Vertical cavity surface emitting laser optimized for optical sensitivity
AssigneeFinisar Corporation
InventorJames K. Guenter
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) optimized for use in self mixing applications. The VCSEL generally includes a bottom distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) mirror formed on a substrate. An active region is formed on the bottom mirror. A top DBR mirror is formed on the active region. A trench is formed in the at least the top mirror. An aperture is oxidized into the VCSEL. At least one of the bottom DBR mirror, the top DBR mirror, the metal contacts, the trench, and/or the aperture is optimized to make the VCSEL more optically sensitive to light reflected back into the VCSEL.
Claims12
An electrical device, comprising:
- a laser doppler velocimeter comprising a semiconductor laser and being configured to measure movement of an object relative to the semiconductor laser, wherein the semiconductor laser includes:
- a bottom DBR mirror formed on a substrate;
- an active region formed on the bottom mirror;
- a top DBR mirror formed on the active region;
- contacts electrically coupled to the active region;
- and
- wherein the bottom DBR mirror comprises an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion being disposed closer to the active region than the lower portion, the upper portion and the lower portion comprising alternating high and low index of refraction layers, the low index of refraction layers in the upper portion comprising non-binary semiconductor materials and the low index of refraction layers in the lower portion comprising binary semiconductor materials.
An electronic device for use in laser Doppler velocimetry applications, the device comprising:
- a sensor configured to measure movement of an object relative to a VCSEL, the VCSEL comprised of:
- a bottom DBR mirror formed on a substrate;
- an active region formed on the bottom mirror;
- a top DBR mirror formed on the active region;
- metal contacts coupled to the active region;
- and
- wherein the bottom DBR mirror comprises an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion being disposed closer to the active region than the lower portion, the upper portion and the lower portion comprising alternating high and low index of refraction layers, the low index of refraction layers in the upper portion comprising non-binary semiconductor materials and the low index of refraction layers in the lower portion comprising binary semiconductor materials.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.