Phase-locked integrated arrays of injection lasers

Abstract

A review is given of the main results obtained in the last few years in the course of development and studies of integrated injection laser arrays. The main configurations of such arrays are considered: they differ in respect of the structure of the active elements and methods used to couple the elements optically. The main approaches to calculations of the mode compositions of the output radiation are described. The experimental energy, spectral, spatial, and dynamic parameters of laser arrays are reported to illustrate the attained levels of their technical characteristics. An analysis is made of phase locking of the radiation from laser arrays by injecting an external phase-locking optical signal, and also by using a shared external resonator, spectral–spatial selectors, and other external optical components.