Low divergence vertical cavity surface emitting lasers, and modules and host devices incorporating the same
AssigneeAms Sensors Asia Pte. Ltd.
InventorJean-Francois Seurin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The disclosure describes VCSELs operable to produce very narrow divergent light beams. The narrow divergent beam can be obtained, in part, by incorporating an additional epitaxial layer so as to increase the cavity length of the VCSEL. The increased cavity length can result in higher power in fewer larger diameter transverse modes, which can significantly reduce the output beam divergence. The additional epitaxial layer can be incorporated, for example, into a top-emitting VCSEL or bottom-emitting VCSEL.
Claims22
A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) comprising:
- a substrate;
- an epitaxial VCSEL structure on the substrate, wherein the epitaxial VCSEL structure includes:
- a resonant cavity, including a gain region, disposed between a bottom mirror and a partially reflecting middle mirror, the partially reflecting middle mirror being further from the substrate than the bottom mirror;
- and
- an additional epitaxial layer disposed between the partially reflecting middle mirror and a top mirror, the top mirror being further from the substrate than the partially reflecting middle mirror, and the additional epitaxial layer having a thickness in a range of 5 μm-100 μm.
A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) comprising:
- a substrate;
- an epitaxial VCSEL structure on the substrate, wherein the epitaxial VCSEL structure includes:
- a resonant cavity, including a gain region, disposed between a top mirror and a partially reflecting middle mirror, the top mirror being further from the substrate than the partially reflecting middle mirror;
- and
- an additional epitaxial layer disposed between the partially reflecting middle mirror and a bottom mirror, the partially reflecting middle mirror being further from the substrate than the bottom mirror, and the additional epitaxial layer having a thickness in a range of 5 μm-100 μm.
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.