Vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsDavid A. Fattal, Raymond G. Beausoleil, Sagi Varghese Mathai
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Abstract
A VCSEL includes a grating layer configured with a non-periodic, sub-wavelength grating, in which the non-periodic, sub-wavelength grating includes at least one first section configured to have a relatively low reflection coefficient and at least one second section configured to have a relatively high reflection coefficient to cause light to be reflected in a predetermined, non-Gaussian, spatial mode across the sub-wavelength grating. The VCSEL also includes a reflective layer and a light emitting layer disposed between the grating layer and the reflector, in which the sub-wavelength grating and the reflector form a resonant cavity.
Claims20
A vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser comprising:
- a grating layer having a non-periodic, sub-wavelength grating, wherein the non-periodic, sub-wavelength grating comprises a first section composed of a plurality of first elements arranged in a first pattern and a second section composed of a plurality of second elements arranged in a second pattern, wherein the first section is physically separated from the second section, and wherein the first section has a first reflection coefficient and the second section has a second reflection coefficient that is higher than the first reflection coefficient to cause light to be reflected in a predetermined, non-Gaussian, spatial mode across the sub-wavelength grating;
- a reflective layer;
- and
- a light emitting layer disposed between the grating layer and the reflector, wherein the sub-wavelength grating and the reflector form a resonant cavity, and wherein the sub-wavelength grating and the reflector are to cause light having a predetermined pattern to be emitted from the vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser.
A method for generating light, the method comprising:
- electronically pumping a light-emitting layer to emit light within a resonant cavity formed within a surface-emitting laser, said surface-emitting laser including a grating layer having a non-periodic, sub-wavelength grating formed of a first section composed of a plurality of first elements arranged in a first pattern and a second section composed of a plurality of second elements arranged in a second pattern, wherein the first section is physically separated from the second section, and wherein the first section has a first reflection coefficient and the second section has a second reflection coefficient that is higher than the first reflection coefficient to cause light to be reflected in a predetermined, non-Gaussian, spatial mode across the sub-wavelength grating;
- coupling light into axial modes transversely supported by the cavity, wherein the light is preferentially amplified within the cavity based on configurations of the first and second elements;
- and
- wherein a mode of coherent beam of light having the predetermined spatial mode that match axial and transverse modes supported by the cavity is emitted.
A method for fabricating a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser, said method comprising:
- providing a first electrode;
- disposing a reflector above the first electrode;
- disposing a light emitting layer above the reflector;
- disposing a grating layer above the light emitting layer, said grating layer having a non-periodic, sub-wavelength grating, wherein the non-periodic, sub-wavelength grating comprises a first section composed of a plurality of first elements arranged in a first pattern and a second section composed of a plurality of second elements arranged in a second pattern, wherein the first section is physically separated from the second section, and wherein the first section has a first reflection coefficient and the second section has a second reflection coefficient that is higher than the first reflection coefficient to cause light to be reflected in a predetermined, non-Gaussian, spatial mode across the sub-wavelength grating;
- and disposing a second electrode above the grating layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.