Methods and apparatus for temperature tuning of semiconductor lasers
AssigneeEOS Photonics, Inc.
InventorsLaurent Diehl, Christian Pfluegl, Mark F. Witinski
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Abstract
The present technology relates to a fast and efficient heating element based on a thick heterostructure which is monolithically integrated in close proximity to one or more components of a photonic or an electronic circuit. Inventive embodiments also relate to methods of use illustrative heating elements to control or tune the characteristics of the electronic or photonic component(s). Inventive embodiments may be particularly useful in the fast spectral tuning of the emission wavelength of single mode QCLs.
Claims20
An apparatus, comprising:
- a substrate;
- a semiconductor device integrated onto the substrate, the semiconductor device having at least one temperature-tunable property;
- and
- a heterostructure heater, integrated onto the substrate and in thermal communication with the semiconductor device, to heat the semiconductor device so as to vary the at least one temperature-tunable property of the semiconductor device.
A method of varying a temperature-tunable property of a semiconductor device integrated onto a substrate, the method comprising:
- providing a heterostructure heater, integrated onto the substrate and in thermal contact with the semiconductor device;
- and
- controlling electrical power injected into the heterostructure heater so as to vary a temperature of the semiconductor device.
A tunable laser array comprising:
- a substrate;
- a plurality of quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) integrated onto the substrate;
- and
- a plurality of heterostructure heaters integrated onto the substrate, each heterostructure heaters in the plurality of heterostructure heaters having at least one respective electrode to receive current for causing the respective heterostructure heater to change in temperature,
- wherein the plurality of heterostructure heaters comprises at least one heterostructure heater, in thermal communication with at least one QCL in the plurality of temperature-tunable QCLs, to heat the at least one QCL so as to vary an output wavelength of the at least one QCL.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.