Microelectromechanically tunable, confocal, vertical cavity surface emitting laser and fabry-perot filter
US6438149B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 26, 1998 |
| Grant date | Aug 20, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 26, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S5/3201
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method is provided for fabricating microelectromechanically tunable vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers and microelectromechanically tunable Fabry-Perot filters with precise lateral and vertical dimensional control. Strained reflective dielectric film(s) are applied to a multiple quantum well structure to electronically band-gap-engineer the quantum wells. Appropriate strain in the reflective dielectric film layers is also used to create appropriate curvature in one of the reflective dielectric film stacks so as to form a confocal cavity between a planar reflective dielectric film layer and the curved reflective dielectric film layer in the vertical cavity surface emitting laser or filter. Laser and filter structures are also provided which include a suspended membrane structure made of a dielectric/metal membrane or metal film that supports a cavity-tuning reflective dielectric film stack while being anchored at the perimeter by metal support post(s). Precise air-cavity length and lateral dimensions are achieved by micro-die-casting using a micro-machined sacrificial polyimide or aluminum disk. Further, tuning is achieved by translational movement of the cavity-tuning reflec…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.