Patent US5365541A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5365541A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Mirror with photonic band structure
Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corp
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Filing: 1993-01-27
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Granted: 1994-11-15
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Expires: 2013-01-27
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for achieving in-phase mode operation of a diode laser. A photonic band gap mirror (photonic crystal) having a periodic lattice structure is placed in front of light emitted from one side of the laser diode array. Because of an incomplete photonic band gap in the photonic crystal, light normal to the crystal will be primarily reflected while light at an angle will be primarily transmitted through the mirror. Since in-phase emission is primarily normal and out-of-phase emission primarily off axis, the reflected light which is directed back into the laser cavity will be the predominant lasing mode. The out-of-phase mode primarily transmitted will have significantly larger losses. The resulting laser diode apparatus will therefore operate in-phase and produce a single lobe far-field distribution.
Inventors
- 👤 Donald L. Bullock
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 17:48
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; B; B82; B82Y; B82Y20/00; G02B6/10; G02B6/12; G02B6/122; G02B6/1225; H; H01; H01S; H01S5/00; H01S5/40; H01S5/4025; H01S5/4031; H01S5/4062; H01S5/10; H01S5/11; H01S5/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
140 words
An apparatus including a laser for generating in-phase light from the laser, said apparatus comprising: a laser producing a light beam at a predetermined wave length; a periodic lattice structure of regular geometric shapes disposed to receive light from said laser, said structure having a first index of refraction; an interstitial medium existing between said geometric shapes, said interstitial medium having a second index of refraction which is different from said first index of refraction; and said periodic lattice structure adapted to receive the light beam, said lattice structure having a spatial period between said geometric shapes which is chosen such that the light of symmetric uniphase mode from said laser is selectively reflected with a substantially enhanced reflectivity relative to other modes by said periodic lattice structure as a result of the photonic band structure of said periodic lattice.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
140 words
An apparatus including a laser for generating in-phase light from the laser, said apparatus comprising: a laser producing a light beam at a predetermined wave length; a periodic lattice structure of regular geometric shapes disposed to receive light from said laser, said structure having a first index of refraction; an interstitial medium existing between said geometric shapes, said interstitial medium having a second index of refraction which is different from said first index of refraction; and said periodic lattice structure adapted to receive the light beam, said lattice structure having a spatial period between said geometric shapes which is chosen such that the light of symmetric uniphase mode from said laser is selectively reflected with a substantially enhanced reflectivity relative to other modes by said periodic lattice structure as a result of the photonic band structure of said periodic lattice.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said laser is an array of lasers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said laser is a broad area laser.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said periodic lattice Structure is a three-dimensional structure.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the regular geometric forms in said periodic lattice structure comprise Bravais lattices.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the regular geometric shapes are composed of gallium arsenide and the interstitial medium is composed of gallium aluminum arsenide.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first index of refraction is greater than said second index of refraction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the ratio of said first index of refraction to said second index of refraction is less than 2.0.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said spatial period is such that light of said wave length is substantially reflected by said periodic lattice structure when incident from said laser on said periodic lattice at angles between ±10 degrees.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said periodic lattice structure is a photonic crystal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said spatial period is chosen such that the distance between said geometric shapes divided by the wavelength of the light in said laser is between 0.1 and 10.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
147 words
An apparatus including a laser for generating light from the laser, said apparatus comprising: a laser array producing a light beam at a predetermined wavelength; a periodic lattice structure comprising a grid creating interstitial spaces between said grid, said lattice disposed to receive light from said laser, said spaces having regular geometric shapes, said grid having a first index of refraction; an interstitial medium existing between said grid and having a second index of refraction which is different from said first index of refraction; and said periodic lattice structure adapted to receive the laser beam the lattice structure having a spatial period between said geometric shapes which is chosen such that light from said laser of symmetric uniphase mode is selectively reflected with substantially enhanced reflectivity relative to other modes by said periodic lattice structure as a result of the photonic band structure of said periodic lattice.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
147 words
An apparatus including a laser for generating light from the laser, said apparatus comprising: a laser array producing a light beam at a predetermined wavelength; a periodic lattice structure comprising a grid creating interstitial spaces between said grid, said lattice disposed to receive light from said laser, said spaces having regular geometric shapes, said grid having a first index of refraction; an interstitial medium existing between said grid and having a second index of refraction which is different from said first index of refraction; and said periodic lattice structure adapted to receive the laser beam the lattice structure having a spatial period between said geometric shapes which is chosen such that light from said laser of symmetric uniphase mode is selectively reflected with substantially enhanced reflectivity relative to other modes by said periodic lattice structure as a result of the photonic band structure of said periodic lattice.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said spatial period is such that light of said wave length is substantially reflected by said periodic lattice structure when incident from said laser on said periodic lattice at angles between ±10 degrees.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said periodic lattice structure is a three-dimensional structure.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said regular geometric forms in said periodic lattice structure comprise Bravais lattices.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said regular geometric shapes are composed of gallium arsenide and the interstitial medium is composed of gallium aluminum arsenide.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said first index of refraction is greater than said second index of refraction.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the ratio of said first index of refraction to said second index of refraction is less than 2.0.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
135 words
Diode laser array apparatus, including a laser array having a plurality of semiconductor diode lasers spaced at regular intervals, each diode laser having partially transmitting and reflecting facets at each end, and producing light beams at a predetermined wavelength, said apparatus further comprising: a periodic lattice structure of regular geometric shapes, said structure having a first index of refraction; an interstitial medium existing between said geometric shapes, said interstitial medium having a second index of refraction which is different from said first index of refraction; and said periodic lattice structure having a spatial period between said geometric shapes which is chosen such that light of said wavelength from said laser array of symmetric uniphase mode is substantially reflected by said periodic lattice structure as a result of the photonic band structure of said periodic lattice.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
135 words
Diode laser array apparatus, including a laser array having a plurality of semiconductor diode lasers spaced at regular intervals, each diode laser having partially transmitting and reflecting facets at each end, and producing light beams at a predetermined wavelength, said apparatus further comprising: a periodic lattice structure of regular geometric shapes, said structure having a first index of refraction; an interstitial medium existing between said geometric shapes, said interstitial medium having a second index of refraction which is different from said first index of refraction; and said periodic lattice structure having a spatial period between said geometric shapes which is chosen such that light of said wavelength from said laser array of symmetric uniphase mode is substantially reflected by said periodic lattice structure as a result of the photonic band structure of said periodic lattice.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
130 words
A photonic band gap mirror for selectively reflecting electromagnetic radiation of a predetermined wave length comprising: a source of electromagnetic radiation; a periodic lattice structure of regular geometric shapes disposed to receive electromagnetic radiation from said source of electromagnetic radiation, said structure having a first index of refraction; an interstitial medium existing between said geometric shapes, said interstitial medium having a second index of refraction which is different from said first index of refraction; and said periodic lattice structure having a spatial period between said geometric shapes which is chosen such that said electromagnetic radiation from said source in a predetermined angle about the normal to the periodic lattice structure is reflected with a substantially enhanced reflectivity as a result of the photonic band structure of said periodic lattice structure.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
130 words
A photonic band gap mirror for selectively reflecting electromagnetic radiation of a predetermined wave length comprising: a source of electromagnetic radiation; a periodic lattice structure of regular geometric shapes disposed to receive electromagnetic radiation from said source of electromagnetic radiation, said structure having a first index of refraction; an interstitial medium existing between said geometric shapes, said interstitial medium having a second index of refraction which is different from said first index of refraction; and said periodic lattice structure having a spatial period between said geometric shapes which is chosen such that said electromagnetic radiation from said source in a predetermined angle about the normal to the periodic lattice structure is reflected with a substantially enhanced reflectivity as a result of the photonic band structure of said periodic lattice structure.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the regular geometric forms in the periodic lattice structure comprise a two dimensional Bravais lattice.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said the regular geometric forms within said periodic lattice structure comprise a three dimensional Bravais lattice.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said first index of refraction is greater than said second index of refraction.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the ratio of said first index of refraction to said second index of refraction is less than 2.0.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said spatial period is such that electromagnetic radiation of said wave length is substantially reflected by said periodic lattice structure when incident from said laser on said periodic lattice at angles between ±10 degrees.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said periodic lattice structure is a photonic crystal.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said spatial period is chosen such that the distance between said geometric shapes divided by the wavelength of the light in said laser is between 0.1 and 10.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
136 words
A photonic band gap mirror for selectively reflecting electromagnetic radiation of a predetermined wave length comprising: a periodic lattice structure of regular geometric shapes disposed to receive said electromagnetic radiation, said structure having a first index of refraction; an interstitial medium existing between said geometric shapes, said interstitial medium having a second index of refraction which is different from said first index of refraction; and said interstitial medium having linear interfaces which are aligned substantially parallel to the direction of said electromagnetic radiation, the periodic lattice structure also having a spatial period between said geometric shapes which is chosen such that said electromagnetic radiation in a predetermined angle about the normal to the periodic lattice structure is reflected with a substantially enhanced reflectivity as a result of the photonic band structure of said periodic lattice structure.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
136 words
A photonic band gap mirror for selectively reflecting electromagnetic radiation of a predetermined wave length comprising: a periodic lattice structure of regular geometric shapes disposed to receive said electromagnetic radiation, said structure having a first index of refraction; an interstitial medium existing between said geometric shapes, said interstitial medium having a second index of refraction which is different from said first index of refraction; and said interstitial medium having linear interfaces which are aligned substantially parallel to the direction of said electromagnetic radiation, the periodic lattice structure also having a spatial period between said geometric shapes which is chosen such that said electromagnetic radiation in a predetermined angle about the normal to the periodic lattice structure is reflected with a substantially enhanced reflectivity as a result of the photonic band structure of said periodic lattice structure.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
115 words
A photonic band gap mirror for selectively reflecting electromagnetic radiation of a predetermined wave length comprising: a periodic lattice structure of regular geometric shapes disposed to receive electromagnetic radiation, said structure having a first index of refraction; an interstitial medium existing between said geometric shapes, said interstitial medium having a second index of refraction which is different from said first index of refraction; and said periodic lattice structure having a spatial period between said geometric shapes which determines the variation in reflectivity of said electromagnetic radiation as a function of the angle of incidence to the periodic lattice structure, the varying reflectivity being a result of the photonic band structure of said periodic lattice structure.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
115 words
A photonic band gap mirror for selectively reflecting electromagnetic radiation of a predetermined wave length comprising: a periodic lattice structure of regular geometric shapes disposed to receive electromagnetic radiation, said structure having a first index of refraction; an interstitial medium existing between said geometric shapes, said interstitial medium having a second index of refraction which is different from said first index of refraction; and said periodic lattice structure having a spatial period between said geometric shapes which determines the variation in reflectivity of said electromagnetic radiation as a function of the angle of incidence to the periodic lattice structure, the varying reflectivity being a result of the photonic band structure of said periodic lattice structure.
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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) | 1997-11-14 | 1998-05-16 | 1998-11-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-11-14 | 2002-05-16 | 2002-11-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-11-14 | 2006-05-16 | 2006-11-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |