EXTERNAL WAVELENGTH STABILIZATION OF GRATING COUPLED SURFACE EMITTING LASERS AND APPLICATIONS

In this dissertation, we explore a semiconductor optical device configuration based on non-resonant diffraction grating coupler. These devices are coupled with monolithic and external wavelength selection elements to form the resonant cavity lasing at ~980nm. Different configurations of these external and monolithic lasers in one-dimensional (1-D) and two-dimensional (2-D) array were fabricated and experimentally studied under quasi- continuous wave (QCW) and pulsed pump current conditions. The lasers are also utilized in blue light generation through nonlinear second harmonic generation (SHG). Diffractive micro-optical beam shaping optics were designed and fabricated for a compact multi-wavelength high peak power blue light source.