Open-Dirac Laser Apertures for Scalable Single-Mode Power
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current single mode lasers with single apertures become multimode as the aperture size increases, limiting their power scaling and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The development of open-Dirac electromagnetic apertures and Berkeley Surface Emitting Lasers (BKSELs) that utilize photonic crystal structures with quasi-linear dispersion and mode-dependent loss, ensuring single-mode operation regardless of aperture size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the aperture size of a single mode laser is increased to scale up power, then the laser power increases, but the laser becomes multimode and fails quickly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the aperture into multiple discrete emitters arranged in an array, where each emitter is independently controlled to maintain single-mode operation. This segmentation allows the overall aperture to be large for high power while each individual emitter remains small enough to operate in single-mode, resolving the contradiction between power scaling and stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single large aperture to a two-dimensional array of multiple small apertures. This dimensional change allows the system to achieve large effective aperture area (for high power) while maintaining small individual aperture sizes (for single-mode stability), thus resolving the power-stability contradiction.
2Power
If the aperture size is increased to achieve higher power output, then the power scaling improves, but the laser rapidly transitions to multimode operation
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the aperture into multiple independent emitters, the patent enables high total power output while each segment maintains single-mode operation. This segmentation strategy resolves the contradiction between power scaling and single-mode adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic control of individual emitter phases and amplitudes to maintain constructive interference in the desired direction while suppressing multimode operation. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to scale power while preserving single-mode characteristics.
3Power
If conventional electromagnetic apertures are scaled up, then the power increases, but the free-spectral range goes to zero and multimode operation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the large aperture into multiple small, precisely manufactured emitters. This segmentation allows the overall system to achieve high power while each individual emitter maintains precise mode control, resolving the contradiction between power and manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the conventional single large cavity with an array of smaller cavities coupled through electromagnetic fields. This substitution allows power scaling while maintaining mode control precision through the distributed structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
These scalable lasers maintain single-mode operation even at large sizes, achieving efficient power scaling and enabling applications in various fields such as Lidar, consumer electronics, and medical devices.
Implementation Method 1
Our structures are based on photonic crystal apertures or nanostructured apertures that exhibit a quasi-linear dispersion at the center of the Brillouin zone
Implementation Method 2
mode dependent loss controlled by the cavity boundaries, modes, and crystal truncation. The open Dirac cavities protect the fundamental mode and couple higher order modes to lossy bands of the photonic structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A surface-emitting, single mode laser includes a gain medium and a photonic structure. The gain medium is configured to emit an electromagnetic wave. The photonic structure is electromagnetically coupled to the gain medium and has a cavity mode-dependent scaling of losses so that higher order modes are coupled to more lossy bands and a fundamental mode, at a high symmetry point, is coupled to a less lossy band of the photonic structure.