edge-emitting laser (fiber optic) (EEL)
In semiconductor lasers, a distinction is made between surface-emitting and edge-emitting lasers. In surface-emitting lasers, the laser light is emitted perpendicular to the wafer surface, and in edge-emittinglasers (EEL), the laser light propagates along the wafer surface and is coupled out at a chip edge.
In order for the EEL laser to achieve the necessary light amplification, the resonator cavity must have a length between a few hundred micrometers and a few millimeters. The length of the resonator cavity determines the beam focusing of the EEL laser. The light beam itself has an elliptical shape, which must be focused by optics into a round light beam.
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Edge-emitting lasers include the DFB laser, and surface-emitting lasers include the VCSEL laser. Edge-emitting lasers can emit light powers ranging from a few hundred milliwatts with high beam quality to up to 100 W with low beam quality, depending on the diagonal structure. They are used in laser popinters, CD players and in optical transmission technology.