Patent · US Expired

Multiwavelength LED and laser diode optical source

US5138624A · kind A · utility

14Cited by
20References
7Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 22, 1991
Grant dateAug 11, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 22, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10H20/00
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The invention relates to the design of multiwavelength LED devices having multiple-lobe optical spectrums and laser diode devices with multiple designated wavelengths wherein the devices are formed by stacking various active layers of selected semiconductor materials whereby each layer is assigned to be active at a different wavelength. The independent layers are active at different wavelengths based on both their material composition and Quantum Well geometry. Independent control of current to each layer is allowed which in effect controls the spectral intensity distribution and the spectral widths. The step of allowing independent control of the current is achieved by considering the probabilities of carrier capturing, recombining carriers at various active layers and minimizing the current through all the barriers and cladding layers and optimizing the current through each active layer by controlling the individual thicknesses. For the LED device, the window and absorption sections within a Transverse Junction Geometry scheme exist to aid in control of the current within the device. For both the LED and laser devices, the active layer region can be varied in thickness in order t…

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