Optically-pumped semiconductor waveguide amplifier
AssigneeUniversity of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
InventorsGuifang Li, Patrick LiKamWa
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Abstract
A power semiconductor waveguide optical amplifier (P-SWA) may include an amplifier waveguide with an invertible core formed from one or more undoped heterogeneous semiconductor layers and one or more cladding layers surrounding one or more sides of the invertible core formed as one or more undoped semiconductor layers. Pump light may be coupled into the amplifier waveguide to induce the population inversion in the invertible core. Signal light may further be coupled into the amplifier waveguide and may be amplified as it propagates through the amplifier waveguide. The signal light may then exit the amplifier waveguide as amplified signal light.
Claims16
An optical amplifier comprising:
- an amplifier waveguide comprising:
- a core formed from one or more semiconductor layers configured to produce a population inversion when optically pumped;
- and
- one or more cladding layers surrounding one or more sides of the core, wherein pump light from one or more pump sources is guided by the core of the amplifier waveguide to induce the population inversion in the core, wherein signal light is guided by the core of the amplifier waveguide, wherein the core and the one or more cladding layers are configured to provide that an optical mode area of the signal light and an optical mode area of the pump light overlaps the core, wherein the signal light is amplified as it propagates through the amplifier waveguide and exits the amplifier waveguide as amplified signal light.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.