Wavelength conversion waveguide

US5379311A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Hughes Aircraft Company · US

Inventors

• Ross A. McFarlane · Thousand Oaks, US
• Mark Lui · Los Angeles, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 25, 1994
• Grant date: Jan 3, 1995
• Expiry date: Mar 25, 2014

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01S5/026
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A radiation wavelength conversion device is implemented in the form of a waveguide that includes a single crystal halide-based cladding layer, and a halide-based active layer. The active layer has a greater refractive index than the cladding layer, is approximately lattice matched with the cladding layer, and includes a dopant that causes it to respond to input radiation at one wavelength by emitting radiation at a different wavelength. The active layer can either form part of a laser resonator cavity, or can operate through spontaneous emission. It is preferably about 3.5-5 microns thick to induce single-mode propagation, and can be divided into separate waveguiding channels to limit beam fanning. The device is operable at room temperature, and can be fabricated using conventional microelectronics techniques.