Abstract: A laser chip having a substrate, an epitaxial structure on the substrate, the epitaxial structure including an active region and the active region generating light, a waveguide formed in the epitaxial structure extending in a first direction, the waveguide having a front etched facet and a back etched facet that define an edge-emitting laser, and a first recessed region formed in the epitaxial structure, the first recessed region being arranged at a distance from the waveguide and having an opening adjacent to the back etched facet, the first recessed region facilitating testing of an adjacent laser chip prior to singulation of the laser chip.

Abstract: A reflective surface is disclosed in conjunction with a semiconductor laser to shape a laser beam and modify a direction of the laser beam. The reflective surface may be formed on a structure disposed adjacent to a laser structure to allow high coupling of laser light to, for example, a silicon photonics chip or an optical fiber.

Abstract: Unidirectionality of lasers is enhanced by forming one or more etched gaps in the laser cavity. The gaps may be provided in any segment of a laser, such as any leg of a ring laser, or in one leg of a V-shaped laser. A Brewster angle facet at the distal end of a photonic device coupled to the laser reduces back-reflection into the laser cavity. A distributed Bragg reflector is used at the output of a laser to enhance the side-mode suppression ratio of the laser.

Abstract: A laser chip having a substrate, an epitaxial structure on the substrate, the epitaxial structure including an active region and the active region generating light, a waveguide formed in the epitaxial structure extending in a first direction, the waveguide having a front etched facet and a back etched facet that define an edge-emitting laser, and a first recessed region formed in said epitaxial structure, the first recessed region being arranged at a distance from the waveguide and having an opening adjacent to the back etched facet, the first recessed region facilitating testing of an adjacent laser chip prior to singulation of the laser chip.

Abstract: Unidirectionality of lasers is enhanced by forming one or more etched gaps (78, 80) in the laser cavity. The gaps may be provided in any segment of a laser, such as any leg of a ring laser, or in one leg (62) of a V-shaped laser (60). A Brewster angle facet at the distal end of a photonic device coupled to the laser reduces back-reflection into the laser cavity. A distributed Bragg reflector is used at the output of a laser to enhance the side-mode suppression ratio of the laser.

Abstract: Semiconductor photonic device surfaces are covered with a dielectric or a metal protective layer. The protective layer covers the entire device, including regions near facets at active regions, to prevent bare or unprotected semiconductor regions, thereby to form a very high reliability etched facet photonic device.

Abstract: Semiconductor photonic device surfaces are covered with a dielectric or a metal protective layer. The protective layer covers the entire device, including regions near facets at active regions, to prevent bare or unprotected semiconductor regions, thereby to form a very high reliability etched facet photonic device.

Abstract: Semiconductor photonic device surfaces are covered with a dielectric or a metal protective layer. The protective layer covers the entire device, including regions near facets at active regions, to prevent bare or unprotected semiconductor regions, thereby to form a very high reliability etched facet photonic device.

Abstract: Semiconductor photonic device surfaces are covered with a dielectric or a metal protective layer. The protective layer covers the entire device, including regions near facets at active regions, to prevent bare or unprotected semiconductor regions, thereby to form a very high reliability etched facet photonic device.

Abstract: Semiconductor photonic device surfaces are covered with a dielectric or a metal protective layer. The protective layer covers the entire device, including regions near facets at active regions, to prevent bare or unprotected semiconductor regions, thereby to form a very high reliability etched facet photonic device.

Abstract: Long semiconductor laser cavities are placed in relative short length chips through the use of total internal reflection (TIR) surfaces formed through etched facets. In one embodiment, a laser cavity is formed along the perimeter edges of a rectangular semiconductor chip by using three 45° angled TIR facets to connect four legs of a ridge or buried heterostructure (BH) waveguide that defines the laser cavity. In other embodiments, even more TIR facets and waveguide legs or sections are employed to make even longer laser cavities in the shape of rectangular or quadrilateral spirals. These structures are limited in the spacing of adjacent waveguide sections, which if too small, can cause undesirable coupling between the sections. However, use of notches etched between the adjacent sections have been shown to decrease this coupling effect.

Abstract: A beam control structure for semiconductor lasers that allows modification of the shape of a beam allowing, for example, higher coupling into an optical fiber. The structure may comprise one or more of a tilted patio, a staircase, a reflective roof, and a reflective sidewall.

Abstract: A laser chip having a substrate, an epitaxial structure on the substrate, the epitaxial structure including an active region and the active region generating light, a waveguide formed in the epitaxial structure extending in a first direction, the waveguide having a front etched facet and a back etched facet that define an edge-emitting laser, and a first recessed region formed in said epitaxial structure, the first recessed region being arranged at a distance from the waveguide and having an opening adjacent to the back etched facet, the first recessed region facilitating testing of an adjacent laser chip prior to singulation of the laser chip.

Abstract: A surface emitting photonic device including a substrate; and a waveguide structure on the substrate. The waveguide structure includes an active region along its longitudinal axis and the active region is for generating light. The waveguide structure also has a trench formed therein transverse to the active region and defining a first wall forming an angled facet at one end of the active region, the first wall having a normal that is at a non-parallel angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the waveguide structure. The trench also defines a second wall located opposite the first wall.

Abstract: A process for fabricating AlGaInN-based photonic devices, such as lasers, capable of emitting blue light employs etching to form device waveguides and mirrors, preferably using a temperature of over 500° C. and an ion beam in excess of 500 V in CAIBE.

Abstract: A laser and electroabsorption modulator (EAM) are monolithically integrated through an etched facet process. Epitaxial layers on a wafer include a first layer for a laser structure and a second layer for an EAM structure. Strong optical coupling between the laser and the EAM is realized by using two 45-degree turning mirrors to route light vertically from the laser waveguide to the EAM waveguide. A directional angled etch process is used to form the two angled facets.

Abstract: A process for fabricating AlGaInN-based photonic devices, such as lasers, capable of emitting blue light employs dry etching to form device waveguides and mirrors. The dry etching is preferably performed using a Chemically Assisted Ion Beam Etching (CAIBE) system.

Abstract: A method and structure for producing lasers having good optical wavefront characteristics, such as are needed for optical storage includes providing a laser wherein an output beam emerging from the laser front facet is essentially unobstructed by the edges of the semiconductor chip in order to prevent detrimental beam distortions. The semiconductor laser structure is epitaxially grown on a substrate with at least a lower cladding layer, an active layer, an upper cladding layer, and a contact layer. Dry etching through a lithographically defined mask produces a laser mesa of length lc and width bm. Another sequence of lithography and etching is used to form a ridge structure with width w on top of the mesa. The etching step also forming mirrors, or facets, on the ends of the laser waveguide structures. The length ls and width bs of the chip can be selected as convenient values equal to or longer than the waveguide length lc and mesa width bm, respectively.

Abstract: An etched-facet single lateral mode semiconductor photonic device is fabricated by depositing an anti reflective coating on the etched facet, and depositing a reflectivity modifying coating in a spatially controlled manner to modify the spatial performance of the emitted beam.

Abstract: A single-mode, etched facet distributed Bragg reflector laser includes an AlGaInAs/InP laser cavity, a front mirror stack with multiple Fabry-Perot elements, a rear DBR reflector, and a rear detector. The front mirror stack elements and the rear reflector elements include input and output etched facets, and the laser cavity is an etched ridge cavity, all formed from an epitaxial wafer by a two-step lithography and CAIBE process.