Title :
Fabrication of two-sided anamorphic microlenses and direct coupling of tapered high-power diode laser to single-mode fiber
Author :
Liau, Z.L. ; Walpole, J.N. ; Livas, J.C. ; Kintzer, E.S. ; Mull, D.E. ; Missaggia, L.J. ; DiNatale, W.F.
Author_Institution :
Lincoln Lab., MIT, Lexington, MA, USA
Abstract :
An anamorphic microlens has been developed to couple a tapered unstable-resonator laser directly to a single-mode fiber, and has demonstrated capability for simple, compact and efficient high-power diode laser systems. Far high collection and coupling efficiencies, the refractive microlens has been fabricated by utilizing both sides of a GaP substrate, in which the first side was used to remove the astigmatism of the laser output and the second side to focus the beam to a spot size comparable to the fiber mode. The microlenses have been accurately formed by using a recent technique of mass-transport smoothing of etched multimesa preforms. Initial fiber-coupling experiments showed powers as high as 360 mW at the fiber output, and coupling efficiency as high as 29.5% has been measured at a lower power.<>
Keywords :
aberrations; laser cavity resonators; laser stability; lenses; optical couplers; optical fabrication; optical fibre couplers; optical focusing; semiconductor lasers; 25.9 percent; 360 mW; GaP; GaP substra; astigmatism; coupling efficiencies; coupling efficiency; direct coupling; etched multimesa preforms; fiber mode; fiber output; fiber-coupling experiments; focus; high-power diode laser systems; laser output; mass-transport smoothing; refractive microlens; single-mode fiber coupling; single-mode fibre; spot size; tapered high-power diode laser; tapered unstable-resonator laser; two-sided anamorphic microlens fabrication; Diode lasers; Fiber lasers; Laser beams; Laser modes; Lenses; Microoptics; Optical coupling; Optical device fabrication; Optical refraction; Vision defects;
Journal_Title :
Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE
