Grating-outcoupled surface-emitting lasers
AssigneePhotodigm, Inc.
InventorsGary A. Evans, Jay B. Kirk, Jacob Meyer Hammer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Laser diodes are formed with an outcoupling grating between two separate distributed Bragg reflectors. The devices have gain regions located between the reflector gratings for pumping the active region. The outcoupling grating couples light out of the waveguide normal to the surface if the grating spacings are equal to an integer number of wavelengths of the light within the cavity. If the gratings are not such an integer number, the light is coupled out of the cavity off the normal.
Claims29
A semiconductor laser device, comprising:
- a waveguide having separate first order reflector gratings at both ends of said waveguide;
- an outcoupling location positioned between said gratings on said waveguide, connected to couple light out of said waveguide.
A semiconductor laser device, comprising:
- a waveguide structure having first and second reflectors, one at either end of said waveguide;
- a first set of electrodes connected to pump a first gain region portion of said waveguide structure adjacent to said first reflector;
- a second set of electrodes connected to pump a second gain region portion of said waveguide structure adjacent to said second reflector;
- an outcoupling aperture positioned between said first and second gain region portions on said waveguide structure, connected to couple light out of said waveguide structure.
A semiconductor laser device, comprising:
- a cavity having reflectors at either end and an outcoupling aperture connected to outcouple light from said cavity;
- a gain region of said cavity located between said reflectors, said gain region having a first portion on one side of said outcoupling aperture and a second portion on the opposite side of said outcoupling aperture.
A semiconductor laser system, comprising:
- a cavity having reflectors at either end and an outcoupling aperture connected to outcouple light from said cavity, said outcoupling aperture located between said reflectors;
- a gain region of said cavity located between said reflectors;
- a reflective layer positioned on said outcoupling aperture.
A semiconductor laser system, comprising:
- a cavity having reflectors at either end and an outcoupling aperture connected to outcouple light from said cavity, said outcoupling aperture located between said reflectors;
- a gain region of said cavity located between said reflectors;
- wherein said gain region is divided into a plurality of sections, one of said sections being connected to modulate said light.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.