# US 11,309,453 B2 · Combining light-emitting elements of differing divergence on the same substrate

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- Number: US 11,309,453 B2
- Document ID: US11309453B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/031,955
- Filed: 2020-09-25
- Published: 2021-01-14
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2017-01-16
- Assignees: Apple Inc.
- Applicants: Apple Inc.
- Inventors: Arnaud Laflaquière; Marc Drader
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11309453B2

## CPC

- H01S 5/423: {having a vertical cavity}
- H10H 20/813: having a plurality of light-emitting regions, e.g. multi-junction LEDs or light-emitting devices having photoluminescent regions within the bodies
- H10H 20/01: Manufacture or treatment
- H10H 20/862: {Resonant cavity structures (formed by reflecting means in the bodies H10H20/8142)}
- H10H 29/142: {Two-dimensional arrangements, e.g. asymmetric LED layout}
- H10H 20/034: {of coatings}
- H10H 20/042: {Superluminescent diodes}
- H01S: DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL
- H10H: INORGANIC LIGHT-EMITTING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES HAVING POTENTIAL BARRIERS

## Abstract

An optoelectronic device includes a semiconductor substrate and a monolithic array of light-emitting elements formed on the substrate. The light-emitting elements include a first plurality of first emitters, configured to emit respective first beams of light with a first angular divergence, at respective first positions in the array, and a second plurality of second emitters, configured to emit respective second beams of light with a second angular divergence that is at least 50% greater than the first angular divergence, at respective second positions in the array.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An optoelectronic device, comprising:
a semiconductor substrate; and
a monolithic array comprising an arrangement of unit cells of light-emitting elements formed on the substrate comprising epitaxial structures of multiple epitaxial layers, the light-emitting elements in each unit cell comprising:
a plurality of first vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), which comprise first mesas having a first width and are configured to emit respective first beams of light with a first angular divergence, at respective first positions in the unit cell; and
one or more second VCSELs, which comprise second mesas having a second width smaller than the first width and are configured to emit respective second beams of light with a second angular divergence that is at least 50% greater than the first angular divergence, at respective second positions in the unit cell.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The optoelectronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first VCSELs have first optical apertures, and the second VCSELs have second optical apertures, which are smaller than the first optical apertures.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The optoelectronic device according to claim 1, wherein the positions of the light-emitting elements in at least some of the unit cells are shifted as compared to the positions in adjacent unit cells.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The optoelectronic device according to claim 1, wherein the second positions are interspersed with the first positions in the unit cell.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The optoelectronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first positions form an uncorrelated pattern.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The optoelectronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first VCSELs and the second VCSELs are coupled to be driven separately so that the device emits either or both of the first beams from the first emitters and the second beams from the second emitters.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The optoelectronic device according to claim 6, wherein the first beams emitted by the first emitters form a pattern of spots on a region in space, while the second beams cast flood illumination on the region.

### Claim 8

An optoelectronic device, comprising:
a semiconductor substrate; and
a monolithic array comprising an arrangement of unit cells of light-emitting elements formed on the substrate, the light-emitting elements in each unit cell comprising:
a plurality of first vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), which comprise first mesas having a first width and are configured to emit respective first beams of light with a first angular divergence to form a pattern of structured radiation on a region in space, at respective first positions in the unit cell; and
one or more second VCSELs, which comprise second mesas having a second width smaller than the first width and are configured to emit respective second beams of light with a second angular divergence that is greater than the first angular divergence to cast flood illumination on the region, at respective second positions in the unit cell.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The optoelectronic device according to claim 8, wherein the first VCSELs have first optical apertures, and the second VCSELs have second optical apertures, which are smaller than the first optical apertures.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The optoelectronic device according to claim 8, wherein the positions of the light-emitting elements in at least some of the unit cells are shifted as compared to the positions in adjacent unit cells.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The optoelectronic device according to claim 8, wherein the second positions are interspersed with the first positions in the unit cell.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The optoelectronic device according to claim 8, wherein the first positions form an uncorrelated pattern.