9422572 Hall The research investigates the design, fabrication, and properties of electrically pumped concentric-circle-grating, surface-emitting (CCGSE) semiconductor lasers. Conventional Fabry-Perot semiconductor lasers emit broadly diverging beams with elliptical cross-sections. An optically pumped A1GaAs/GaAs CCGSE laser has already been demonstrated to emit a spectrally narrow (<1nm), low divergence (1o), 10 milliwatt circular beam. CCGSE lasers have the potential for high power operation and superior beam quality. Such a laser would likely find widespread use in optical data storage, communications, medical instrumentation, sensing, inspection, and a variety of other applications. ***
