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Abstract

External cavity micro laser apparatus comprises at least one multimode micro laser having an emission aperture with a relatively long dimension lying in a slow axis plane and a relatively short dimension lying in a fast axis plane. The laser produces multiple transverse lasing modes, the multiple modes having multiple lasing lobe components. External cavity means embracing the laser has an output section including spatial filter means, which may be the input aperture of an optical waveguide, for effectively selecting at least one of the transverse lasing lobe components. The cavity output section includes imaging means for imaging at the spatial filter means a far field spatial frequency distribution in the slow axis plane of the emission aperture, at which distribution the lasing lobe components are spatially distinguishable. The cavity output section also includes feedback means for causing a fraction of the optical energy in the selected lasing lobe component(s) to be fed back to the laser for amplification by the laser. A cavity return section receives the amplified lasing lobe component after reflection from the laser. Return means in the return section efficiently returns to the laser means at least a portion of the amplified and reflected lasing lobe component.

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First Claim