Quantum cascade laser with mode shaping waveguide coupler
AssigneeIrglare, LLC
InventorLuke Milbocker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A quantum cascade laser has an input waveguide that propagates a transverse optical mode of electromagnetic radiation generated by the QCL, a multimode interference (MMI) coupler, and an output waveguide. The coupler has (a) an input end that receives the transverse optical mode from the input waveguide, (b) a tapered section that modifies a transverse width of the transverse optical mode, and (c) an output end that outputs a modified-width transverse optical mode to the output waveguide. Modifying the transverse width of the transverse optical mode permits the input waveguide to have a different width than the output waveguide.
Claims22
A quantum cascade laser (QCL) comprising:
- an input ridge waveguide that propagates a transverse optical mode of electromagnetic radiation generated by the QCL;
- a multimode interference (MMI) coupler having an input end that receives the transverse optical mode from the input ridge waveguide, modifies a transverse width of the transverse optical mode, and outputs a modified-width transverse optical mode from an output end of the MMI coupler;
- and
- an output ridge waveguide that receives the modified-width transverse optical mode from the output end and propagates the modified-width transverse optical mode;
- wherein the input ridge waveguide has a different ridge width than the output ridge waveguide.
A quantum cascade laser (QCL) comprising:
- an input waveguide that propagates a transverse optical mode of electromagnetic radiation generated by the QCL;
- a multimode interference (MMI) coupler having (a) an input end that receives the transverse optical mode from the input waveguide, (b) a tapered section that modifies a transverse width of the transverse optical mode, and (c) an output end that outputs a modified-width transverse optical mode;
- and
- an output waveguide that receives the modified-width transverse optical mode from the output end and propagates the modified-width transverse optical mode.
A tree array quantum cascade laser (QCL) comprising:
- a plurality of input waveguides that respectively propagate a transverse optical mode of electromagnetic radiation generated by the QCL;
- a multimode interference (MMI) coupler having (a) an input end that receives the transverse optical mode from the plurality of input waveguides, (b) a tapered section that modifies a transverse width of the transverse optical mode, and (c) an output end that outputs a modified-width transverse optical mode;
- and
- a single output waveguide that receives the modified-width transverse optical mode from the output end and propagates the modified-width transverse optical mode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.