Semiconductor laser diode with integrated etalon
US5629954A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 25, 1994 |
| Grant date | May 13, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 25, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S5/1025
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A single-frequency semiconductor laser diode structure and a method for its fabrication. The structure includes a built-in etalon, which limits the frequency of operation of the device to a very narrow frequency band. For an edge-emitting diode, the etalon is formed over a cleaved end face of the semiconductor diode structure, and light is emitted from an opposed cleaved end face. For a surface emitting diode, the etalon is formed as an additional plurality of layers between a plurality of semiconductor layers forming the diode and a substrate on which the structure is formed. Transverse channels formed in the structure have side surfaces that act as mirrors, at least one of which is angularly inclined to the plane of the active region, to reflect light through the etalon layers and out through a parallel exterior surface of the structure. Multiple surface emitting lasers may be arrayed in closely spaced relation to each other, to form a powerful light emitting array.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.