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US 9,793,676 B1Granted
Solid-state optical amplifier having an active core and doped cladding in a single chip
AssigneeDicon Fiberoptics, Inc.
InventorHo-Shang Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A solid-state optical amplifier is described, having an active core and doped cladding in a single chip. An active optical core runs through a doped cladding in a structure formed on a substrate. A light emitting structure, such as an LED, is formed within and/or adjacent to the optical core. The cladding is doped, for example, with erbium or other rare-earth elements or metals. Several exemplary devices and methods of their formation are given.
Claims28
An optical amplifier, comprising:
- a substrate;
- an optical core formed on the substrate providing an optical path from an optical input to an optical output;
- one or more light emitting structures formed over the substrate within and/or adjacent to the optical core;
- cladding along the optical core and light emitting structure, the cladding having an index of refraction that is lower than an index of refraction of the optical core, and wherein the cladding is doped with one or more dopant elements or materials;
- and
- electrical contacts connected to the light emitting structure, whereby in response to a voltage differential applied thereto the light emitting structure illuminates at least a portion of the doped cladding,
- wherein the dopant elements or materials emit light within a first wavelength range when illuminated by the light emitting structure by light of a wavelength that is shorter than that of the first wavelength range.
4 more elements
A method of forming an optical amplifier, comprising:
- growing a light emitting epitaxial layer on a first surface of a substrate;
- forming a patterned optical core and a light emitting structure within and/or adjacent to the optical core from the light emitting epitaxial layer;
- depositing cladding along the optical core and light emitting structure, the cladding having an index of refraction that is lower than an index of refraction of the optical core, and wherein the cladding is doped with one or more dopant elements or materials, wherein the dopant elements or materials emit light within a first wavelength range when illuminated by light of a wavelength that is shorter than that of the first wavelength range;
- fabricating a first set of electrical connections over the light emitting structure, the first set of electrical connections contacting the light emitting structure;
- and
- fabricating a second set of electrical connections on or penetrating through a second surface of the substrate, the second set of electrical connections electrically contacting the light emitting structure.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.