US5978397A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Article comprising an electric field-tunable semiconductor laser
Assignee: Nokia of America Corp
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Filing: 1997-03-27
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Granted: 1999-11-02
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Expires: 2017-03-27
Abstract
Abstract In a novel tunable semiconductor laser, the lasing transition is a non-resonant tunneling transition, with the frequency of the emitted photon depending on the electrical bias across the multi-period active region of the laser. The laser can be designed to emit in the mid-IR, and can advantageously be used for, e.g., trace gas sensing.
Inventors
- 👤 Federico Capasso
- 👤 Alfred Yi Cho
- 👤 Jerome Faist
- 👤 Albert Lee Hutchinson
- 👤 Carlo Sirtori
- 👤 Deborah Lee Sivco
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 00:58
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S5/00; H01S5/30; H01S5/34; H01S5/3401; H01S5/3402; B; B82; B82Y; B82Y20/00; H01S5/06; H01S5/0607; H01S5/0614; H01S5/062; H01S5/06209; H01S5/0622; H01S5/0625; H01S5/06255
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
179 words
An article comprising a laser comprising a first and a second contact for applying an electrical bias across a semiconductor structure that comprises an active region, the active region comprising, in sequence in a direction normal to said contact regions, a multiplicity of essentially identical repeat units, each repeat unit comprising a multiplicity of layers; CHARACTERIZED IN THAT a) a given repeat unit comprises a short period superlattice and a quantum well disposed between a first and a second barrier layer; b) said multiplicity of layers is selected such that a lasing transition of the laser is a tunneling transition of a charge carrier from a first quantum state to a second quantum state, the transition being accompanied by photon emission, the photon energy being hν, where h is Planck's constant and ν is the photon frequency, the first quantum state being a ground state of the superlattice, and the second quantum state being a ground state of the quantum well; and c) the photon frequency is a function of the electrical bias applied across the semiconductor or structure.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
179 words
An article comprising a laser comprising a first and a second contact for applying an electrical bias across a semiconductor structure that comprises an active region, the active region comprising, in sequence in a direction normal to said contact regions, a multiplicity of essentially identical repeat units, each repeat unit comprising a multiplicity of layers; CHARACTERIZED IN THAT a) a given repeat unit comprises a short period superlattice and a quantum well disposed between a first and a second barrier layer; b) said multiplicity of layers is selected such that a lasing transition of the laser is a tunneling transition of a charge carrier from a first quantum state to a second quantum state, the transition being accompanied by photon emission, the photon energy being hν, where h is Planck's constant and ν is the photon frequency, the first quantum state being a ground state of the superlattice, and the second quantum state being a ground state of the quantum well; and c) the photon frequency is a function of the electrical bias applied across the semiconductor or structure.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
Article according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor structure is a III/V semiconductor structure.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
Article according to claim 1, wherein the photon frequency is in a frequency range that includes the mid infrared frequencies.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
Article according to claim 1, wherein the laser has a tuning range of more than 50 cm -1 .
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
Article according to claim 1, wherein one of the first and second contacts is a segmented contact.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
Article according to claim 5, wherein the segmented contact comprises a first and a second segment, with said first and second segments having a length ratio of less than 2:1 selected to facilitate electrical bias tuning of the laser frequency.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
Article according to claim 5, wherein the segmented contact comprises a first and a second segment, with said first and second segments having a length ratio of at least 2:1 selected to facilitate simultaneous lasing at two or more distinct photon frequencies.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
Article according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor structure comprises a plasmon confinement layer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
Article according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor structure comprises a mode confinement enhancement layer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
Article according to claim 9, wherein the semiconductor structure further comprises a plasmon confinement layer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
Article according to claim 1, further comprising a detector for detecting radiation of frequency ν from the laser.
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| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-11-01 | 2003-05-03 | 2003-11-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-11-01 | 2007-05-03 | 2007-11-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-11-01 | 2011-05-03 | 2011-11-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |