Porous silicon as a light source for rare earth-doped CaF.sub.2 laser
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorsChih-Chen Cho, Walter M. Duncan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus (242) generates intense spectral emissions (68) by associating a porous-Si layer (230) with a rare earth-doped CaF.sub.2 film (234) so that the rare earth-doped CaF.sub.2 film absorbs optical emissions (222) from the porous-Si layer (230). Circuitry (228, 244, and 238) associated with the apparatus (242 and 226) activate the porous-Si layer (230) to produce the optical emissions (222). The porous-Si layer (230) may be formed electrically, by chemical vapor deposition, or by anodizing crystalline silicon.
Claims18
A microcavity structure for generating intense spectral emissions, comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate;
- a CaF.sub.2 thin film comprising a rare earth-dopant for generating said intense spectral emissions in response to said CaF.sub.2 thin film being optically pumped;
- a reflective cavity-forming medium for forming a cavity to reflect said intense spectral emissions;
- a porous-Si layer for optically pumping said CaF.sub.2 thin film;
- and
- activating circuitry for pumping said porous silicon layer.
A method for providing an optical light source for rare earth-doped CaF.sub.2 thin films comprising the steps of:
- associating a porous-Si layer with said rare earth-doped CaF.sub.2 thin films so that the rare earth-doped CaF.sub.2 thin film absorbs optical emissions from said porous-Si layer;
- activating said porous-Si layer to produce said optical emissions.
A CaF.sub.2 Nd laser cavity on a substrate material, comprising:
- a porous-Si layer
- a CaF.sub.2 :Nd film layer;
- a first electrode;
- a second electrode;
- a first plurality of reflector layers;
- a second plurality reflector layers;
- and
- a substrate material;
- said porous-Si layer associated with said first electrode and said first plurality of reflector layers for generating a light to photoluminescently pump said CaF.sub.2 :Nd film layer;
- said CaF.sub.2 :Nd film layer associated between said first plurality of reflector layers and said second plurality of reflector layers for generating an intense spectral emission in response to being photoluminescently pumped by said light from said porous-Si layer;
- and
- said first electrode and second electrode for electrically activating said first plurality of reflector layers, said second plurality of reflector layers, said CaF.sub.2 :Nd film layer, and said porous-Si layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.