Integrated multi-wavelength and wideband lasers
AssigneeFox-Tek, Inc.
InventorEdward H. Sargent
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A laser has a spatially varying absorption spectrum formed in a monolithic InGaAsP structure whose quantum well active structure has modified effective bandgap properties. The spatially varying emission spectrum allows emission at multiple wavelengths or emission in a broad band. The effective bandgap properties can be modified by rapid thermal annealing to cause the diffusion of defects from one or two InP defect layers into the quantum well active structure. The laser can be implemented variously as a Fabry-Perot laser and a laser array.
Claims20
A laser for emitting light having a plurality of wavelengths and an intensity at each of the plurality of wavelengths, the laser comprising:
- a semiconductor quantum well structure comprising at least one quantum well layer bounded by barrier layers;
- a plurality of quantum well active regions formed in said at least one quantum well layer of said semiconductor quantum well structure, said plurality of quantum well active regions having effective bandgap properties which are modified relative to one another through intermixing in the active regions such that the quantum well active regions have different light emission spectra corresponding to the plurality of wavelengths;
- and
- a plurality of electrodes, one in electrical contact with each of the plurality of quantum well active regions, for applying a current to each of the plurality of quantum well active regions to control emission of the light at the plurality of wavelengths.
A method of making a laser for emitting light having a plurality of wavelengths, the method comprising:
- (a) forming, in a semiconductor quantum well structure, a plurality of quantum well active regions;
- and
- (b) performing an intermixing in the active regions so as to modify effective bandgap properties in at least one of the quantum well active regions so that the effective bandgap properties vary among the plurality of quantum well active regions, such that the quantum well active regions have different light emission spectra corresponding to the plurality of wavelengths.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.