Semiconductor lasers

Details Semiconductor lasers Semiconductor lasers

2001-04-12

2003-04-29

Ip, Paul (Department: 2828)

Coherent light generators

Particular pumping means

Pumping with optical or radiant energy

C372S050121

Reexamination Certificate

active

06556610

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates generally to semiconductor lasers. More particularly, the invention relates to optical pumping of semiconductor lasers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Semiconductor lasers have become more important. One of the most important applications of semiconductor lasers is in communication systems where fiber optic communication media is employed. With growth in electronic communication, communication speed has become more important in order to increase data bandwidth in electronic communication systems. Improved semiconductor lasers can play a vital roll in increasing data bandwidth in communication systems using fiber optic communication media such as local area networks (LANs), metropolitan area networks (MANs) and wide area networks (WANs). A preferred component for optical interconnection of electronic components and systems via optical fibers is a semiconductor laser.
One type of well known semiconductor laser is a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL). The current state of design and operation of VCSELs is well known. Due to optical properties of optical fibers, photons emitted at longer wavelengths from a laser tend to propagate longer distances and are less disturbed by optical noise sources. Thus, forming a VCSEL that can operate at longer wavelengths, such as a wavelength greater than 1.25 &mgr;m, is desirable.
Lasers can be excited or pumped in a number of ways. Typically, VCSELs have been electrically excited (i.e. electrically pumped) by a power supply in order to stimulate photon emission. However, achieving photon emission at long wavelengths using electrical pumping is difficult. More recently it has been shown that a VCSEL can be optically excited (i.e. optically pumped) to stimulate photon emission.
In order to use a semiconductor laser in communication systems, the laser output needs to be modulated somehow to communicate a signal. One type of laser modulation scheme varies the intensity of the light generated by the laser. Oftentimes this has been done externally from the laser, similar; to a camera's shutter allowing light to pass through to an unexposed film. However, this requires additional elements. It is desirable to directly modulate a semiconductor laser in an efficient manner.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3949320 (1976-04-01), Castleberry et al.
patent: 4633476 (1986-12-01), Scifres et al.
patent: 4878104 (1989-10-01), Reed et al.
patent: 4901330 (1990-02-01), Wolfram et al.
patent: 5008717 (1991-04-01), Bar-Joseph et al.
patent: 5023879 (1991-06-01), Wang et al.
patent: 5163058 (1992-11-01), Farries et al.
patent: 5165065 (1992-11-01), Reed et al.
patent: 5216687 (1993-06-01), Fujino et al.
patent: 5231642 (1993-07-01), Scifres et al.
patent: 5291502 (1994-03-01), Pezeshki et al.
patent: 5351256 (1994-09-01), Schneider et al.
patent: 5414726 (1995-05-01), Raj et al.
patent: 5461637 (1995-10-01), Mooradian et al.
patent: 5485014 (1996-01-01), Jain et al.
patent: 5504772 (1996-04-01), Deacon et al.
patent: 5513204 (1996-04-01), Jayaraman
patent: 5536085 (1996-07-01), Li et al.
patent: 5623359 (1997-04-01), Giles et al.
patent: 5625635 (1997-04-01), Kurtz et al.
patent: 5627853 (1997-05-01), Mooradian et al.
patent: 5671243 (1997-09-01), Yap
patent: 5680411 (1997-10-01), Ramdane et al.
patent: 5754578 (1998-05-01), Jayaraman
patent: 5778015 (1998-07-01), Gunning et al.
patent: 5793787 (1998-08-01), Meyer et al.
patent: 5796771 (1998-08-01), DenBaars et al.
patent: 5835517 (1998-11-01), Jayaraman et al.
patent: 5841799 (1998-11-01), Hiroki
patent: 5914976 (1999-06-01), Jayaraman et al.
patent: 5963576 (1999-10-01), Claisse et al.
patent: 5966234 (1999-10-01), Ford et al.
patent: 5976905 (1999-11-01), Cokerill et al.
patent: 5985686 (1999-11-01), Jayaraman
patent: 6026108 (2000-02-01), Lim et al.
patent: 6054335 (2000-04-01), Sun et al.
patent: 6066859 (2000-05-01), Stegmueller
patent: 6097742 (2000-08-01), Caprara et al.
patent: 6104739 (2000-08-01), Hong et al.
patent: 6127200 (2000-10-01), Ohiso et al.
patent: 6167068 (2000-12-01), Caprara et al.
patent: 6195381 (2001-02-01), Botez et al.
patent: 6252896 (2001-06-01), Tan et al.
patent: 6285704 (2001-09-01), Kullander-Sjoberg et al.
patent: 6339607 (2002-01-01), Jiang et al.
patent: 6347108 (2002-02-01), Jiang et al.
patent: 6424669 (2002-07-01), Jiang et al.
Joseph T. Verdeyen; Laser Electronics, Third Edition; pp. 347-351, 517-534; 1981; Prentice-Hall, Inc. New Jersey.
Eli Kapon; Semiconductor Lasers II, Materials and Structures; pp. 164-179; Institure of Micro and Optoelectronics Department of Physics Swiss Federal Institure of Technology, Lausanne; Academic Press; 1999.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Semiconductor lasers does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Semiconductor lasers, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Semiconductor lasers will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3080130