Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
175 words
In a phased array semiconductor laser comprising a series of lasing elements formed in a plurality of semiconductor layers including an active region formed between a pair of cladding layers for providing light wave generation and propagation under lasing conditions, said elements each comprising an optical guide region for optical field containment of said propagating light and wherein the optical field of each of said lasing elements are coupled to provide a phase locked condition across the array, the improvement comprising a disorderable structural means formed in at least one of said cladding layers, regions of said disorderable cladding layer adjacent to said optical guide regions subjected to impurity induced disordering to form said optical guide regions and to produce therein higher gain compared to the gain experienced in said optical guide regions to thereby spatially modulate the current distribution across said array so that the integral of the gain of the optical field present in said active region of said laser is higher in said adjacent disordered regions compared to said optical guide regions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
175 words
In a phased array semiconductor laser comprising a series of lasing elements formed in a plurality of semiconductor layers including an active region formed between a pair of cladding layers for providing light wave generation and propagation under lasing conditions, said elements each comprising an optical guide region for optical field containment of said propagating light and wherein the optical field of each of said lasing elements are coupled to provide a phase locked condition across the array, the improvement comprising a disorderable structural means formed in at least one of said cladding layers, regions of said disorderable cladding layer adjacent to said optical guide regions subjected to impurity induced disordering to form said optical guide regions and to produce therein higher gain compared to the gain experienced in said optical guide regions to thereby spatially modulate the current distribution across said array so that the integral of the gain of the optical field present in said active region of said laser is higher in said adjacent disordered regions compared to said optical guide regions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The phased array semiconductor laser of claim 1 wherein said impurity induced disordering comprises an impurity diffusion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The phased array semiconductor laser of claim 1 wherein said impurity induced disordering comprises an implant/anneal technique.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
The phased array semiconductor laser of claim 1 wherein said disorderable region comprises a superlattice structure, said optical guide regions including said superlattice structure not disordered by said impurity induced disordering and said adjacent disordered regions including said superlattice structure disordered by said impurity induced disordering.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The phased array semiconductor laser of claim 1 wherein said active region is a single active layer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The phased array semiconductor laser of claim 5 wherein said active region is planar.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The phased array semiconductor laser of claim 5 wherein said active region is nonplanar.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The phased array semiconductor laser of claim 1 wherein said active region is a single quantum well.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
The phased array semiconductor laser of claim 8 wherein said active region is planar.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The phased array semiconductor laser of claim 8 wherein said active region is nonplanar.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
The phased array semiconductor laser of claim 1 wherein said active region is a multiple quantum well.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The phased array semiconductor laser of claim 11 wherein said active region is planar.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
The phased array semiconductor laser of claim 11 wherein said active region is nonplanar.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
The phased array semiconductor laser of claim 1 wherein said active region is a separate quantum well structure in a separate confinement cavity.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
The phased array semiconductor laser of claim 14 wherein said active region is planar.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
The phased array semiconductor laser of claim 14 wherein said active region is nonplanar.