465 results about "Vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting-laser" patented technology

Organic vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers ("OVCSELs"), in which a thin layer of organic material is disposed between highly reflective mirrors to thereby form a vertical cavity within a stacked arrangement. The lasers of the present invention each comprise a first mirror layer; a layer of active organic material over the first mirror layer; and a second mirror layer over the layer of first active organic material. The active organic material lases when pumped to thereby produce laser light. The present invention provides for optical semiconductor lasers with desired properties such as narrow bandwidth emission, the minimal use of active organic materials, and the facilitation of wavelength tuning and electrical pumping.

An annular metal layer is provided between a conductive oxide layer and a dielectric mirror in a vertical cavity surface emitting laser. The annular metal layer defines the output window for the laser cavity which matches the TEM.sub.00 fundamental mode of the light beam emitted by the active region of the VCSEL. The metal layer outside the output window provides modal reflectivity discrimination against high order transverse modes of the light beam emitted by the active region of the VCSEL.

An energy-assisted magnetic recording apparatus comprises a magnetic recording head having an end surface and an interface surface perpendicular to the end surface. The apparatus further comprises a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) bonded to the interface surface and configured to emit laser light through the interface surface and into the magnetic recording head. The magnetic recording head includes one or more light redirecting structures for redirecting the laser light towards the end surface. A method of making an energy-assisted magnetic recording apparatus comprises the steps of aligning a first wafer including a plurality of VCSELs with a second wafer including a plurality of magnetic recording heads, such that an emitting region of each of the plurality of VCSELs is disposed over a light redirecting structure of a corresponding one of the plurality of magnetic recording heads, and bonding the first wafer to the second wafer.

A method of making an energy-assisted magnetic recording apparatus is provided. The method comprises the step of aligning a first wafer including a plurality of vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) with a second wafer including a plurality of magnetic recording heads, such that an emitting region of each of the plurality of VCSELs is disposed over a light redirecting structure of a corresponding one of the plurality of magnetic recording heads. The method further comprises the step of bonding the first wafer to the second wafer.

Optical transmitters for radio over fiber systems are disclosed. More particularly, the optical transmitters include optically-injection-locked vertical cavity surface-emitting laser devices (OIL VCSELS). The transmitters include a master laser, at least one slave laser injection-locked by the master laser, and an equalizer / filter unit that enables the ratio of the carrier power to the sideband power in the output signal of the transmitter to be varied and optimized independently of the injection ratio of the transmitter.

An apparatus and method are disclosed for decreasing the spectral bandwidth of a semiconductor laser, such as a vertical cavity surface emitting laser.

Light sources are disclosed. A disclosed light source includes a III-V based pump light source (170) that includes nitrogen and emits light at a first wavelength. The light source further includes a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) that converts at least a portion of the first wavelength light (174) emitted by the pump light source (170) to at least a partially coherent light at a second wavelength (176). The VCSEL includes first and second mirrors (120, 160) that form an optical cavity for light at the second wavelength. The first mirror (120) is substantially reflective at the second wavelength and includes a first multilayer stack. The second mirror (160) is substantially transmissive at the first wavelength and partially reflective and partially transmissive and the second wavelength. The second mirror includes a second multilayer stack. The VCSEL further includes a semiconductor multilayer stack (130) that is disposed between the first and second mirrors and converts at least a portion of the first wavelength light to the second wavelength light. The semiconductor multilayer stack (130) includes a quantum well that includes a Cd(Mg)ZnSe alloy.

Both a system and method for optically powering a network component, such as the transponder of a picocell, is provided. The system includes a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) for processing an input signal, a remotely-located optical power source, and an optical fiber for conducting optical power from the source to the VCSEL. The VCSEL may be electrically biased from current generated by an optical-electro converter coupled to the fiber, or directly optically biased from light from the optical power source. A bias tee is connected between an input signal and an input of the VCSEL such that the VCSEL generates a modulated optical signal. The system may be the transponder of a picocell system where the VCSEL generates an optical uplink signal conducted to a head-end circuit via the same or a separate optical fiber.

Materials suitable for fabricating optical monitors include amorphous, polycrystalline and microcrystalline materials. Semitransparent photodetector materials may be based on silicon or silicon and germanium alloys. Conductors for connecting to and contacting the photodetector may be made from various transparent oxides, including zinc oxide, tin oxide and indium tin oxide. Optical monitor structures based on PIN diodes take advantage of the materials disclosed. Various contact, lineout, substrate and interconnect structures optimize the monitors for integration with various light sources, including vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) arrays. Complete integrated structures include a light source, optical monitor and either a package or waveguide into which light is directed.

The present invention relates to a laser device comprising at least one large area VCSEL (101) and at least one optical feedback element (201, 301) providing an angular-selective feedback for laser radiation emitted from the laser. The angular-selective feedback is higher for at least one portion of laser radiation emitted at angles θ>0 to the optical axis (601) of the laser than for laser radiation emitted on said optical axis (601). The invention also refers to a method of stabilizing a laser emission of a large area VCSEL in a desired angular distribution (501, 502). With the proposed device and method, the intensity distribution of a large area VCSEL can be stabilized in a desired shape, for example a ring shape.

A chip scale atomic clock is disclosed that provides a low power atomic time / frequency reference that employs direct RF-interrogation on an end-state transition. The atomic time / frequency reference includes an alkali vapor cell containing alkali atoms, preferably cesium atoms, flex circuits for physically supporting, heating, and thermally isolating the alkali vapor cell, a laser source for pumping alkali atoms within the alkali vapor cell into an end resonance state by applying an optical signal along a first axis, a photodetector for detecting a second optical signal emanating from the alkali vapor cell along the first axis, a pair of RF excitation coils for applying an RF-interrogation signal to the alkali atoms along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, a pair of bias coils for applying a uniform DC magnetic field along the first axis, and a pair of Zeeman coils for applying a Zeeman interrogation signal to the alkali atoms and oriented and configured to apply a time-varying magnetic field along the second axis through the alkali vapor cell. Another flex circuit is used for physically supporting the laser source, for heating the laser source, and for providing thermal isolation of the laser source. The laser source can be a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VSCEL). The bias coils can be Helmholtz coils.

A hermetically sealed, opto-electronic array housing assembly having a ceramic base, electrical connectors, a metal can, and a glass window. The glass window can support a micro-lens array. The metal can receives the glass window. The electrical impedance of the electrical connectors is beneficially carefully controlled to enable high-speed data communications. A multi-element optical fiber connector can provide for optical communications to and / or from an opto-electronic array contained within the housing.

An optical sensor diagnostic system utilizes a tunable Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) that incorporates an integrated MEMS tuning mechanism provides variable wavelength light into an optical fiber with improved wavelength scanning speed and greater simplicity of construction. Sensors, such as Bragg gratings, are disposed along the fiber in the light path. Each sensor reflects or transmits light exhibiting a characteristic amplitude and / or phase feature with respect to wavelength, the wavelength position of which is affected by an environmental stimulus imposed thereon. The light reflected or transmitted through each sensor is mixed with light passed through an optical reference path and then converted to an electrical signal by a simple detector and monitored by circuitry that applies signal processing to the detected power spectral distribution, by this means providing output signals indicative of the environmental stimulus on each sensor.

In a vertical cavity surface emitting laser including a cavity structure formed by arranging a first reflector (102), an active region (104) and a second reflector (107) on a substrate, the second reflector is formed to include a refractive index periodic structure having a first medium showing a first refractive index and a second medium showing a second refractive index lower than the first refractive index. The first medium and the second medium are arranged periodically in an in-plane direction of the substrate and an electrically conductive adjacent layer made of a material showing a refractive index lower than the first refractive index is arranged at a position adjacent to the second reflector between the active region and the second reflector.

A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) device with improved power and beam characteristics. The VCSEL device contains one VCSEL or an array of VCSELs. Each VCSEL has a corresponding integrated microlens, and a heat sink is attached to the device side of the VCSEL device. The heat sink allows improved heat dissipation, and therefore provides improved power characteristics of the VCSEL device output laser beam. The microlens or microlens array allows easier and more compact focussing of the VCSEL device output laser beam. The VCSEL device can be used in a variety of optical systems, and its improved power and focusing characteristics provide a compact, low power, low cost laser system.

An optical data-storage hard disk drive, which uses stationary Magneto-Optical Microhead Array Chips in place of conventional Flying-Heads, Rotary Voice-Coil Actuators and other similar types of Servo-Tracking mechanisms to transcribe or retrieve digital information to or from at least one non-volatile memory medium's data-surface, using an optical magnetic process of recording and reading data. The Magneto-Optical Microhead Array Chip Hard Disk Drives will have at least one storage disk-platter with two disk-platter data-surfaces containing a multiplicity of concentric data-tracks that rotates at a substantially constant angular velocity. Every Magneto-Optical Microhead Array Chip will comprise a (VCSEL) "Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser" microhead array having a minimum of one thousand or a maximum of four billion individually addressable VCSELs. Each Magneto-Optical Microhead Array Chip is placed into a stationary position above each disk platter data-surface using a chip-positioning circuit board. While the number of cylinder / tracks available to each Magneto-Optical Microhead Array Chip is determined by the number of VCSEL microheads contained within a Magneto-Optical Microhead Array Chip's microhead array (e.g., "325,000" vertical cavity surface emitting laser microheads would therefore equal "325,000" corresponding cylinder / tracks).

The present invention discloses a projector used in 3-D imaging equipment. The projector comprises a light source which is formed by a transmission laser on a surface of a vertical chamber, namely a VCSEL array. The VCSEL array comprises a light source which is used for illuminating a capturing area. The light from the VCSEL array is reflected on an object on the capturing area, and is received in sensing equipment such as a 3-D camera, etc. The projector furthermore can comprise a collimating lens array which is used for focusing the light that is transmitted from each VCSEL, and a DOE which is used for patterning the light from the collimating lens so the sensing equipment can generate the object in the capturing area.

Monolithic integrated vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser devices are disclosed including an edge-emitting semiconductor pump laser (PL), an optically-pumped vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL), and a means for deflecting and shaping the output beam of the pump laser to optically excite the VCSEL. The optically-pumped VCSEL structure may be adapted to include a resonant cavity with multiple fixed wavelengths, or a resonance cavity whose wavelength is continuously tunable. Wafer level manufacturing techniques are also disclosed.

Conductivity-selective lateral etching of III-nitride materials is described. Methods and structures for making vertical cavity surface emitting lasers with distributed Bragg reflectors via electrochemical etching are described. Layer-selective, lateral electrochemical etching of multi-layer stacks is employed to form semiconductor / air DBR structures adjacent active multiple quantum well regions of the lasers. The electrochemical etching techniques are suitable for high-volume production of lasers and other III-nitride devices, such as lasers, HEMT transistors, power transistors, MEMs structures, and LEDs.

An optically clear encapsulant for optoelectronic packages exhibits a suitably high viscosity both to replace a silicon nitride passivation layer required on a VCSEL die and to fill a gap between the die and an optical coupler, preventing light signal degradation. The encapsulant exhibits optical transparency to light having a wavelength of about 850 nanometers (nm) with substantially no Mie scattering since particulate fillers are not required to modulate viscosity in the encapsulant. Also, the encapsulant further seals wire bonds between the die and a cable header to prevent abrasive wear. The gap-filling encapsulant is particularly suitable for use with vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) technology. The encapsulant includes prior to curing, a difunctional acrylate epoxy resin exhibiting pseudoplastic flow and a viscosity of greater than about 0.7x106 centipoise. Accordingly, a method of manufacturing an optical subassembly may eliminate a separate passivation step and instead fill the gap between the die and optical coupler with an optically clear encapsulant.

A circularizated semiconductor laser diode (CSLD), such as for example a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) may be used for optical measurements. The CSLD may be used in a cell density probe to perform cell density determination and / or turbidity determination, such as in a biotech, fermentation, or other optical absorbance application. The cell density probe may comprise a probe tip section made from a polytetrafluoroethylene material, which provides sealability, ease of manufacture, durability, cleanability, optical semi-transparency at visible and near infrared wavelengths, and other advantages. The probe tip advantageously provides an optical gap that allows for in situ measurements of optical measurements including but not limited to absorbance, scattering, and fluorescence.

An optical device including a polarization control photonic crystal. The optical device includes a vertical cavity surface emitting laser. The optical device further includes a lower mirror formed on a substrate. The optical device also includes an upper mirror. An active region is between the lower mirror and the upper mirror. Photons generated in the active region are reflected between the upper mirror and the lower mirror through the active region. An asymmetrical photonic crystal including cavities is optically coupled in the optical device such that one polarization of light is better reflected by the asymmetrical photonic crystal than a competing polarization of light.

A Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) includes an intracavity epitaxial layer configured to include a shallow mesa that alters the optical mode of the vertical cavity to laterally confine the optical mode in an otherwise planar epitaxial cavity. The VCSEL has optical confinement and current confinement within nearly the same active area and thus can operate with low threshold current, high efficiency, or high speed. In some embodiments, a mode confining region (i.e., mesa) is defined using a lithography process. This lithographic process eliminates external process variations such as material composition or thickness variation from influencing the mode confining region's size. The result is a highly uniform structure across a semiconductor wafer and from wafer to wafer. In some embodiments, the optical confinement and current confinement regions are self-aligned because the same manufacturing steps are used to form both. In other embodiments, the optical mode area is substantially different from the current injection area of the active material, but the current confinement area and the optical mode area are concentric or nearly concentric.

A vertical cavity surface emitting laser is provided which controls the reflectivity at the middle portion and the peripheral portion of the mirror with a simple structure to cause oscillation of a single lateral mode by use of a mirror having the refractive index changing periodically in the mirror plane direction. The vertical cavity surface emitting laser.

Methods and apparatuses for performing biometric determinations using optical spectroscopy of tissue. The biometric determinations that are disclosed include determination or verifications of identity, estimation of age, estimation of sex, determination of sample liveness and sample authenticity. The apparatuses disclosed are based upon discrete light sources such as light emitting diodes, laser diodes, vertical cavity surface emitting lasers, and broadband sources with multiple narrow-band optical filters. The multiple light sources are encoded in a manner that the tissue response for each source can be efficiently measured. The light sources are spaced at multiple distances from a detector to contribute differing information to the biometric determination task as do light sources with different wavelength characteristics. Apparatuses are disclosed that incorporate a spectral biometric sensor with a personal electronic device such as cellular telephones, personal digital assistants, wristwatches, electronic fobs for the purpose of providing secure biometric access to protected property.

A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) includes a semiconductor device having a pair of mirror portions, an active region, a tunnel junction, a pair of cladding layers and a substrate. Heat generated by the VCSEL dissipates through the cladding layers, which utilize an indium phosphide material. The VCSEL also includes selective etches that are used to aperture the active region to allow electric current to be injected into the active region.

A VSCEL capable of being easily and inexpensively manufactured and of stabilizing the polarization direction of laser light in one direction is provided. The Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser includes a semiconductor lamination structure including a first multilayer film reflector, an active layer having a light emitting region, and a second multilayer film reflector in this order over a substrate from the substrate side. The semiconductor lamination structure has a pair of grooves provided with a region opposed to the light emitting region in between, and one or a plurality of first oxidation layers including a first non-oxidation region provided at least in a region opposed to the light emitting region and a first oxidation region provided on each side face of the pair of grooves.

A vertical cavity surface emitting laser includes a cavity formed by a pair of reflectors on a substrate and an active region interposed in the cavity. In the vertical cavity surface emitting laser, at least one of the reflectors that form the cavity has a refractive index periodic structure produced by arranging a first medium and a second medium so as to make the refractive index change periodically in in-plane directions of the substrate and the cross sectional area of the first medium in the in-plane directions changes in the direction of the thickness of the first medium. The vertical cavity surface emitting laser has reflectors having a wide reflection band.

A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-tunable vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) in which the MEMS mirror is a bonded to the active region. This allows for a separate electrostatic cavity, that is outside the laser's optical resonant cavity. Moreover, the use of this cavity configuration allows the MEMS mirror to be tuned by pulling the mirror away from the active region. This reduces the risk of snap down. Moreover, since the MEMS mirror is now bonded to the active region, much wider latitude is available in the technologies that are used to fabricate the MEMS mirror. This is preferably deployed as a swept source in an optical coherence tomography (OCT) system.