Generation of a Single-Lobe Radiation Pattern from a Phased-Array Laser Using a Near Contact Variable-Phase-Shift Zone Plate

Abstract

Phased-locked semiconductor laser arrays have been a subject of great interest in recent years.(1-2) These laser arrays are very promising candidates as efficient high power monochromatic optical sources. The relative phases of the lasing elements of the array are locked to each other due to the effect of optical coupling between adjacent laser stripes, creating a stable far field radiation pattern. However, most of the phased array lasers reported previously showed double-lobe far-field patterns, which are undesirable for many applications.