Abstract

Binary phase gratings have been investigated for use as beam splitters (1), multiplexers, and shapers (2). More recently, binary phase gratings have been used as beam couplers (3), coupling a large fraction of the outputs from an array of semiconductor lasers into a single gaussian output. The binary element is used to both split and combine the electric field inside of a complex external cavity. This technique overcomes the output power limitation of optical facet damage from single laser diodes.

© 1986 Optical Society of America