Cavity-less vertical semiconductor optical amplifier
US6339496B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 22, 2000 |
| Grant date | Jan 15, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 22, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S5/423
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A cavity-less vertical semiconductor optical amplifier is provided which includes an active region of an intrinsic bulk semiconductor material sandwiched between p- and n-layers of semiconductor materials in which a vertical gain channel of a predetermined confined cross-sectional configuration is formed to constitute an amplification region of the optical amplifier. The amplification region is sandwiched between layers of p- and n-doped layers of linearly graded semiconductor material supplying holes and electrons to the active region upon switching “ON” of the optical amplifier. Several factors contribute to substantial amplification of an optical signal at a relatively low injection current which include a relatively long active region allowing sufficient single pass gain as well as a strictly confined cross-sectional configuration of the vertical gain channel which reduces the active volume of the amplification region resulting in substantially high gain at a relatively low current. Flattening of the conduction band and valence band profiles allows easy access of the holes and electrons into the active region. The cavity-less vertical semiconductor optical amplifier…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.