Abstract: A white, single or multi-color light emitting diode (LED) includes a mirror for reflecting photons within the LED; a first active region, adjacent the mirror, including one or more current-injected layers for emitting photons when electrically biased in a forward direction; a second active region, adjacent the first active region, including one or more optically-pumped layers for emitting photons, wherein the optically-pumped layers are optically excited by the photons emitted by the current-injected layers, thereby recycling guided modes; and an output interface, adjacent the second active region, for allowing the photons emitted by the optically-pumped layers to escape the LED as emitted light.

Abstract: A support for chromophore elements, which elements are for being illuminated by excitation light to emit fluorescence at a wavelength different from that of the excitation light, the support including an internal reflective layer reflecting the light emitted by the chromophore elements, a layer of absorbent material absorbing the excitation wavelength, and a layer of material constituting an antireflection layer at said wavelength in order to avoid excitation light being reflected by the support and being added to the fluorescence emitted by the chromophore elements.

Abstract: The invention concerns an electroluminescent device comprising first and second substantially parallel mirrors for converting electron-hole pairs into photons, and means for generating electrons and holes. The converting means and the first and second mirrors are designed to ensure the confinement between the first and second mirrors of photons having at least a selected wavelength, associated with a guided propagation mode. Additionally, the device comprises light extracting means which communicate with part at least of the converting means and the generating means, comprised between the first and second mirrors, and are designed to extract therefrom part at least of the photons in guided mode, so that they reach outside.

Abstract: A device for supporting chromophore elements comprises a plane mirror covered in a layer of material that is transparent at the wavelengths to be detected, said layer having a set of spots on which the chromophore elements are fixed, the spots being subdivided into a plurality of zones of different thicknesses so as to cause the intensity of the fluorescence emitted by the chromophore elements to vary by destructive interference or by constructive interference, respectively.

Abstract: A device for supporting chromophore elements suitable for emitting fluorescence in response to light excitation, the device comprising a substrate having a surface layer carrying the chromophore elements, forming a planar waveguide, and containing photoluminescent constituents which emit guided luminescence at the excitation wavelength(s) of the chromophore elements when they are excited by primary excitation light illuminating the surface layer. The invention is particularly applicable to biochip type devices.

Abstract: Optically active glazing comprising two parallel plates of glass or the like that define between them a closed volume containing dielectric particles in suspension in a fluid, and electrodes formed on the plates and connected to an electrical power supply for moving and organizing the particles by means of dielectrophoretic forces and of interactions between particles.

Abstract: A device for directional and wavelength-selective optical coupling formed in a photonic crystal (12) and comprising two parallel waveguides (14, 16) separated by a coupling zone (18) enabling a particular frequency to be extracted from a signal (30) injected in fundamental mode into one of the waveguide (14) and to recover said frequency at the outlet (34) of the other waveguide (16), extraction and injection being performed by coupling between fundamental and high order modes in each waveguide.

Abstract: A device for supporting chromophoric elements comprises support means (1) for receiving, on an upper face (24), chromophoric elements (5) that can emit light under selected conditions, and means for concentrating light (3) to recover the light emitted by each chromophoric element (5) in a portion of the region around it and “deliver” that recovered light to a collecting device.

Abstract: A “paper look-alike” display comprises pixels formed of dielectric particles suspended in a non-conducting liquid. By applying a voltage to electrodes the particles may be switched between positions in which they are stored in vertical columns normal to the surface of the pixel and have no effect on the colour of the pixel, and a position in which they occupy a major part of the surface area of the pixel and influence the colour of the pixel accordingly.

Abstract: An improved biochip type device comprising a substrate (10) including an intermediate non-absorbent multilayer mirror (12) covered by a layer (14) of high refractive index material having chromophore elements (16) fixed thereon, said layer (14) further including means (24) for extracting guided-mode light in order to recover the light emitted by the chromophore elements (16) into the layer (14) in response to light excitation, and direct said light to detection and measurement means.

Abstract: The invention concerns an electroluminescent device comprising first and second substantially parallel mirrors for converting electron-hole pairs into photons, and means for generating electrons and holes. The converting means and the first and second mirrors are designed to ensure the confinement between the first and second mirrors of photons having at least a selected wavelength, associated with a guided propagation mode. Additionally, the device comprises light extracting means which communicate with part at least of the converting means and the generating means, comprised between the first and second mirrors, and are designed to extract therefrom part at least of the photons in guided mode, so that they reach outside.

Abstract: A device for supporting chromophoric elements comprises support meant (1) for receiving, on an upper face (24), chromophoric elements (5) that can emit light under selected conditions, and means for concentrating light (3) to recover the light emitted by each chromophoric element (5) in a portion of the region around it and “deliver” that recovered light to a collecting device.

Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor laser that is constituted by at least one active layer sandwiched between two confinement layers with P and N type doping to constitute a PN junction. In at least one of the confinement layers and/or the active layer, holes are designed on each side of the cavity so as to form structures of photonic bandgap material along the lateral walls of the cavity and the ends of the cavity.

Abstract: A semi-conducting structure delimits two quantal wells (CP1, CP2) connected across a barrier layer (CB). The application of an electric field to the structure makes possible the transfer of electrons from one of the wells to the other. The electron-hole pairs are created by a wave-pump, or by the doping of one of the wells. This makes possible, in particular, a dual control by means of the wave-pump and the electric field, thus creating an "AND"-function modulator.

Abstract: A quantum well optical device including a layer of semiconducting material of large forbidden band width and, situated in this layer, at least one quantum well, such as a quantum line or quantum hole, of a material having a narrower forbidden band than that of the layer. This quantum well has two permitted electron levels. Means exist of assuring the electron population of the first permitted energy level.

Abstract: The quantum well semiconductor laser has at least one ultrafine layer with a thickness smaller than the critical thickness, the material of which is isoelectronic with that of the well.

Abstract: The object of the invention is to reduce the influence of dislocations on the functioning of structures for optoelectronic component, such as laser, made from semiconductor materials. Accordingly, one of the lasers of such a structure comprises three-dimensional inclusions in a semiconductor material with a thinner forbidden band than the forbidden band of the layer material. The inclusions are e.g. distributed over several planes of the active layer of a laser, and may be in InAs introduced into a layer in GaAs.

Abstract: The present invention relates to processes for the construction of semiconductor lasers.The process according to the invention is essentially characterized in that it consists in forming a layer 1 of a laser semiconductor active medium, in forming an optical cavity 2 associated with this layer, in disposing, on at least a part of the surface of the layer, first 6 and second 7 layers of materials of impurities of opposite polarities, in causing diffusion into the active medium of at least a part of the two materials of impurities to form, in the first layer, a cylinder 8 axis substantially parallel to the axis of the optical cavity and formed of two semi-cylindrical half-shells 9, 10 of diffused impurities of opposite polarities, and in connecting two conductors 12 of the electrical energy respectively to the two half-shells.Application to the construction of a plurality of laser diodes on one and the same support substrate, to create a homogeneous and dense single laser beam.

Abstract: A system for the optical pumping of a cell of atomic or molecular gases comprises at least one optical cavity comprising at least one cell of atomic or molecular gases, one optical pumping wave being coupled to the optical cavity.

Abstract: The electron source disclosed comprises a solid having a first semiconductor layer capable of releasing electrons under the effect of an electrical field, means to make at least one of its faces partially transparent to at least one part of the released electrons, and to enable this part of the electrons to be ejected from the solid, and a second unstable composite semiconductor layer having a structure having a negative differential resistance located between the first layer and its face which is at least partially transparent, in contact with the first layer. The electron source further includes means to form, with said first layer and the composite layer, an electrical resonant cavity.