US5844929A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Optical device with composite passive and tapered active waveguide regions
Assignee: IPG Photonics Corp
•
Filing: 1996-08-23
•
Granted: 1998-12-01
•
Expires: 2016-08-23
Abstract
Abstract A semiconductor optical device, for example a laser, has a composite optical waveguide including a tapered, MQW active waveguide in optical contact with a substantially planar, passive waveguide. The fundamental optical mode supported by the composite waveguide varies along the length of the composite waveguide so that, in a laser, the laser mode is enlarged and is a better match to single mode optical fiber. A method for making such semiconductor optical devices is also disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 Ian F. Lealman
- 👤 Michael J. Robertson
- 👤 Simon D. Perrin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 15:18
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/10; G02B6/12; G02B6/122; G02B6/1228; B; B82; B82Y; B82Y20/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/26; G02B6/30; G02B6/305; G02B6/42; G02B6/4201; G02B6/4202; G02B6/4203; H; H01; H01S; H01S5/00; H01S5/02; H01S5/026; H01S5/20; H01S5/22; H01S5/227; G02B2006/12083; G02B2006/12121; G02B2006/12128; G02B2006/12166; G02B2006/12195; H01S5/10; H01S5/1003; H01S5/1014; H01S5/1028; H01S5/1039; H01S5/1053; H01S5/1064; H01S5/16; H01S5/2205; H01S5/2206; H01S5/2222; H01S5/30; H01S5/34; H01S5/3403; H01S5/3406; H01S5/343; H01S5/34306
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
125 words
A semiconductor optical device including a composite optical waveguide having a length dimension with first and second ends, the composite waveguide comprising: a first optically waveguiding region of semiconductor material, which first region is optically passive and is substantially planar, and a second optically waveguiding region, of semiconductor material, which second region includes an optically active multi-quantum well structure tapered along a substantial part of its length in a direction substantially parallel to the plane of the first region, the first and second regions being in optical contact and the size of the fundamental optical mode supported by the composite waveguide varying along the length of the composite waveguide; and the first region being of substantially constant width along the length of the composite waveguide.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
125 words
A semiconductor optical device including a composite optical waveguide having a length dimension with first and second ends, the composite waveguide comprising: a first optically waveguiding region of semiconductor material, which first region is optically passive and is substantially planar, and a second optically waveguiding region, of semiconductor material, which second region includes an optically active multi-quantum well structure tapered along a substantial part of its length in a direction substantially parallel to the plane of the first region, the first and second regions being in optical contact and the size of the fundamental optical mode supported by the composite waveguide varying along the length of the composite waveguide; and the first region being of substantially constant width along the length of the composite waveguide.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
A semiconductor optical device as in claim 1, wherein the first optically passive region is of substantially constant cross section along the length of the composite waveguide.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
A semiconductor optical device as in claim 1, wherein the first optically passive region is of substantially rectangular cross section along the length of the composite waveguide.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
A semiconductor optical device as in claim 1, wherein the multi-quantum well structure comprises at least eight quantum wells.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
A semiconductor optical device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the multi-quantum well structure comprises at least sixteen quantum wells.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
A semiconductor optical device as in claim 1, wherein the multi-quantum well structure is strained due to a lattice mismatch between the barrier and well semiconductor material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
A semiconductor optical device as in claim 1, wherein the first, optically passive, region extends beyond the second, optically active, region towards the second end of the composite waveguide.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
A semiconductor optical device as in claim 1, wherein the length of the first region is greater than the length of the tapered part of the second region.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
A semiconductor optical device as in claim 1, wherein the optically active region is tapered along at least 5% of its length.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
A semiconductor optical device as in claim 1, wherein the optically active region is tapered along at least 10% of its length.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
A semiconductor optical device as in claim 1, wherein the optically active region is tapered along less than 80% of its length.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
A semiconductor optical device as in claim 1, wherein the optically active region is tapered along substantially the whole of its length.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
A semiconductor optical device as in claim 1, wherein the tapered part of the optically active region is truncated.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
A semiconductor optical device as in claim 13, wherein the width of the truncated end of the tapered optically active region is at least 0.1 μm.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
A semiconductor optical device as in claim 14, wherein the width of the truncated end of the tapered optically active region is at least 0.3 μm.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
A semiconductor optical device as in claim 1, wherein the optically active region is linearly tapered.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
A semiconductor optical device as in claim 1, wherein the material wavelength of the semiconductor material of the optically active region is greater than the material wavelength of the semiconductor material of the optically passive region.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
A semiconductor optical device as in claim 1, wherein the thickness of the optically passive region is in the range 0.01 μm to 0.4 μm.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
A semiconductor optical device as in claim 1, wherein the width of the optically passive region is in the range 2 μm to 8 μm.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
A semiconductor device as in claim 1 wherein said optically active region comprises a buried heterostructure laser.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-11-30 | 2002-06-01 | 2002-12-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-11-30 | 2006-06-01 | 2006-12-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-11-30 | 2010-06-01 | 2010-12-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |