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US5349601A
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Unidirectional ring lasers
Assignee: National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia LLC
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Filing: 1993-09-20
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Granted: 1994-09-20
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Expires: 2013-09-20
Abstract
Abstract Unidirectional ring lasers formed by integrating nonreciprocal optical elements into the resonant ring cavity. These optical elements either attenuate light traveling in a nonpreferred direction or amplify light traveling in a preferred direction. In one preferred embodiment the resonant cavity takes the form of a circle with an S-shaped crossover waveguide connected to two points on the interior of the cavity such that light traveling in a nonpreferred direction is diverted from the cavity into the crossover waveguide and reinjected out of the other end of the crossover waveguide into the cavity as light traveling in the preferred direction.
Inventors
- 👤 John P. Hohimer
- 👤 David C. Craft
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 01:22
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S5/00; H01S5/02; H01S5/026; H01S5/10; H01S5/1028; H01S5/1071
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
82 words
A unidirectional ring laser comprising: a closed loop resonant cavity, at least a section of which exhibits optical gain to produce lasing action; optical waveguide means integrated with the closed loop resonant cavity to control the direction of the light travelling within the cavity including means to selectively couple light out of the resonant cavity in a non-preferred direction and means to selectively couple light into the resonant cavity in a preferred direction; and means to transmit light out of the cavity.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
82 words
A unidirectional ring laser comprising: a closed loop resonant cavity, at least a section of which exhibits optical gain to produce lasing action; optical waveguide means integrated with the closed loop resonant cavity to control the direction of the light travelling within the cavity including means to selectively couple light out of the resonant cavity in a non-preferred direction and means to selectively couple light into the resonant cavity in a preferred direction; and means to transmit light out of the cavity.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The ring laser of claim 1 wherein the ring laser is monolithically integrated onto a substrate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
The ring laser of claim 1 wherein the closed loop resonant cavity comprises doped optical fiber and the means to control the direction of light is a crossover waveguide comprising optical fiber which joins the resonant cavity at two points by means of fiber splitters.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
The ring laser of claim 1 wherein the closed loop resonant cavity comprises a solid state lasing medium deposited atop a substrate and the means to control the direction of light comprises an optical waveguide atop the substrate which joins the resonant cavity at two points.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
93 words
A unidirectional semiconductor ring laser comprising: a substrate; and active waveguide means formed on the substrate comprising; a closed loop resonant cavity portion, at least a section of which exhibits optical gain for lasing action; means integrated with the closed loop resonant cavity portion to control the direction of the light traveling within the cavity including means to selectively couple light out of the resonant cavity in a non-preferred direction and means to selectively couple light into the resonant cavity in a preferred direction; and means to transmit light out of the cavity.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
93 words
A unidirectional semiconductor ring laser comprising: a substrate; and active waveguide means formed on the substrate comprising; a closed loop resonant cavity portion, at least a section of which exhibits optical gain for lasing action; means integrated with the closed loop resonant cavity portion to control the direction of the light traveling within the cavity including means to selectively couple light out of the resonant cavity in a non-preferred direction and means to selectively couple light into the resonant cavity in a preferred direction; and means to transmit light out of the cavity.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
85 words
The ring laser of claim 5 wherein the active waveguide means is contained within the vertical layers of a structure formed on the substrate comprising: a lower semiconductor cladding layer located above said substrate; an active lasing layer above said lower semiconductor cladding layer; an upper cladding layer located above said active lasing layer; an upper contact metallization layer located above said upper cladding layer; said lower and upper cladding layers and said active lasing layer forming a diode lasing structure having a p-n heterojunction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
The laser of claim 5 wherein the means to control the direction of the light comprise optical elements which produce a nonreciprocal attenuation of light travelling in the nonpreferred direction within the cavity.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
The laser of claim 5 wherein the means to control the direction of the light comprise optical elements which produce a nonreciprocal amplification of light traveling in the preferred direction within the cavity.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
52 words
The laser of claim 5 wherein the means to control the direction of the light comprise optical elements which produce a nonreciprocal amplification of light traveling in the preferred direction within the cavity and other optical elements which produce an nonreciprocal attenuation of light traveling in the nonpreferred direction within the cavity.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
11 words
The laser of claim 5 wherein the resonant cavity is circular.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The laser of claim 5 wherein the resonant cavity is in the shape of a racetrack.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
The laser of claim 5 wherein the resonant cavity is in the shape of a polygon formed by linear waveguides and mirror means at the intersections of the waveguides.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
The laser of claim 5 wherein the means to selectively couple light comprise partially transmitting mirror means intercepting at least a portion of the light travelling in the resonant cavity.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
The laser of claim 7 wherein the nonreciprocal attenuation element comprises an acutely intersecting waveguide disposed to couple light traveling in the nonpreferred direction out of the resonant cavity.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
The laser of claim 8 wherein the nonreciprocal amplification element comprises a crossover waveguide connecting two points on the resonant cavity.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
13 words
The laser of claim 15 wherein the crossover waveguide is an active waveguide.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
57 words
The laser of claim 15 wherein the ends of the crossover waveguide intersect the resonant cavity in acute angles disposed to couple light traveling in the nonpreferred direction out of the resonant cavity and into the crossover waveguide and to couple light traveling in the preferred direction out of the crossover waveguide and into the resonant cavity.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
13 words
The laser of claim 17 wherein the crossover waveguide is an active waveguide.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
42 words
The laser of claim 18 wherein the laser further comprises a second crossover waveguide oppositely disposed with respect to the first crossover waveguide and means to separately electrically activate said first and second crossover waveguides to form a reversible unidirectional ring laser.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
67 words
The laser of claim 7 wherein the optical elements producing the nonreciprocal attenuation comprises at least one flared section of the resonant cavity of gradually increasing width which terminates in a mirror means of a width equal to the increased width of the waveguide, said mirror means disposed to reflect light traveling in the nonpreferred direction within the cavity back into the cavity in the preferred direction.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
102 words
A unidirectional semiconductor ring laser comprising: a substrate; and active waveguide means formed on the substrate comprising; a closed loop resonant cavity portion, at least a section of which exhibits lasing action; at least one output waveguide connected to the closed loop portion at an acute angle; a crossover waveguide connected at its ends to the inside of the closed loop portion in acute angles to couple light traveling in the nonpreferred direction out of the resonant cavity and into the crossover waveguide and to couple light traveling in the preferred direction out of the crossover waveguide and into the resonant cavity.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
102 words
A unidirectional semiconductor ring laser comprising: a substrate; and active waveguide means formed on the substrate comprising; a closed loop resonant cavity portion, at least a section of which exhibits lasing action; at least one output waveguide connected to the closed loop portion at an acute angle; a crossover waveguide connected at its ends to the inside of the closed loop portion in acute angles to couple light traveling in the nonpreferred direction out of the resonant cavity and into the crossover waveguide and to couple light traveling in the preferred direction out of the crossover waveguide and into the resonant cavity.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
29 words
The ring laser of claim 21 wherein the closed loop resonant cavity portion is in the shape of a circular ring formed by one or more curved optical waveguides.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
29 words
The ring laser of claim 21 wherein the closed loop resonant cavity portion is formed by two semicircular optical waveguides connected by means of two interposed linear optical waveguides.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
15 words
The ring laser of claim 21 wherein the crossover waveguide is a passive optical waveguide.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
34 words
The ring laser of claim 21 wherein the crossover waveguide comprises an active optical waveguide means with a diode lasing structure having a p-n heterojunction for the purpose of amplifying the lasing action therein.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
32 words
The ring laser of claim 21 wherein the lasing section of the optical waveguide means has a separate electrical contact for the purpose of controlling a characteristic of the lasing action therein.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
54 words
The ring laser of claim 21 wherein the at least one output waveguide comprises at least two output waveguides, at least one of which couples light out of the resonant cavity traveling in the preferred direction and at least another of which couples light out of the resonant cavity traveling in the nonpreferred direction.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
40 words
The ring laser of claim 21 further comprising a second crossover waveguide oppositely disposed with respect to the first crossover waveguide and means to separately electrically activate said first and second crossover waveguides to form a reversible unidirectional ring laser.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-09-19 | 1998-03-21 | 1998-09-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-09-19 | 2002-03-21 | 2002-09-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-09-19 | 2006-03-21 | 2006-09-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |