Abstract: A temperature-controlled optoelectronic module that includes a module housing, a laser mount structure for affixing a laser package in the module housing, an optical fiber receptacle structure disposed adjacent to the laser mount structure, a thermal isolator affixed between the laser mount structure and the optical fiber receptacle structure, and a temperature controller coupled to the laser mount structure and operable to regulate temperature of the laser package is disclosed. In the absence of the thermal isolator, a “thermal short” may be created between the module housing and the laser package, substantially reducing the efficiency of the temperature controller. The presence of the thermal isolator eliminates the “thermal short,” substantially increases the effectiveness of the temperature controller and enables the miniaturization of temperature-controlled optoelectronic transceiver modules.

Abstract: A semiconductor avalanche photodiode (APD) with very high current gain utilizes a small vacuum or gas filled gap which is used as a region to accelerate electrons to high energies. The APD has an absorption layer, a gap, and a multiplication layer. The absorption layer is adapted to generate electron-hole pairs upon absorbing light. The APD is adapted to generate an electric field in the gap and at an interface between the absorption layer and the gap. The electric field extracts electrons from the absorption layer into the gap and accelerates the extracted electrons while in the gap. The multiplication layer is adapted so that said accelerated electrons impinge on and cause a flow of secondary electrons within the multiplication layer.

Abstract: An optoelectronic assembly includes a transistor outline (TO) package that houses an optoelectronic device. The TO package and the optoelectronic device are coupled to a circuit interconnect. The circuit interconnect includes an insulator having a first side for transmitting a signal current between the optoelectronic device and a device external to the TO package, and a second side for transmitting a ground current between the TO package and the external device. For a predefined operating frequency range, the impedance of the circuit interconnect approximately matches the impedance of the signal leads of the TO package and also approximately matches the impedance of the device external to the TO package. The optoelectronic device may include a laser diode or a photo diode. In addition, the present invention is an optoelectronic transceiver including a transmitter optoelectronic assembly and a receiver optoelectronic assembly.

Abstract: A compact laser package with integrated temperature control is disclosed. In one embodiment, the compact laser package that includes a housing, a window through the housing, a laser emitter disposed in the housing, and an active temperature control device disposed in the housing. The laser emitter is disposed on the active temperature control device and aligned such that optical signals generated by the laser emitter can be emitted through the window without a waveguide. Additionally, the housing has an outline similar to that of a transistor-can. Temperature measuring device and laser power detection device may also be integrated within the laser package.

Abstract: A method of maintaining desirable optical performance of optical emitters over temperature variations is disclosed. The optical performance of an optical emitter in terms of power, extinction ratio, jitter, mask margin and general fiber optic transmitter eye quality can be maintained by the present invention over a wide range of temperatures. Advantageously, the present invention enables the use of inexpensive optical emitters in optoelectronic transceivers and optoelectronic transmitters.

Abstract: Manufacturing coupling elements that have two or more ports. A focusing lens array is attached with a collimating lens array to form an element array such that each focusing lenslet is opposite a collimating lenslet. Optionally, an optical element such as a beam splitter is included between the focusing lens array and the collimating lens array. The individual coupling elements are then cut from the element array. After a row of coupling elements is cut or separated from the element array, a side of the exposed optical element can be polished and a third row of lenslets can be attached to the polished side of the optical element before the row is cut into individual coupling elements. This provides a third port to the coupling elements or optical transceivers.

Abstract: Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers are disclosed, one example of which includes a substrate upon which a lower mirror layer is formed. An active region and upper mirror layer are disposed, in that order, on the lower mirror layer. In particular, the upper mirror layer includes a plurality of DBR layers formed on the active region. The upper mirror layer additionally includes a photonic crystal formed on the plurality of DBR layers and having a periodic structure that contributes to the definition of a central defect. As a consequence of this structure, the photonic crystal has a reflectivity that is wavelength dependent, and the central defect enables the VCSEL to propagate a single mode.

Abstract: Optical devices and associated production methods are disclosed, one example of such a device takes the form of a semiconductor optical amplifier having first and second ends that at least partially define a signal propagation path. The semiconductor optical amplifier has an active layer that includes multiple quantum well stacks disposed between the first and second ends along the signal propagation path. Finally, the multiple quantum well stacks have a thickness and a width that vary along the signal propagation path.

Abstract: A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) using photonic crystals. Photonic crystals are formed such that the active region of the VCSEL is bounded by the photonic crystals. The photonic crystals have a periodic cavity structure that reflects light of certain wavelengths through the active region of the VCSEL such that laser light at the wavelengths is generated. Additional photonic crystals can be formed to increase the bandwidth of the VCSEL. The photonic crystals can also be combined with distributed bragg reflector layers to form the mirrors of a VCSEL.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for producing a tunable vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) using photonic crystals and an electrostrictive material that includes a hologram with a narrow filter function. Photonic crystals are formed such that the active region of the VCSEL is bounded by the photonic crystals. The photonic crystals have a periodic cavity structure that reflects light of certain wavelengths through the active region of the VCSEL such that laser light at the wavelengths is generated. The periodic cavity structure includes a central defect that does not include any cavities. The single mode is emitted through the central defect. The electrostrictive material that includes a hologram makes the VCSEL tunable because the shape of the electrostrictive material changes when an electric field is applied. The filter function of the hologram thus changes as well in response to the electric field such that the VCSEL is tunable.

Abstract: A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) using photonic crystals with a central defect. At least one of the mirror layers of a VCSEL includes a photonic crystal with a central defect. The central defect, which is surrounded by a periodic structure of holes or cavities, permits laser light to propagate and exit the VCSEL. Semi-insulating regions are formed in the active region such that when cavities are drilled in the photonic crystal and penetrate the active region, the cavities pass through the semi-insulating regions. This reduces the surface recombination that would otherwise occur in the active region and prevents the threshold current from increasing. The photonic crystal with a central defect has a reflectivity that is wavelength dependent. The VCSEL thus emits a single mode.

Abstract: A Semiconductor Optical Amplifier (SOA) with extended bandwidth and the method of fabricating the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the SOA includes a Multiple Quantum Well (MQW) stacks whose thickness varies along the length of the device. The SOA has a flatter and broader gain spectrum than SOAs with substantially flat MQW stacks.

Abstract: A tunable vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) using photonic crystals and an electrostrictive material that includes a hologram with a narrow filter function. Photonic crystals are formed such that the active region of the VCSEL is bounded by the photonic crystals. The photonic crystals have a periodic cavity structure that reflects light of certain wavelengths through the active region of the VCSEL such that laser light at the wavelengths is generated. The periodic cavity structure includes a central defect that does not include any cavities. The single mode is emitted through the central defect. The electrostrictive material that includes a hologram makes the VCSEL tunable because the shape of the electrostrictive material changes when an electric field is applied. The filter function of the hologram thus changes as well in response to the electric field such that the VCSEL is tunable.

Abstract: A port including a lens for coupling one optical element with another optical element. The lens includes a focusing lens surface that has optical power and a flat lens surface that has little or no optical power. The lens is typically aspherical and couples high angle rays emitted from a source and also introduces aberrations such that the image formed on the receiving optical element is not reflected back to the source optical element. A point is imaged as a spot. The port couples light between optical elements by slightly defocusing the source without impeding the efficiency of the port.

Abstract: An edge emitting laser that emits a single mode using photonic mirrors. An edge emitting laser includes an active region that is formed between an n-type semiconductor material and a p-type semiconductor material. Photonic mirrors are formed in the laser to define a gain cavity and an external cavity. The gain cavity is bounded by a cleaved facet and a photonic mirror or by a pair of photonic mirrors. The external cavity is bounded by the photonic mirror of the gain cavity and either a cleaved facet or another photonic mirror. The mode emitted by the laser is determined by characteristics of the photonic mirrors, including the periodic cavity structures of the mirrors.

Abstract: A method of reducing interference in a data stream includes filtering the data stream using a first equalizer to output a first filtered data stream. Also, the data stream is filtered using a second equalizer to create a second filtered data stream. Then, one or more error rates based on the first filtered data stream and the second filtered data stream are determined. Based at least in part on those error rates, a filtered data stream is selected from among the first filtered data stream and the second filtered data stream. A threshold value is determined, and then compared against the selected filtered data stream to generate a data bit.

Abstract: An interference-reducing optoelectronic device determines the value of a current data bit in an optical data stream. A receiver receives the optical data stream, which is converted to a series of samples by a D/A converter. A set of adaptive filters, each filter corresponding to a unique possible value for one or more prior data bits, filters the series of samples utilizing variable tap coefficients to generate filtered output values. The variable tap coefficients are at least partially different than the variable tap coefficients of another adaptive filter. Comparators compare the filtered output values against filter-specific adaptive threshold values to generate tentative values for the current data bit. A delay mechanism delays a determined value for the prior data bits, and a selection mechanism determines the value of the current data bit by selecting the tentative value corresponding to the delayed determined value of the prior data bits.

Abstract: A single mode high power vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) using photonic crystals. A photonic crystal is included in at least one mirror layer of a VCSEL. The reflectivity of the photonic crystal is dependent on the wavelength and incident angle of the photons. The photonic crystal can be formed such that the VCSEL lases at a single mode. Because a single mode is generated, the aperture of the VCSEL can be enlarged to increase the power that is generated by the VCSEL for that mode. The photonic crystal can be used with/without DBR layers. The photonic crystal, in one example, forms an external cavity.

Abstract: An edge emitting laser that emits a single mode using photonic mirrors. An edge emitting laser includes an active region that is formed between an n-type semiconductor material and a p-type semiconductor material. Photonic mirrors are formed in the laser to define a gain cavity and an external cavity. The gain cavity is bounded by a cleaved facet and a photonic mirror or by a pair of photonic mirrors. The external cavity is bounded by the photonic mirror of the gain cavity and either a cleaved facet or another photonic mirror. The mode emitted by the laser is determined by characteristics of the photonic mirrors, including the periodic cavity structures of the mirrors.

Abstract: A single mode high power vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) using photonic crystals. A photonic crystal is included in at least one mirror layer of a VCSEL. The reflectivity of the photonic crystal is dependent on the wavelength and incident angle of the photons. The photonic crystal can be formed such that the VCSEL lases at a single mode. Because a single mode is generated, the aperture of the VCSEL can be enlarged to increase the power that is generated by the VCSEL for that mode. The photonic crystal can be used with/without DBR layers. The photonic crystal, in one example, forms an external cavity.