Laser-to-fiber coupling

US7194016B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• University of Central Florida · US
• Infinite Photonics, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Jeff Bullington · Albuquerque, US
• Richard Stoltz · Plano, US
• Laurent Vaissie · Oviedo, US
• Eric Johnson · Ottawa, CA
• M. Gamal Moharam · Orlando, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 22, 2002
• Grant date: Mar 20, 2007
• Expiry date: Jul 31, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01S2301/185
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Our wafer scale processing techniques produce chip-laser-diodes with a diffraction grating (78) that redirects output light out the top (88) and/or bottom surfaces. Generally, a diffraction grating (78) and integrated lens-grating (78) are used herein to couple light from the chip to an output fiber (74), and the lens-grating (78) is spaced from the diffraction grating (76). Preferably the diffraction grating (76) and integrated lens grating (78) are also used to couple light from the output fiber (74) back to the active region of the chip. The integrated lens-grating (78) can be in a coupling block (82). The use of a coupling block (82) can eliminate “facet-type damage”. A coupling block (82) is generally used herein to couple light from the chip to an output fiber (74), and preferably to couple feedback reflected from the fiber (74) back to the chip.