Semiconductor laser
US5425043A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 9, 1994 |
| Grant date | Jun 13, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 9, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S5/4068
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
In a form of the disclosure an array of coupled cavities (called minicavities) of a QWH semiconductor laser are defined by a native oxide of an aluminum-bearing III-V semiconductor material and are arranged serially end-to-end along the longitudinal direction. The native oxide confines the injected carriers and optical field within the cavities, resulting in reflection and optical feedback distributed periodically along the laser stripe. Single-longitudinal-mode operation is exhibited over an extended range. In a further form of the disclosure, two linear arrays of end-coupled minicavities are arranged side by side to obtain a two dimensional array, with resultant lateral coupling between the linear arrays. The two dimensional array exhibits mode switching and multiple switching in the light power (L) versus current (I) characteristic (L-I) with increasing current. In another form of the disclosure, a stripe laser is transversely coupled (or side-coupled) with a linear array of end-coupled minicavities. Bistability and switching are demonstrated in the light versus current (L-I) characteristic of a native-oxide-defined structure of this type. The device, with internally coupled ele…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.