Phase-locked semiconductor laser array with separate contacts

Abstract

A new monolithic phase‐locked semiconductor laser array has been fabricated. Employing two‐level metallization, each of the eight elements in the array has a separate contact, thus making it possible to compensate for device nonuniformities and control the near‐field and far‐field patterns. Threshold currents are approximately 60 mA for each 5‐μm‐wide laser in the array. Phase locking has been observed via the narrowing of the far‐field pattern. Experimental results are compared to those obtained from the same arrays operated with all the lasers connected in parallel.