Patent US5574744A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US5574744A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Optical coupler

Assignee: Seiko Epson Corp
•
Filing: 1995-02-03
•
Granted: 1996-11-12
•
Expires: 2015-02-03
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A substrate having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface having a vertical cavity surface emitting laser disposed therein and second surface having a photodetector integrated disposed therein, wherein the vertical cavity surface emitting laser directs a light signal toward the photodetector.

Inventors

  • 👤 Craig A. Gaw
  • 👤 Chan-Long Shieh
  • 👤 Michael S. Lebby

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 15:52
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/10; G02B6/12; G02B6/12004; H; H10; H10F; H10F55/00; H10F55/20; H10F55/25; H10F55/255; H01; H01S; H01S5/00; H01S5/02; H01S5/026; H01S5/0262; H01S5/0264; H01S5/10; H01S5/18; H01S5/183; H01S5/18308; H01S5/20; H01S5/2054; H01S5/2059; H01S5/40; H01S5/42; H01S5/423

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim 110 words
An optocoupler comprising: a first substrate having a first surface and a second surface, the first substrate having a ridge waveguide vertical cavity surface emitting laser formed thereon so as to emit a beam of light through the second surface of the first substrate; and a second substrate having a first surface and a second surface, the second substrate having a photodetector formed thereon so as to receive light directed toward the first surface of the second substrate, the first surface of the second substrate being optically and physically coupled to the second surface of the first substrate to operably couple the vertical cavity surface emitting laser with the photodetector.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 110 words
An optocoupler comprising: a first substrate having a first surface and a second surface, the first substrate having a ridge waveguide vertical cavity surface emitting laser formed thereon so as to emit a beam of light through the second surface of the first substrate; and a second substrate having a first surface and a second surface, the second substrate having a photodetector formed thereon so as to receive light directed toward the first surface of the second substrate, the first surface of the second substrate being optically and physically coupled to the second surface of the first substrate to operably couple the vertical cavity surface emitting laser with the photodetector.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 14 words
An optocoupler as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first substrate is gallium arsenide.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 14 words
An optocoupler as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first substrate is indium phosphide.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 33 words
An optocoupler as claimed in claim 1 further including an anti-reflection layer positioned between the second surface of the first substrate and the first surface of the second substrate, thereby damping internal reflections.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 38 words
An optocoupler as claimed in claim 1 further including a dielectric layer positioned between the second surface of the first substrate and the first surface of the second substrate, thereby isolating the first substrate from the second substrate.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 184 words
A method for making an optocoupler comprising the steps of: providing a first substrate having first and second surfaces and a second substrate having first and second surfaces: forming a ridge waveguide vertical cavity surface emitting laser in the first substrate including, growing a first mirror stack on the first surface of the first substrate. growing a first cladding layer on the first mirror stack; an active layer on the first cladding layer; a second layer on the active layer; growing a second mirror stack on the second cladding layer, etching at least the second mirror stack to form a mesa or ridge, and further forming the vertical cavity surface emitting laser with a light output directed toward the second surface of the first substrate; and forming a photodetector in the second substrate with a light receiving input directed toward the first surface of the second substrate; and disposing the photodetector on the second surface of the first substrate and optically aligning the light receiving input of the photodetector and the light output of the vertical cavity surface emitting laser to be operably coupled.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 184 words
A method for making an optocoupler comprising the steps of: providing a first substrate having first and second surfaces and a second substrate having first and second surfaces: forming a ridge waveguide vertical cavity surface emitting laser in the first substrate including, growing a first mirror stack on the first surface of the first substrate. growing a first cladding layer on the first mirror stack; an active layer on the first cladding layer; a second layer on the active layer; growing a second mirror stack on the second cladding layer, etching at least the second mirror stack to form a mesa or ridge, and further forming the vertical cavity surface emitting laser with a light output directed toward the second surface of the first substrate; and forming a photodetector in the second substrate with a light receiving input directed toward the first surface of the second substrate; and disposing the photodetector on the second surface of the first substrate and optically aligning the light receiving input of the photodetector and the light output of the vertical cavity surface emitting laser to be operably coupled.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 38 words
A method for making an optocoupler as claimed in claim 6 wherein the step of disposing further includes forming a coupling region, the coupling region being located between the photodetector and the first surface of the second substrate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 27 words
A method for making an optocoupler as claimed in claim 7 where, in the step of forming a coupling region, the coupling region includes an antireflection layer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 27 words
A method for making an optocoupler as claimed in claim 7 where, in the step of forming a coupling region, the coupling region is a dielectric material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 184 words
An optocoupler comprising: a first substrate having a first surface and a second surface, the first substrate having a first ridge waveguide vertical cavity surface emitting laser and a second ridge waveguide vertical cavity surface emitting laser integrated therein, the first and second ridge waveguide vertical cavity surface emitting lasers being spaced apart a distance with a range from 1.5 microns and greater, the first ridge waveguide vertical cavity surface emitting laser and the second ridge waveguide vertical cavity surface emitting laser each having a light output directed toward the second surface of the first substrate; and a second substrate having a first surface and a second surface, the second substrate having a first photodetector and a second photodetector formed thereon each having a light receiving input, spaced apart from each other and directed toward the first surface of the second substrate: and the first surface of the second substrate being optically and physically coupled to the second surface of the first substrate, the first and second photodetectors being operably coupled to the first and second ridge waveguide vertical cavity surface emitting lasers, respectively.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 184 words
An optocoupler comprising: a first substrate having a first surface and a second surface, the first substrate having a first ridge waveguide vertical cavity surface emitting laser and a second ridge waveguide vertical cavity surface emitting laser integrated therein, the first and second ridge waveguide vertical cavity surface emitting lasers being spaced apart a distance with a range from 1.5 microns and greater, the first ridge waveguide vertical cavity surface emitting laser and the second ridge waveguide vertical cavity surface emitting laser each having a light output directed toward the second surface of the first substrate; and a second substrate having a first surface and a second surface, the second substrate having a first photodetector and a second photodetector formed thereon each having a light receiving input, spaced apart from each other and directed toward the first surface of the second substrate: and the first surface of the second substrate being optically and physically coupled to the second surface of the first substrate, the first and second photodetectors being operably coupled to the first and second ridge waveguide vertical cavity surface emitting lasers, respectively.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 14 words
An optocoupler as claimed in claim 10 wherein the first substrate is gallium arsenide.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 14 words
An optocoupler as claimed in claim 10 wherein the first substrate is indium phosphide.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 33 words
An optocoupler as claimed in claim 10 further including an anti-reflection layer positioned between the second surface of the first substrate and the first surface of the second substrate, thereby damping internal reflections.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 38 words
An optocoupler as claimed in claim 10 further including a dielectric layer positioned between the second surface of the first substrate and the first surface of the second substrate, thereby isolating the first substrate from the second substrate.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

JPS5499586A Cited
US4581744A Cited
JPS6395690A Cited
JPH0290576A Cited
JPH0368177A Cited
US5475701A Cited
US5491712A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1999-11-12 2000-05-13 2000-11-12 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2003-11-12 2004-05-13 2004-11-12 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2007-11-12 2008-05-13 2008-11-12 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag