Design considerations for diffraction coupled arrays with monolithically integrated self-imaging cavities

Conditions for stabilization of in-phase or out-of-phase array eigenmodes in diffraction coupled diode laser arrays are derived and applied to several array architectures. The analysis predicts that the discrimination between these two eigenmodes is strongest in arrays with half Talbot distance long free-propagation region. In this geometry, the out-of-phase and in-phase near fields are, respectively, reproduced and channeled halfway between the original channel locations.