US 5,349,599 AGranted

Bistable optical laser based on a heterostructure PNPN thyristor

OwnerEric C. Larkinsinventor

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Abstract

A semiconductor apparatus for propagating light in a preferred direction which comprises, in succession, a substrate, a first emitter region, a first carrier confinement region, a first internal heterojunction barrier, a first base region, a second base region, a second internal heterojunction barrier, a second carrier confinement region, and a second emitter region, wherein portions of the first emitter region and the second base region are of one conductivity type and portions of the second emitter region and the first base region are of the opposite conductivity type, wherein the first and second emitter regions, the first and second internal heterojunction barriers and the first and second base regions together define a single optical cavity in the directions perpendicular to the preferred direction of light propagation, and electrodes are provided for applying an electrical current which flows through the semiconductor apparatus.

Claims6

Dependent claims

An optoelectronic circuit comprising:

a first subcircuit branch including a series connection of a bistable light producing device, having an anode electrode and a cathode electrode, a first resistor, and a voltage rectifying device, having an anode electrode and a cathode electrode, with the first resistor and the voltage rectifying device being connected to opposite ones of the anode electrode and the cathode electrode of the bistable light-producing device and first means for positively biasing the anode electrodes of both the rectifying device and the bistable light-producing device relative to their respective cathode electrodes;
a second subcircuit branch including a photo-sensitive device, having an anode electrode and a cathode electrode, and a second resistor connected in series with the anode electrode of the photo-sensitive device, second means for positively biasing the anode electrode of the photo-sensitive device with respect to its cathode electrode;
and wherein both the first subcircuit branch and the second subcircuit branch are connected in parallel, with the first resistor and the second resistor being connected together at one of their ends;
a capacitor having one electrode connected to a junction between the bistable light-producing device and the voltage rectifying device of the first subcircuit branch and another electrode connected to a junction between the second resistor and the photo-sensitive device of the second subcircuit branch;
and
means for introducing optical input signals to the photo-sensitive device of the second subcircuit branch.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/049,827Filed 19 Apr 1993 · division
Priority: 29 Mar 1990
Granted: 20 Sep 1994
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

G02F 3/026
Optical bistable devices: based on laser effects
H10H 20/013
Of bodies, e.g. forming semiconductor layers: having light-emitting regions comprising only Group III-V materials
H10H 20/813
Bodies: having a plurality of light-emitting regions, e.g. multi-junction LEDs or light-emitting devices having photoluminescent regions within…
H01S 5/026
Structural details or components not essential to laser action: monolithically integrated components, e.g. waveguides, monitoring photo-detectors,…