US2006029112A1PendingUtilityA1

Surface emitting laser with an integrated absorber

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Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Mar 31, 2004Filed: Mar 31, 2004Published: Feb 9, 2006
Est. expiryMar 31, 2024(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Ian A. YoungUrsula KellerHeiko UnoldRudiger PaschottaSilke Schon
G06F 1/105H01S 3/094084H01S 3/1118H01S 5/141H01S 5/18308H01S 3/1115H01S 5/18388H01S 5/0657H01S 3/0092H01S 5/0609H01S 5/423H01S 3/0615H01S 3/0604H01S 3/0627H01S 5/18302H01S 5/041H01S 5/024H01S 5/18341H01S 5/18358
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Claims

Abstract

A surface emitting laser (SEL) with an integrated absorber. A lower mirror and an output coupler define a laser cavity of the SEL. A monolithic gain structure positioned in the laser cavity includes a gain region and an absorber, wherein a saturation fluence of the absorber is less than a saturation fluence of the gain region.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 a lower mirror and an output coupler defining a laser cavity;    a gain region in a monolithic gain structure positioned in the laser cavity; and    an absorber integrated with the gain region in the monolithic gain structure,    wherein a saturation fluence of the absorber is less than a saturation fluence of the gain region.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the apparatus is a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL).  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the apparatus is a vertical external cavity surface emitting laser (VECSEL).  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the absorber is aligned with a peak field intensity of a standing wave pattern generated during excitation of the gain region.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an intermediate mirror positioned in the monolithic gain structure, the intermediate mirror to align a peak field intensity of a standing wave pattern generated during excitation of the gain region with the absorber.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the absorber comprises a quantum dot layer and the gain region comprises a quantum well layer.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the absorber comprises a first quantum well layer and the gain region comprises a second quantum well layer.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the first quantum well layer comprises Gallium Indium Nitride Arsenide (GaInNAs) and the second quantum well layer comprises Indium Gallium Arsenide (InGaAs).  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of electrical contacts electrically coupled to the absorber to receive an electrical signal to adjust the saturation fluence of the absorber.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the monolithic gain structure comprises the lower mirror.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the monolithic gain structure comprises the output coupler.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a nonlinear crystal optically coupled to the output coupler to change a wavelength of a laser output emitted from the output coupler.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a thermal lens within the laser cavity.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a heat sink thermally coupled to the lower mirror.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a second output coupler positioned proximate to the lower mirror to define a second laser cavity, the absorber and the gain region within the second laser cavity, wherein the first laser cavity defines a first SEL and the second laser cavity defines a second SEL.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the first SEL and the second SEL are independently addressable.  
     
     
         17 . A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL), comprising: 
 a gain region positioned proximate to a lower mirror;    an absorber positioned proximate to the gain region, wherein a saturation fluence of the absorber is less than a saturation fluence of the gain region; and    a spacer positioned proximate to the absorber, the spacer including a microlens,    wherein the lower mirror, the gain region, the absorber, and the spacer are a monolithic structure fabricated from a substrate.    
     
     
         18 . The VCSEL of  claim 17  wherein the absorber comprises at least one quantum dot layer and the gain region comprises at least one quantum well layer.  
     
     
         19 . The VCSEL of  claim 17  wherein the absorber comprises at least one quantum well layer of Gallium Indium Nitride Arsenide (GaInNAs).  
     
     
         20 . The VCSEL of  claim 17  wherein the absorber is aligned with a peak field intensity of a standing wave pattern generated during excitation of the gain region.  
     
     
         21 . The VCSEL of  claim 17 , further comprising a first contact coupled to the lower mirror and a second contact coupled to the spacer, the first and second contacts to be used in electrical pumping of the VCSEL.  
     
     
         22 . A system, comprising: 
 a surface emitting laser (SEL) array, comprising: 
 a first output coupler and a lower mirror defining a first laser cavity of a first SEL;  
 a second output coupler and the lower mirror defining a second laser cavity of a second SEL;  
 a gain region positioned in the first and second laser cavities; and  
 an absorber positioned in the first and second laser cavities integrated with the gain region, wherein a saturation fluence of the absorber is less than a saturation fluence of the gain region; and  
   an optical fiber optically coupled to the SEL array to receive a first passively mode locked laser output from the first output coupler and to receive a second passively mode locked laser output from the second output coupler.    
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22  wherein the lower mirror, the gain region, the absorber, the first output coupler, and the second output coupler are a monolithic structure fabricated from a substrate.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 22  wherein the first SEL and the second SEL are independently addressable.  
     
     
         25 . A computer system, comprising: 
 a chipset; and    a clock operatively coupled to the chipset, the clock comprising: 
 a lower mirror and an output coupler defining a laser cavity, the output coupler to emit a passively mode-locked laser output for generating a clock signal;  
 a gain region in a monolithic gain structure positioned in the laser cavity; and  
 an absorber in the monolithic gain structure, wherein a saturation fluence of the absorber is less than a saturation fluence of the gain region.  
   
     
     
         26 . The computer system of  claim 25  wherein the monolithic gain structure comprises the lower mirror, the gain region, the absorber, and the output coupler.  
     
     
         27 . The computer system of  claim 25  wherein the clock to output an optical clocking signal.  
     
     
         28 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 a quantum dot semiconductor saturable absorber mirror;    an output coupler, the quantum dot saturable mirror and the output coupler defining a laser cavity; and    a laser medium positioned within the laser cavity.    
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 28  wherein the quantum dot semiconductor saturable absorber mirror is integrated with the laser medium.  
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 29  wherein the output coupler is a curved reflector integrated with the laser medium.

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