Patent US3686543A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3686543A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Angled array semiconductor light sources
Assignee: RCA Corp
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Filing: 1968-02-08
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Granted: 1972-08-22
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Expires: 1988-02-08
Abstract
Abstract A light emitting array consisting of a number of prismatically shaped injection type light emitting diodes arranged in angled pairs. Light emitted from a surface of one laser of each pair is reflected from an adjacent surface of the other laser of the pair in a specified direction; similarly, light emitted from the adjacent surface of the other laser of the pair is reflected from the light emitting surface of the first laser, in the same specified direction. Adjacent pairs may be optically coupled, utilizing lasers which emit two light beams in opposite directions, to lower the current threshold of the array and to increase its efficiency.
Inventors
- 👤 Paul Nyul
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 04:32
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S5/00; H01S5/40; H01S5/4025; H01S5/4031; H01S5/4056; H01S5/005; H01S5/0071; H01S5/02; H01S5/022; H01S5/023; H01S5/02325; H01S5/02326; H01S5/024; H01S5/02407; H01S5/02423
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
293 words
A light emitter, comprising: A. a substrate having a principal surface; B. a plurality of generally prismatic semiconductor devices arranged in angled pairs on said principal surface, each device comprising: a. a body of semiconductor material having upper and lower opposed major surfaces, b. first and second adjacent regions of mutually different conductivity types in said body contiguous with said upper and lower surfaces, respectively, c. the interface between said regions forming a substantially planar P-N junction, d. said body having first and second opposed end surfaces, a given one of said end surfaces being optically flat, and e. first and second electrodes contiguous with said upper and lower major surfaces for electrically contacting said first and second regions, respectively, f. such that when a given potential difference is applied to said electrodes to cause current to flow across said P-N junction, light is emitted from said given end surface substantially in the plane of the junction; C. the devices of each pair being inclined relative to each other so that the given end surfaces of said devices are adjacent, and light emitted from the given end surface of one device of the pair is reflected from the adjacent end surface of the device of the pair in a specified direction, light emitted from the given end surface of the other device of the pair being reflected from the adjacent end surface of said one device also in said specified direction; D. an electrically conductive layer on said principal surface; E. each said device being bonded directly to said substrate so that the second electrode of each device is electrically connected to said conductive layer; and F. means including said conductive layer for applying said potential difference to the electrodes of each device.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
293 words
A light emitter, comprising: A. a substrate having a principal surface; B. a plurality of generally prismatic semiconductor devices arranged in angled pairs on said principal surface, each device comprising: a. a body of semiconductor material having upper and lower opposed major surfaces, b. first and second adjacent regions of mutually different conductivity types in said body contiguous with said upper and lower surfaces, respectively, c. the interface between said regions forming a substantially planar P-N junction, d. said body having first and second opposed end surfaces, a given one of said end surfaces being optically flat, and e. first and second electrodes contiguous with said upper and lower major surfaces for electrically contacting said first and second regions, respectively, f. such that when a given potential difference is applied to said electrodes to cause current to flow across said P-N junction, light is emitted from said given end surface substantially in the plane of the junction; C. the devices of each pair being inclined relative to each other so that the given end surfaces of said devices are adjacent, and light emitted from the given end surface of one device of the pair is reflected from the adjacent end surface of the device of the pair in a specified direction, light emitted from the given end surface of the other device of the pair being reflected from the adjacent end surface of said one device also in said specified direction; D. an electrically conductive layer on said principal surface; E. each said device being bonded directly to said substrate so that the second electrode of each device is electrically connected to said conductive layer; and F. means including said conductive layer for applying said potential difference to the electrodes of each device.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
A light emitter according to claim 1, wherein the opposed end surfaces of each device form an optical cavity, said end surfaces being sufficiently reflective so that each device functions as an injection laser when said current flow exceeds a predetermined threshold value.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
54 words
A light emitter according to claim 2, wherein the P-N junction plane of each device is substantially parallel to both major surfaces of the device and normal to the end surfaces thereof, the junction planes of the adjacent devices of each pair being oriented at an angle of 120* with respect to each other.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
81 words
A light emitter according to claim 1, wherein light is emitted from both end surfaces of each device, said device pairs being situated in a row, further comprising means for coupling light emitted from an end surface, other than said given end surface, of a selected device of a particular pair to an adjacent end surface, other than said given end surface, of an adjacent selected device of another pair, thereby to reduce said predetermined threshold value for said selected devices.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
A light emitter according to claim 4, wherein said coupling means includes a light reflective substance on said substrate surface.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
A light emitter according to claim 5, wherein said coupling means includes a transparent medium disposed between said coupled end surfaces and having an index of refraction between that of air and that of said semiconductor material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
A light emitter according to claim 1, further comprising a lens, having an index of refraction between that of air and that of said semiconductor material, disposed between said adjacent end surfaces for collimating any light radiated therefrom.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
A light emitter according to claim 1, wherein said angled pairs are arranged in a row so that the light emitted from said devices and reflected from said adjacent end surfaces appears to originate substantially in a single plane.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
A light emitter according to claim 1, wherein the first regions of the devices of each pair are of tHe same conductivity type.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
54 words
A light emitter according to claim 4, wherein the first regions of the devices of each pair are of mutually different conductivity types, the first electrodes of the devices of each pair are electrically interconnected, the second electrodes of the devices of each pair are also electrically interconnected, and said potential difference is bidirectional.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
A light emitter according to claim 10, wherein the first regions of said adjacent selected devices are of the same conductivity type.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
A light emitter according to claim 1, wherein said substrate is in the shape of a regular hexagonal prism, each of said devices being situated so that said specified direction is normal to the axis of symmetry of the substrate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
A light emitter according to claim 12, wherein said substrate has a longitudinal hole therethrough, further comprising means for cooling the light emitter including means disposing a coolant fluid within said hole.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
A light emitter according to claim 12, further comprising a parabolic cylindrical light reflector having a focal axis coincident with the axis of symmetry of said substrate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
120 words
A light emitter, comprising: a number of semiconductor devices arranged in angled pairs, each device having two electrodes and a reflective end surface capable of emitting light when a predetermined potential difference is applied between the device electrodes; a substrate; each pair being arranged on the substrate with the light emitting end surfaces of the devices of the pair adjacent and relatively inclined so that light emitted from the end surface of one device of the pair is reflected from the adjacent end surface of the other device of the pair in a specified direction, and light emitted from the end surface of said other device is reflected from the end surface of said one device in said specified direction.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
120 words
A light emitter, comprising: a number of semiconductor devices arranged in angled pairs, each device having two electrodes and a reflective end surface capable of emitting light when a predetermined potential difference is applied between the device electrodes; a substrate; each pair being arranged on the substrate with the light emitting end surfaces of the devices of the pair adjacent and relatively inclined so that light emitted from the end surface of one device of the pair is reflected from the adjacent end surface of the other device of the pair in a specified direction, and light emitted from the end surface of said other device is reflected from the end surface of said one device in said specified direction.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
60 words
A light emitter according to claim 1, wherein each of said end surfaces is optically flat and each device emits coherent light when the current flowing between the device electrodes exceeds a given threshold value, further comprising means for optically coupling the light emitted from at least one device of a pair to an adjacent device of a different pair.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
A light emitter according to claim 15, wherein said end surfaces lie in a substantially common plane.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
124 words
A light emitter, comprising: first and second semiconductor devices, each device having two electrodes and two opposed end surfaces, each device being capable of emitting light from at least one end surface thereof when a predetermined potential difference is applied between the device electrodes; a substrate; said devices being disposed on the substrate with one end surface of said first device adjacent one end surface of said second device, so that light emitted from the one end surface of the first device is reflected from the one end surface of the second device in a first direction, and light emitted from the one end surface of the second device is reflected from the one end surface of the first device in a second direction.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
124 words
A light emitter, comprising: first and second semiconductor devices, each device having two electrodes and two opposed end surfaces, each device being capable of emitting light from at least one end surface thereof when a predetermined potential difference is applied between the device electrodes; a substrate; said devices being disposed on the substrate with one end surface of said first device adjacent one end surface of said second device, so that light emitted from the one end surface of the first device is reflected from the one end surface of the second device in a first direction, and light emitted from the one end surface of the second device is reflected from the one end surface of the first device in a second direction.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
16 words
A light emitter according to claim 18, wherein said first and second directions are mutually parallel.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
86 words
Semiconductor light emitting apparatus, comprising a pair of prismatic semiconductor bodies, each body having a planar P-N junction and mutually parallel end surfaces which are perpendicular to said junction, said bodies being disposed generally end-to-end with their adjacent end surfaces at an angle of 60* with each other, so that light emitted from the adjacent end surface of each of said bodies is reflected from the adjacent end surface of the other of said bodies and long a path parallel to the plane bisecting said angle.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
86 words
Semiconductor light emitting apparatus, comprising a pair of prismatic semiconductor bodies, each body having a planar P-N junction and mutually parallel end surfaces which are perpendicular to said junction, said bodies being disposed generally end-to-end with their adjacent end surfaces at an angle of 60* with each other, so that light emitted from the adjacent end surface of each of said bodies is reflected from the adjacent end surface of the other of said bodies and long a path parallel to the plane bisecting said angle.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
49 words
Apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising a plurality of said pairs of bodies disposed in a generally linear zigzag arrangement with a remote end surface of one body of one pair being adjacent to and optically coupled to a remote end surface of one body of another pair.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising a plurality of said pairs of bodies disposed in a hexagonal closed loop arrangement with a remote end surface of one body of one pair being disposed adjacent to and at an angle of 60* with a remote end surface of one body of another pair.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3290539A
Cited
US3593191A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-08-22 | 1976-02-21 | 1976-08-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-08-22 | 1980-02-21 | 1980-08-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-08-22 | 1984-02-21 | 1984-08-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |