US5325379A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tunable laser diode
Assignee: II VI Delaware Inc
•
Filing: 1992-12-21
•
Granted: 1994-06-28
•
Expires: 2012-12-21
Abstract
Abstract Tunable laser diode, whereby two waveguide lasers (5, 7) are arranged transversely relative to one another. A separate current injection into each of the two waveguide layers (5, 7) is possible due to an intermediate layer (6) situated between these waveguide layers (5, 7). An absorber layer (4) periodically interrupted in a longitudinal direction is arranged transversely relative to the layer plane, resulting in forward coupling with an imaginary degree of coupling.
Inventors
- 👤 Markus-Christian Amann
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 19:55
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S5/00; H01S5/10; H01S5/1028; H01S5/1032; H01S5/06; H01S5/062; H01S5/06203; H01S5/06206; H01S5/1035; H01S5/20; H01S5/22; H01S5/227; H01S5/2275
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
62 words
A tunable laser diode, comprising: a strip-shaped sequence of semiconductor layers arranged one upon another and having a lower waveguide layer, an intermediate current injection layer, an upper waveguide layer, and an absorber layer; said intermediate current injection layer located between said upper and lower waveguide layers and said absorber layer being periodically interrupted in a longitudinal direction of the strip-shaped sequence.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
62 words
A tunable laser diode, comprising: a strip-shaped sequence of semiconductor layers arranged one upon another and having a lower waveguide layer, an intermediate current injection layer, an upper waveguide layer, and an absorber layer; said intermediate current injection layer located between said upper and lower waveguide layers and said absorber layer being periodically interrupted in a longitudinal direction of the strip-shaped sequence.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The laser diode according to claim 1, wherein a length of a period of the absorber layer is at least 10 times a wavelength of emission emitted by the laser diode in air.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
58 words
The laser diode according to claim 1, wherein a length of a period of the absorber layer is at least approximately equal to a quotient of a wavelength of emission emitted by the laser diode in air and an amount of a difference between real parts of effective refractive indices of two coupled modes of the laser diode.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The laser diode according to claim 1, wherein the waveguide layers are quaternary semiconductor materials and the absorber layer is ternary semiconductor material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
174 words
The laser diode according to claim 1, wherein the laser diode further comprises: a lower cladding layer under the lower waveguide layer and an upper cladding layer on the upper waveguide layer and, said upper cladding layer containing said absorber layer, the waveguide layers that are separated by the intermediate layer between the lower cladding layer and the upper cladding layer and the absorber layer being grown on a substrate on top of one another in a ridge-shaped arrangement; a lateral cladding layer laterally joining said ridge-shaped arrangement; the waveguide layers being undoped; the intermediate layer and the lateral cladding layer being doped for electrical conduction of a first conductivity type; the lower cladding layer, the upper cladding layer and the absorber layer being doped for electrical conduction of a second conductivity type; and separate first, second and third contacts, said first contact being electrically connected to the lower cladding layer, said second contact being electrically connected to the upper cladding layer and said third contact being electrically connected to the lateral cladding layer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
49 words
The laser diode according to claim 1, wherein the laser diode further comprises a compensation layer having respective sections thereof located in the interruptions of the absorber layer for keeping real parts of effective refractive indices in the waveguide layers substantially constant over a length of the laser diode.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
110 words
A tunable laser diode, comprising: a strip-shaped sequence of semicondcutor layers arranged one upon another and having a lower waveguide layer, an intermediate current injection layer, an upper waveguide layer, and an absorber layer; said intermediate current injection layer located between said upper and lower waveguide layers and said absorber layer being periodically interrupted in a longitudinal direction of the strip-shaped sequence; and a length of a period of the absorber layer being approximately equal to a quotient of a wavelength of emission emitted by the laser diode in air and an amount of difference between real parts of effective refractive indices of two coupled modes of the laser diode.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
110 words
A tunable laser diode, comprising: a strip-shaped sequence of semicondcutor layers arranged one upon another and having a lower waveguide layer, an intermediate current injection layer, an upper waveguide layer, and an absorber layer; said intermediate current injection layer located between said upper and lower waveguide layers and said absorber layer being periodically interrupted in a longitudinal direction of the strip-shaped sequence; and a length of a period of the absorber layer being approximately equal to a quotient of a wavelength of emission emitted by the laser diode in air and an amount of difference between real parts of effective refractive indices of two coupled modes of the laser diode.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The laser diode according to claim 7, wherein the waveguide layers are quaternary semiconductor materials and the absorber layer is ternary semiconductor material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
174 words
The laser diode according to claim 7, wherein the laser diode further comprises: a lower cladding layer under the lower waveguide layer and an upper cladding layer on the upper waveguide layer and, said upper cladding layer containing said absorber layer, the waveguide layers that are separated by the intermediate layer between the lower cladding layer and the upper cladding layer and the absorber layer being grown on a substrate on top of one another in a ridge-shaped arrangement; a lateral cladding layer laterally joining said ridge-shaped arrangement; the waveguide layers being undoped; the intermediate layer and the lateral cladding layer being doped for electrical conduction of a first conductivity type; the lower cladding layer, the upper cladding layer and the absorber layer being doped for electrical conduction of a second conductivity type; and separate first, second and third contacts, said first contact being electrically connected to the lower cladding layer, said second contact being electrically connected to the upper cladding layer and said third contact being electrically connected to the lateral cladding layer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
220 words
A tunable laser diode, comprising: a strip-shaped sequence of semiconductor layers arranged one upon another and having a lower waveguide layer, an intermediate current injection layer, an upper waveguide layer, and an absorber layer, said intermediate current injection layer located between said upper and lower waveguide layers and said absorber layer being periodically interrupted in a longitudinal direction of the strip-shaped sequence; a lower cladding layer under the lower waveguide layer and an upper cladding layer on the upper waveguide layer, said upper cladding layer containing said absorber layer, the waveguide layers that are separated by the intermediate layer, the lower cladding layer, the upper cladding layer and the absorber layer being grown on a substrate on top of one another in a ridge-shaped arrangement; a lateral cladding layer laterally joining said ridge-shaped arrangement; the waveguide layers being undoped; the intermediate layer and the lateral cladding layer being doped for electrical conduction of a first conductivity type; the lower cladding layer, the upper cladding layer and the absorber layer being doped for electrical conduction of a second conductivity type; and separate first, second and third contacts, said first contact being electrically connected to the lower cladding layer, said second contact being electrically connected to the upper cladding layer and said third contact being electrically connected to the lateral cladding layer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
220 words
A tunable laser diode, comprising: a strip-shaped sequence of semiconductor layers arranged one upon another and having a lower waveguide layer, an intermediate current injection layer, an upper waveguide layer, and an absorber layer, said intermediate current injection layer located between said upper and lower waveguide layers and said absorber layer being periodically interrupted in a longitudinal direction of the strip-shaped sequence; a lower cladding layer under the lower waveguide layer and an upper cladding layer on the upper waveguide layer, said upper cladding layer containing said absorber layer, the waveguide layers that are separated by the intermediate layer, the lower cladding layer, the upper cladding layer and the absorber layer being grown on a substrate on top of one another in a ridge-shaped arrangement; a lateral cladding layer laterally joining said ridge-shaped arrangement; the waveguide layers being undoped; the intermediate layer and the lateral cladding layer being doped for electrical conduction of a first conductivity type; the lower cladding layer, the upper cladding layer and the absorber layer being doped for electrical conduction of a second conductivity type; and separate first, second and third contacts, said first contact being electrically connected to the lower cladding layer, said second contact being electrically connected to the upper cladding layer and said third contact being electrically connected to the lateral cladding layer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
The laser diode according to claim 10, wherein a length of a period of the absorber layer is at least 10 times a wavelength of emission emitted by the laser diode in air.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
58 words
The laser diode according to claim 10, wherein a length of a period of the absorber layer is at least approximately equal to a quotient of a wavelength of emission emitted by the laser diode in air and an amount of a difference between real parts of effective refractive indices of two coupled modes of the laser diode.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The laser diode according to claim 1, wherein the waveguide layers are quaternary semiconductor materials and the absorber layer is ternary semiconductor material.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
49 words
The laser diode according to claim 10, wherein the laser diode further comprises a compensation layer having respective section thereof located in the interruptions of the absorber layer for keeping real parts of effective refractive indices in the waveguide layers substantially constant over a length of the laser diode.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3805188A
Cited
US4435809A
Cited
JPS62173786A
Cited
EP0360011A2
Cited
US5048049A
Cited
JPH0335581A
Cited
US5184247A
Cited
US5023878A
Cited
JPH03105992A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-06-27 | 1997-12-27 | 1998-06-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-06-27 | 2001-12-27 | 2002-06-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-06-27 | 2005-12-27 | 2006-06-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |