Laser beam scanning using a local deflector integrated with an effective mode filter

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Abstract
Deflection of a diode laser beam using an injection-type deflector monolithically integrated with a very long waveguide is demonstrated. The deflector and the waveguide constitute a laser cavity. The waveguide filters out higher order modes, and only the fundamental-mode light is incident on the deflector. Because the incident light is of a fixed single mode, the deflection of the output beam is very smooth. The deflection mechanism is primarily due to interference between constituent modes for short deflectors, and phase-front tilting of each mode for long deflectors.