US4791646A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for tailoring the two-dimensional spatial gain distribution in optoelectronic devices and its application to tailored gain broad area semiconductor lasers capable of high power operation with very narrow single lobed farfield patterns
Assignee: California Institute of Technology
•
Filing: 1987-11-23
•
Granted: 1988-12-13
•
Expires: 2007-11-23
Abstract
Abstract A method of providing an optoelectronic device is disclosed in which the spatial gain profile within the device is tailored by a predetermined pattern of injecting and noninjecting contacts over the surface of the device with variation in the fractional surface coverage per unit area of injecting to noninjecting contact, thereby providing nearly arbitrary two-dimensional spatial gain profile within the optoelectronic device. A tailored gain broad area semiconductor laser fabricated by this method is capable of high power operation with very narrow, single lobed farfield patterns.
Inventors
- 👤 Christopher P. Lindsey
- 👤 Amnon Yariv
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 12:51
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S5/00; H01S5/10; H01S5/1053; H01S5/0014; H01S5/04; H01S5/042; H01S5/0425; H01S5/04254; H01S2301/00; H01S2301/18; H01S5/04252; H01S5/1064; H01S5/20; H01S5/2036
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
93 words
A broad area injection semiconductor laser having a predetermined two-dimensional pattern of injecting and noninjecting contacts over a broad area of said device in which laser the two-dimensional spatial gain profile is tailored over said broad area to conform to a predetermined tailored pattern of varying injection by a predetermined contact pattern of injecting and noninjecting areas over said broad area of said, said contact pattern being achieved by variation in the fractional surface coverage per unit area of injecting to noninjecting contact, thereby achieving said predetermined pattern of two-dimensional spatial gain profile.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
93 words
A broad area injection semiconductor laser having a predetermined two-dimensional pattern of injecting and noninjecting contacts over a broad area of said device in which laser the two-dimensional spatial gain profile is tailored over said broad area to conform to a predetermined tailored pattern of varying injection by a predetermined contact pattern of injecting and noninjecting areas over said broad area of said, said contact pattern being achieved by variation in the fractional surface coverage per unit area of injecting to noninjecting contact, thereby achieving said predetermined pattern of two-dimensional spatial gain profile.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
69 words
A broad area injection semiconductor laser as defined in claim 1 wherein said broad area semiconductor laser is comprised of a substrate, said injection contact pattern, and an active region with upper and lower cladding layers, said upper layer being farthest from said substrate, said active region being between said contact pattern and said substrate and having said contact pattern with fractional surface coverage over said upper cladding layer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
75 words
A broad area injection semiconductor laser as defined in claim 2 wherein said predetermined contact pattern is comprised of a conductive cap layer grown on said upper cladding layer, with parts of said cap layer etched away according to nonconductive areas of said predetermined contact pattern, and a metal film deposited uniformly over said etched cap layer to provide a Schottky barrier noninjecting contact pattern over etched areas, and injecting contact areas over nonetched areas.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
A broad area semiconductor laser as defined in claim 3 wherein said fractional coverage per unit area of injecting contact relative to noninjecting contact varies from a minimum at one side to a maximum at the other in a dimension perpendicular to the axis of said broad area semiconductor laser.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
JPS5727088A
Cited
US4594719A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-12-13 | 1992-06-13 | 1992-12-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-12-13 | 1996-06-13 | 1996-12-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-12-13 | 2000-06-13 | 2000-12-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |