Patent · US Expired

Wavelength tuning of multiple quantum well (MQW) heterostructure lasers

US4839899A · kind A · utility

38Cited by
4References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 9, 1988
Grant dateJun 13, 1989
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 9, 2008

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01S5/4087
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The thermalization process is effectively slowed down by reducing the tunneling or communication probability between adjacent quantum wells of a MQW heterostructure laser to increase the number of allowable subbands in the wells and thereby correspondingly increase the range of wavelength tuning of such lasers. This increase of allowable subbands is accomplished by (A) either (1) spatially varying the elemental composition of the wells or barriers or both in order to spatially increase or decrease the energy band from well to well or (2) spatially varying the thickness of the wells or barriers or both in order to spatially increase or decrease the energy band from well to well, or (B) a combination of (1) and (2) of (A).

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.