by at least one semi-mirrored facet on the edge is, and at least two α-DFB laser via Kreuzgitter- or Multiple lattice coupling elements are coupled to coherent emission and the coupled laser radiation over the optoelectronic element common facet leaves.

Of Further, it is advantageous if an α-DFB laser as a source oscillator is used over Kreuzgitter- or Multiple grating coupling elements coupled into other active areas.

In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, it is provided that different active regions emit coherently mutually across different facets. In a specific embodiment, it is provided that the radiation of a number of active regions is combined by cascade-shaped transformation zones and further active regions and emitted in a beam via a facet (cf. 4 or 5 ).

A Another preferred embodiment of the Optoelectronic element provides that different active Areas with independent Stream stimulated or modulated.

For special Applications prove it over in addition, when curved Bragg grating parts of Different active areas map each other.

The Invention will be described below with reference to at least partially in the Figures illustrated embodiments be explained in more detail.

It demonstrate:

1 Illustrating the principle of the optoelectronic component using the example of the coherent coupling of two active regions by means of a cross grating;

2 shows the superposition of four beams into a beam by means of four superposed Bragg gratings;

3 illustrates the coupling of three on a chip monolithic applied wide-band lasers,

4 to 8th show various embodiments of the optoelectronic element according to the invention;

9 shows an embodiment with a combination of active RW areas, active taped areas, and a cross-grating area.

The intensity losses the cross-grating laser, as described above, in particular at rhombus Cross-grating lasers occur in large part through the sublattice caused, which is transverse to the strip electrode. improvements in the intensity yield thus arise when in the actual laser stripe (active Areas) the disturbing Subgrid is omitted and only in the overlay parts of the two Laser strip the cross grating for beam combination purposes as a coupling element is left.

The The basic idea of the invention is based on that in a monolithic integrated optical planar device several active areas, the for the reinforcement particularly broad planar laser beams are designed over the Coherent transformation zones be coupled. Because the coherent coupling an important aspect which is achieved by the invention should, the transformation zones in the following as coupling elements designated.

When Coupling elements are used elements that have a wide wavefront allow beams to combine or divide. preferred Elements of this are multiply superimposed Bragg gratings in integrated optical design on a planar component, the different laser beams, for example, to a single Can combine beam.

The principle of the optoelectronic component is described in 1 described at the coherent coupling of two active areas by means of a cross grating. A first resonator comprises the active region 1 and once completed by the reflective facet 2 and on the other hand through the facet 9 because the radiation is from the boundary line 3 on through the subgrid 7 of the Kreuzgitterbereiches 6 perpendicular to the facet 9 is directed. Analogously, a second resonator comprises the active region 4 the once through the facet 5 and also through the facet 9 is completed, because this is the subgrid 8th the radiation perpendicular to the facet 9 passes. Thus, with appropriate backreflection by facet 9 both resoators coherently coupled together. At high reflections of the facets 2 and 5 Almost all of the radiation is over the low-reflectance facet 9 as a ray 10 decoupled. The areas 1 and 4 are preferably pumped by different electrodes. A phase change can be achieved with a voltage across a covering electrode.

In 2 demonstrates the possibility of combining four beams into four beam superimposed Bragg gratings. The combination element 11 is with the overlay 12 Correlated by four lattices. On the limit 13 of the combination element hit four beams with the directions 15 . 17 . 19 and 21 and the corresponding mode field distributions 16 . 18 . 20 and 22 , These are at the limit 14 to a ray with the direction 23 and the corresponding mode field distribution 24 combined. This beam union is the inverse of the principle of holography. The construction of a too 1 analog optical device with the coherent coupling of four active regions is obvious.

An embodiment of the invention for the coupling of the on-chip 25 monolithically applied three wide-band laser 26 . 27 and 28 shows 3 , The three facets 28 are highly reflective, a deep ditch 30 within the area 31 is designed for a 50% reflection component, resulting in a coupling of the three lasers with the common low-reflection emission facet 32 leads. The four areas 26 . 27 . 28 and 31 are preferably supplied by different electrodes with pumping current.

A variant of the optoelectronic component is in 4 shown. The six amplifiers 34 . 35 . 36 . 37 . 38 and 39 are through the three combination elements 40 . 41 and 42 coupled with each other so that all amplifiers are coherent with each other are excited. Here are the individual facets 43 . 44 . 45 and 46 highly reflective and the overall performance of the device is due to the low reflective facet 47 in a single beam 48 emitted. The three combination elements 40 . 41 and 42 can be cross grids again, and the six amplifiers 34 . 35 . 36 . 37 . 38 and 39 Structures of the α-DFB laser or PCDFB laser.

5 shows a variant of the optical component 49 in which the six amplifiers 50 . 51 . 52 . 53 . 54 and 55 about the four combination elements 56 . 57 . 58 and 59 are coupled. The additional coupling via the coupling element 56 compared to 4 causes a more stable coupling of the amplifier with each other. The highly reflective facets are in turn 60 . 61 and 62 and the low reflective facet is 63 through which the entire radiation 64 is emitted.

A further increase in performance is possible when a network of mutually coupled amplifiers is designed to produce mutually coherent emission from a variety of facets, such as that in US Pat 6 will be shown. The optoelectronic component 65 consists of the amplifiers 66 . 67 . 68 . 69 . 70 and 71 and from the coupling elements 72 . 73 . 74 . 75 and 76 , The facets 77 . 78 and 79 are highly reflective and the facets 80 . 81 82 and 83 are low reflective. Then the rays emerging through the low-reflectance facets 84 . 85 . 86 and 87 coherent with each other.

The principle of a MOPA can also be realized with the coupling elements, wherein a master oscillator is coupled via beam splitting elements into different amplifiers, which in turn emit coherent radiation. An example is the in 7 shown optoelectronic component 88 , As a master oscillator, the one on the facet 99 highly reflective lasers 89 , an α-DFB laser, used over the coupling elements 96 . 97 and 98 in the amplifier 90 . 91 . 92 . 93 . 94 and 95 is coupled. Through the anti-reflective facets 100 . 101 . 102 and 103 the radiation is emitted in the form of the mutually coherent rays 104 . 105 . 106 and 107 ,

An embodiment shows 8th , On the chip 108 are the α-DFB laser 109 and the α-DFB laser 110 arranged through the crossbar area 111 be coupled by beam combination. In this case, the α-DFB laser 109 characterized by a Bragg grating with the lattice constant of 574 nm and the inclination of the lattice grooves to the resonator axis 118 around the angle 115 of 15 °. Correspondingly, the grooves of the Bragg grating of the α-DFB laser are 110 with the lattice constant of 723 nm against the resonator axis 118 around the angle 116 inclined by 12 °. The α-DFB laser 109 is on the one hand by the highly reflective facet 112 completed with the reflectivity of 94%, on the other hand, over the cross grid area 111 away with the low-reflective facet 114 that has 0.1% reflectivity. Accordingly, the α-DFB laser 110 final high-reflective facet 113 also the reflectivity 94%. The decoupling facet for the α-DFB laser 110 is also the facet 114 , The total length of the resonator from the facets 112 and 113 to the facet 114 is 2 mm. The electrode stripe width of the α-DFB laser 109 is 160 μm, the electrode stripe width of the α-DFB laser 110 is 100 μm. The vertical structure of the optical device includes an active zone with an InGaAs quantum well with GaAsP barriers embedded in a 700 nm thick GaAs waveguide core grown on a substrate Al _0.25 Ga _0.75 As and also as Sheath layer contains the material Al _0.25 Ga _0.75 As. The etching depth of the grating grooves with the duty factor 0.4 is 140 nm. The grooves of the α-DFB laser 109 and from the α-DFB laser 110 are right in the area 111 continued where they form the cross lattice. The two α-DFB laser areas 109 and 110 as well as the area 111 are stimulated by independent currents. The optoelectronic component can also be operated such that the two α-DFB lasers 109 and 110 separate light exit areas 112 and 113 but both lasers are coherently coupled through a grating. Then the facet is 114 to reflect with 94% reflectivity and the facets 112 and 113 are to be coated with 0.1% reflectivity.

It corresponds to the principle of the invention that the two α-DFB lasers 109 and 110 can be replaced by special optimized laser designs of α-DFB lasers or PCDFB lasers with special designs of the grating direction, lattice shape and strip electrode geometry, which refers to the laser of 3 to 7 can be transferred.

The embodiment in 9 represents a combination of active RW areas, active, taped areas, and a cross-grating area. The chip 119 contains the two trapezoidal lasers 120 and 123 that cross the crossbar area 129 be coherently coupled with each other. There is the trapezoidal laser 120 from the actual active trapezoid part, which is in point 131 in a slightly curved single mode active waveguide 121 the width of 3 microns passes, whose direction in the point 131 coincides with the Taper symmetry line, and the perpendicular to the highly reflective facet 122 stands. The second termination of this laser resonator occurs after passing the boundary line of the combination area 128 and the mode direction change in 129 by means of the low-reflection emission facet 134 from which the radiation 135 is emitted. Analog exists the trapezoidal laser 123 from the owner trapezoidal part and the slightly curved active single mode waveguide 124 and the highly reflective finish 125 on the left facet. The conclusion to the right is analogous to the emission facet 134 , To prefer is a slight curvature of the Bragg lattice grooves. The furrows of the Bragg subgrid system 130 are then parabolas with the focus 131 while the furrows of the Bragg subgrid system 132 Parabolas with the focus 133 are.

An advantageous dimensioning for the emission wavelength 735 nm is: The length of the chip 119 from the highly reflective facets 122 and 125 to the facet 135 is 4 mm. The two single-mode reinforcing areas 121 and 124 are each 1mm long. The full divergence angle of the two trapezoid areas 120 and 121 is 4 ° both times. The angle of inclination 126 the axis of the Taperbereiches 120 against the chip axis 128 is 15 ° and the angle of inclination 127 the axis of the Taperbereiches 123 against the chip axis 128 is 12 °. The furrows 130 of the Taperbereich 120 related sublattice are at the puncture point of the axis 128 through the facet 134 inclined to this axis by the Bragg angle 7.5 °, while the corresponding inclination of the furrows 132 focusing on the Taperbereich 123 refer 6 °. The Bragg lattice constant at this puncture point has for the furrow system 130 the value 804 nm and for the furrow system 132 the value 1005 nm. The extent of the coupling region 129 got off the line 128 to the facet 134 the value 800 μm. The cross lattice has a coupling constant of 6 cm ^-1 . The highly reflective facets have a reflectivity of 94% and the non-reflective facet has a reflectivity of 1%. The radii of curvature of the RW areas 121 and 124 are 4 mm and larger. Thus, additional losses due to curvature can be neglected.

Claims (16)

Optoelectronic element, full in layers arranged materials with different complex refractive indices, wherein at least one layer comprises active areas and at least one Layer waveguiding areas with at least one mode fields by diffraction transforming zone (transformation zone), wherein the transformation zones local changes of the have effective complex refractive index, considered partial reflective deep trenches, Combinations of planar microprisms, microlenses and / or planar diffractive structures are formed, and the active areas coherent are coupled by the active areas over the transformation zones so connected and formed the transformation zones such are that - radiation from at least two active areas into a transformation zone passed and superimposed when passing through the transformation zone to a beam and or - radiation passed from an active area to a transformation zone and when passing through the transformation zone divided into several beams becomes, and the above the transformation zones associated active areas at least Partitions without lattice structure or with at most a single lattice structure and the active regions as RW laser structures, broad-stripe laser structures, .alpha.-DFB laser structures, Cross-Grating Laser Structures, Photonic Crystal Laser Structures or Taperlaser structures are formed. Optoelectronic element according to claim 1, characterized characterized in that the active areas and the transformation areas are arranged such that the radiation after passing through a transformation region is coupled into at least one active area. Optoelectronic element according to claim 2, characterized characterized in that the coupling by partial facet reflection and / or reflective partial areas is realized. Optoelectronic element according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the diffractive structure is transverse and along the Mode propagation direction Mode-transforming changes having the effective refractive index. Optoelectronic element according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the optoelectronic element by completed at least a partially mirrored facet on the edge and at least two α-DFB lasers over one Cross lattice or multiple lattice trained transformation zone too coherent Emission coupled are such that the radiation of the coupled laser the optoelectronic element over leaves a common facet. Optoelectronic element according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a via the optoelectronic element distributed network of active areas and cross-lattice or multiple lattice coupling elements in mutual coupling to a coherent coupling of all active areas leads. Optoelectronic element according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the optoelectronic element curved Bragg gratings which are arranged so that they are parts of different Represent active areas on each other. Method of coherent Coupling of active areas in optoelectronic devices, wherein the optoelectronic component of layered materials constructed with different complex refractive indices, at least a layer of active regions and at least one layer waveguiding Regions with at least one modal fields transforming by diffraction Zone (transformation zone), where the transformation zones local changes of the have effective complex refractive index, considered partial reflective deep trenches, Combinations of planar microprisms, microlenses and / or planar diffractive structures are formed, and the coherent coupling takes place by moving the active areas over the transformation zones so connected and formed the transformation zones such are that - radiation from at least two active areas into a transformation zone passed and superimposed when passing through the transformation zone to a beam and or - radiation passed from an active area to a transformation zone and when passing through the transformation zone divided into several beams becomes, and the above the transformation zones associated active areas at least Partitions without lattice structure or with at most a single lattice structure and, as active regions, RW laser structures, broad-stripe laser structures, .alpha.-DFB laser structures, cross-grating laser structures, photonic crystal laser structures or taper laser structures be used. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that the layers consist of semiconductor materials and an optical one Gain in the active areas by a power supply in active, in the waveguide layer sequence introduced p-n junctions generated becomes. Method according to claim 9, characterized in that that the gain is generated by externally pumping semiconductor layers or of active ions or dyes that are in the active areas of the waveguide are embedded. Method according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterized that the optoelectronic element by at least one partially mirrored facet is completed on the edge, and at least two α-DFB lasers are cross-lattice or multiple lattice coupling elements are coupled to coherent emission and the coupled laser radiation over the optoelectronic element common facet leaves. Method according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterized that an α-DFB laser as Source oscillator is used, which via cross-lattice or multiple lattice coupling elements in other active areas coupled. Method according to one of claims 8 to 12, characterized that different active areas alternately over different facets coherent emit. Method according to one of claims 8 to 12, characterized that the radiation of a number of active areas arranged by cascading Transformation zones and other active areas are summarized and in a beam over a facet is emitted. Method according to one of claims 8 to 14, characterized that excited different active areas with independent currents or modulated. Method according to one of claims 8 to 15, characterized that curved Bragg grating Depict parts of different active areas on each other.