Straight gain-chip in TO package (type A)
Curved gain-chip in TO package (type B)
Gain-chip in TO package with cap
Fiber-coupled gain-chip type C (gain-module) in 10-pin BTF package
Gain Chips (GC)
Gain-chips are critical components for building tunable diode lasers and highly stable external cavity diode lasers. Unlike standard laser diode chips, gain-chips feature deep anti-reflective (AR) coatings on one or both facets, significantly increasing the self-lasing threshold or preventing it. Common external cavity diode laser configurations include Littrow and Littman/Metcalf cavities, where diffraction gratings are used to diffract light of the desired wavelength back along the incident path, with wavelength tuning achieved by rotating the grating. An intracavity lens often collimates the expanded beam onto the grating, and the zero-order beam serves as the laser output.
Innolume’s gain-chips are available with one-side (Types A and B) or two-side (Types C and D) optical access.
- Type A, with straight stripes and deep AR coatings, offers a cost-effective solution for external cavity setups with symmetrical far-field beam patterns.
- Type B uses a curved stripe and deep AR coating to achieve ultra-low reflection (<10-5), suppressing self-lasing and minimizing gain ripples, though it may distort the beam, requiring high NA optics for collimation.
- Type C features curved stripes with low reflection on one facet and partial reflection on the other, enabling power outcoupling and maintaining feedback, balancing output power and beam quality.
- Type D, with deep AR coatings on both facets, supports advanced optical schemes with integrated amplification. Robust facet coating technology ensures high reliability, supported by ISO9001:2008-compliant production and thorough testing.
Gain-Modules, fiber-coupled on one side, simplify tunable laser designs by eliminating multiple components typically required with bare gain-chips. Factory coupling ensures high efficiency, long-term stability, and reliable performance. A Type C gain-chip with deep AR coating on the feedback facet prevents back-reflection and self-lasing, achieving fine spectral lines and high SMSR. The output facet’s reflection (5-15%) supports broad tuning with significant output power. Custom coatings can optimize feedback for specific applications.
Operating wavelengths, facet reflectivity, and other parameters can be tailored for specific needs. Our Application Team is available for consultation to help design optimized solutions. Contact us for customized support.
Key features of Gain-chips
- Optimized for wavelength-locked external cavity operation.
- Broad hopping free tuning range.
- High side-mode suppression ratio (SMSR).
- No self-lasing at maximum current.
- TE polarization.
- Low beam ellipticity (for Gain-Modules).
- Easy optics alignment with orthogonal beam output (for Gain-Modules).
- Fiber output for system integration (for Gain-Modules).
Typical parameters of Gain Chips (GC)
Gain-chip - main characteristics, features and application.
Gain-chips, also known as Reflective Semiconductor Optical Amplifier (Reflective SOA or RSOA) are indispensable components utilized in a diverse range of laser systems, encompassing external cavity lasers, swept sources, and broadband sources. These chips, akin to conventional laser diode chips yet distinguished by their deep anti-reflective coatings on one or both facets, play a pivotal role in augmenting system performance and stability.
External cavity lasers, which leverage Gain-chips as their gain medium, benefit from their unique design, substantially elevating the threshold of self-lasing or eliminating it entirely. Configurations such as Littrow and Littman/Metcalf cavities are frequently employed, utilizing diffraction gratings to precisely manipulate the wavelength of emitted light.
Swept sources, another domain where Gain-chips excel, rely on their robust construction to ensure steadfast and precise wavelength scanning. By rotating the diffraction grating, these sources adeptly traverse a broad spectrum of wavelengths, rendering them indispensable in domains like optical coherence tomography (OCT) and spectroscopy.
Furthermore, Gain-chips serve as pivotal components in broadband sources, where their adeptness at delivering high output power and relatively pristine beam quality is invaluable. These sources find utility across telecommunications, medical diagnostics, scientific inquiry, and industrial realms such as laser material processing and marking.
In essence, Gain-chips exhibit versatility, finding application across an extensive array of laser systems, including external cavity lasers, swept sources, and broadband sources. Their distinctive design and performance attributes make them indispensable in diverse industries and applications, ensuring stability, precision, and efficacy in laser technology.
Gain-chips find applications across various fields:
Medical diagnostics: Facilitating the creation of precise and reliable medical devices. Also used in medical diagnostics, helping to create precise and reliable medical devices, including those that utilize optical coherence tomography (OCT) for high-resolution imaging of tissue structures.
Scientific research: Supporting the development of high-precision laser systems for physical and chemical research.
LiDAR: Often used in LiDAR systems equipped with swept-source technology, providing high scanning speed and improved resolution for precise mapping and object detection.
Manufactured to ensure system stability, efficiency, and expanded application possibilities, Gain-chips exhibit versatility across an extensive array of laser systems. Their distinctive design and performance attributes make them indispensable in diverse industries and applications, ensuring stability, precision, and efficacy in laser technology.
Gain-chip features:
- Any customized wavelength from the 780-1330 nm range is possible;
- Quantum dot and quantum well technology;
- Broad hopping free tuning range;
- High Signal/ASE ratio;
- Deep antireflecting coating;
- No self-lasing.
Gain-chip applications:
- External cavity diode lasers;
- Tunable laser sources;
- Swept sources.
Innolume – Reliable products and solutions for various industries
Is your company in need of a Gain-Chip? Contact us - Innolume offers suitable and unique solutions for any business purpose and guarantees high standards for our products.
You demand, we supply – our portfolio includes semiconductor optical amplifier, Single Mode Laser as well as comb laser and many more products with our revolutionary quantum dot laser technology. Given the wide range of our products, our adaptability and experience, we are eager to present you a solution that fits your business needs.