Multi-wavelength semiconductor light source and process for producing the same
AssigneeNEC Corporation
InventorKoichi Naniwae
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
All of a plurality of visible semiconductor light emitting devices, optical waveguides coupled to these visible semiconductor light emitting devices, and a mutiplexer for multiplexing lights from the optical waveguides to prepare multi-wavelength or white light are integrally provided on a single substrate. By virtue of the above construction, a multi-wavelength semiconductor light source can be realized which can reduce the trouble of regulating the optical axis of the optical waveguides and the multiplexer and can contribute to a reduction in cost and a reduction in size.
Claims15
A multi-wavelength semiconductor light source comprising:
- a substrate;
- a plurality of semiconductor light emitting devices provided on the substrate, for emitting respective lights different from each other or one another in wavelength;
- a plurality of optical waveguides provided on the substrate so that the optical waveguides in their one end are coupled respectively to the plurality of the semiconductor light emitting devices;
- and
- a multiplexer provided on the substrate so as to be coupled respectively to the other ends of the plurality of optical waveguides, for multiplexing lights output from the plurality of optical waveguides and outputting the multiplexed light.
A process for producing a multi-wavelength semiconductor light source, comprising the steps of:
- forming a plurality of semiconductor light emitting devices, which each comprise a light emitting layer and a pair of cladding layers sandwiching the light emitting layer therebetween and emit respective lights different from each other or one another in wavelength, on a substrate by a method including etching or selective formation;
- and
- forming, on the substrate by a method including etching or selective formation, a plurality of optical waveguides, which each comprise a core layer and a pair of cladding layers sandwiching the core layer therebetween, the plurality of the optical waveguides in their one end being coupled respectively to the plurality of semiconductor light emitting devices, and a multiplexer coupled to the other ends of the plurality of optical waveguides.
A process for producing a multi-wavelength semiconductor light source, comprising the steps of:
- forming a plurality of semiconductor light emitting devices, which each comprise a light emitting layer and a pair of cladding layers sandwiching the light emitting layer therebetween and emit respective lights different from each other or one another in wavelength, on a substrate by a method including etching or selective formation;
- and
- previously preparing a plurality of optical waveguides, which each comprise a core layer and a pair of cladding layers sandwiching the core layer therebetween, the plurality of the optical waveguides in their one end being to be coupled respectively to the plurality of semiconductor light emitting devices, and a multiplexer to be coupled to the other ends of the plurality of optical waveguides, and, after the formation of the plurality of semiconductor light emitting devices, mounting the plurality of optical waveguides and the multiplexer onto the substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.