Supersymmetry-driven segmented tapered laser for stabilized single transverse and longitudinal mode engineering

Tapered lasers are extensively employed in high power single-mode lasing, yet still suffering from the potential formation of higher-order transverse modes in the tapered region, which severely degrades the laser beam quality. Herein, we propose a novel supersymmetric segmented tapered laser to achieve stable fundamental transverse mode operation. Our design features a three-segmented tapered waveguide along the light propagation direction, with sub-waveguides of varying widths flanking each main waveguide segment. The main waveguides measure 8 μm, 12 μm, and 16 μm in width. Specifically, the 8 μm main waveguide has a corresponding subsidiary waveguide of 2.67 μm; the 12 μm main waveguide has two subsidiary waveguides measuring 4.82 μm and 6.63 μm; and the 16 μm main waveguide has two subsidiary waveguides measuring 7.13 μm and 3.68 μm. Using the coupled-mode theory, we systematically analyzed the coupling coefficients under different inter-waveguide spacings, leading to an optimized spacing of 1.2 μm through comprehensive theoretical simulations and fabrication compatibility constraints. Furthermore, phase-shifted gratings were integrated between tapered waveguide segments to enable precise longitudinal mode selection. This synergistic design could successfully realize robust single-mode operation, offering a scalable framework for on-chip integrated high-power, high-beam-quality tapered lasers.