Abstract: A blower assembly for circulating gases in a laser chamber. The blower assembly includes a driving assembly operatively engaged to a drive side shaft for rotating a fan assembly. A first bearing assembly supports the drive side shaft. The blower assembly may further include an idle side shaft for supporting the fan assembly and a second bearing assembly circumscribing the idle side shaft. The driving assembly includes a motor disposed over a rotor. The fan assembly includes a pair of hubs supporting a plurality of blades. The first and second bearing assemblies comprise a ceramic compound, such as silicon nitride (Si3N4), and are lubricated with a synthetic oil, such as perfluoropolyalkylether (PFPE).

Abstract: The present invention provides a highly compact vertical cavity surface emitting laser structure formed by a lateral oxidation process. Specifically, the present invention allows for the use of well-controlled oxidized regions to bound and to define the aperture of a laser structure in a current controlling oxidation layer, wherein the aperture comprises a conductive region in the oxidation layer. These oxidized regions are formed by the use of a pre-defined bounding pattern of cavities etched in the laser structure, which allow the embedded oxidation layer to be oxidized.

Abstract: An EL element and a laser luminescent element are capable of emitting ultraviolet rays with high wavelength purity. The ultraviolet electroluminescent element includes a thin film made from one of a polymer and an oligomer in which the elements, selected from Si, Ge, Sn, and Pb, and directly bonded. The elements selected may be the same as or different from each other. The film is disposed between two electrodes. At least one of the electrodes is transparent. The laser luminescent element includes a thin film made from one of a polymer and an oligomer in which the elements selected from Si, Ge, Sn, and Pb, are directly bonded, and is disposed between two electrodes. The elements may be the same as or different from each other.

Abstract: Athermalized optical waveguide devices and methods of making the athermalized devices are described. Boron is incorporated into the composition of the optical waveguides in order to athermalize the waveguides by reducing spectral shifts caused by changes in temperature. The invention includes the utilization of boron dopants in the core and cladding of optical waveguide devices such as Mach-Zehnder coupler devices and long period fiber gratings.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and method of forming a current block layer structure includes the steps of providing dielectric stripe masks defining at least a stripe-shaped opening on a surface of a compound semiconductor region having a hexagonal crystal structure, and selectively growing at least a current block layer of a compound semiconductor having the hexagonal crystal structure on the surface of the compound semiconductor region by use of the dielectric stripe masks.

Abstract: A two-dimensional matrix of complex coupled (gain or loss coupled) semiconductor DFB lasers is disclosed. The matrix includes several parallel branches of series lasers, each series having a plurality of lasers which are grown on the same wafer. The parallel branches are combined at either one end or both ends with either an integrated on-chip optical combiner or an external coupler to obtain a single optical output port. Each laser in the series comprises a multiple quantum well active region and a complex coupled grating having corrugations along a cavity length direction formed by periodic etching grooves through either the active region or the lossy QW region. The depth of etching is defined so as to provide a substantial insensitivity of each laser to the external feedback and random facet variations and to thereby ensure no substantial interaction between lasers in the series.

Abstract: A laser diode for digital versatile disks or other purposes and its fabricating method are disclosed. The fabrication does not require any regrowth steps during the MOCVD process or the formation of nitride or oxide to serve as dielectrics, thus significantly simplifying the fabrication process. Further, the laser diode can operate with a relatively low threshold current due to its excellent current confinement. The laser diode for digital versatile disk is made of AlGaInP alloy, in which a layer of AlxGa1-xAs, where x>0.8, is formed between the AlGaInP cladding layers. The layer of AlxGa1-xAs is then oxidized in a hot vapor atmosphere to form AlOx that has at least one opening formed thereon. The AlOx layer serves as a current confinement layer and can provide excellent current confinement. The AlOx layer can also serve as a dielectric layer in the ridge structure.

Abstract: An index optical waveguide semiconductor laser is formed by a lower clad layer, a lower optical waveguide layer, an active layer, an upper optical waveguide layer and an upper clad layer superposed one on another in this order on a GaAs substrate. Each of the upper and lower clad layers and the upper and lower optical waveguide layers is of a composition which matches with the GaAs substrate in lattice. The upper optical waveguide layer is formed by an Inx2(Alz2Ga1−z2)1−x2As1−y2Py2 (1≧y2≧0.8) optical waveguide layer and a Ga1−z1Alz1As optical waveguide layer formed on the upper surface of the Inx2(Alz2Ga1−z2)1−x2As1−y2Py2 optical waveguide layer.

Abstract: A Vertical Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser (VCSEL) assembly in which the polarization is locked to a specified direction that is the same for all VCSELs. A VCSEL according to the present invention includes a VCSEL having a top mirror region, a bottom mirror region, a light generation region between the top and bottom mirror regions, a conducting substrate and a bottom electrode. The bottom mirror region is sandwiched between the conducting substrate and the light generation region, and the conducting substrate is sandwiched between the bottom electrode and the bottom mirror region. The assembly also includes a mounting substrate having top and bottom surfaces, the VCSEL being mechanically coupled to the mounting substrate. The mounting substrate includes a means for defining a first axis. The assembly includes a means for causing the mounting substrate to flex about the first axis thereby inducing a strain in the light generation region which locks the polarization into a mode determined by the first axis.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser device with reduced threshold current and power consumption. Reflectivity Rr at a rear face of an optical cavity of the laser is set as large as possible. A monitor photodiode used for controlling an output form the laser is provided on a mount at a position to detect the main laser beam emitted from the front face of the optical cavity.

Abstract: An annular metal layer is provided between a conductive oxide layer and a dielectric mirror in a vertical cavity surface emitting laser. The annular metal layer defines the output window for the laser cavity which matches the TEM00 fundamental mode of the light beam emitted by the active region of the VCSEL. The metal layer outside the output window provides modal reflectivity discrimination against high order transverse modes of the light beam emitted by the active region of the VCSEL.

Abstract: In a semiconductor laser including an active layer and a buried layer for absorbing laser light emitted from the active layer, an oscillation wavelength of the laser light is in a 650 nm band, an oscillation mode is a single transverse mode, and a peak of a light intensity distribution of the laser light is placed on the side opposite to the buried layer with respect to the center of the active layer.

Abstract: A Group III-V semiconductor optoelectronic device provides for visible wavelength light output having a more laterally uniform, high power beam profile, albeit still quasi-Gaussian. A number of factors contribute to the enhanced profile including an improvement in reducing band offset of the Group III-V deposited layers improving carrier density through a decrease in the voltage drop require to generate carrier flow; reduction of contaminants in the growth of Group III-V AlGaInP-containing layers with compositional Al, providing for quality material necessary to achieve operation at the desired visible wavelengths; the formation of an optical resonator cavity that provides, in part, weak waveguiding of the propagating light; and the utilization of a mechanism to provide for beam spreading and filing in a beam diverging gain section prior to actively aggressive gain pumping of the propagating light in the device.

Abstract: A laser assembly including a silicon base and method are provided for assembling lasers on a platform in a reliable, low cost process that is suitable for high volume production. The platform can be a monolithic silicon base which has high thermal conductivity, a low coefficient of thermal expansion, and whose features can be formed with close tolerances in a low cost, reliable manner. Materials with similar coefficients of thermal expansion are used in order to maintain alignment during unexpected heating and cooling. Furthermore, a method is described that substantially eliminates the need for adhesives to bond laser components to a platform. The resultant laser can be very robust, stable, and can provide reliable operation over extended time periods.

Abstract: Multi-layer, semiconductor devices are configured to reduce stress by the removal of much of the structure which does not actually contribute to device performance. In one embodiment, trough between mesas which define light emitting facets in a laser diode bar are etched well into the substrate to remove all layers of different compositions there. In another embodiment, troughs are also etched in the backside of the substrate of a laser diode structure where the troughs are aligned along axes perpendicular to the axes of the mesas. The removal of stress permits more accurate alignment of the multiple facets along a single axis when the laser bar is bonded to a heat sink. The accurate alignment minimizes the placement constraints on the position of a microlens for achieving maximum power output and coupling efficiency for optical fibers coupled to the microlens.

Abstract: A fiber optic cable includes an end section in the form of a ribbon and a central section in which the sheath has a substantially tubular form. Applications include fiber optic cable connectors and spare lengths of fiber optic cable for jointing cassettes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a semiconductor laser diode comprising a GaAs substrate and at least a first conduction-type clad layer, an active layer containing In, Ga and As as component elements, a second conduction-type first clad layer, a current block layer and a second conduction-type second clad layer which are deposited on the substrate in order, wherein a current injection region is formed by said current block layer and said second conduction-type second clad layer, the effective refractive index step &Dgr;neff in the horizontal direction is from 2.5×10−3 to 5.0×10−3 at the emission wavelength, and the width W of the current injection region is from 1.5 to 2.5 &mgr;m. The semiconductor laser diode of the present invention is suited for uses where high output and long life-time are required, such as excitation light source for optical fiber amplifiers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for fabricating extremely robust opto-electronic devices on a monolithic support structure is provided. Incorporated into the support structure are registration structures that are used to quickly and accurately align the various components associated with the device, typically eliminating the need for manual component alignment. The registration structures are fabricated using conventional lithographic techniques, offering alignment accuracy of a micrometer or less. Utilizing the registration structures, a gain module is fabricated that is comprised of at least a pump laser, an optical element, and a solid state gain medium. The pump laser is preferably a semiconductor diode laser that pumps the edge of the gain medium, thus eliminating many of the difficulties that arise from end pumping the medium.

Abstract: A monolithic laser structure has an infrared laser structure side by side with a red laser structure. The infrared and red laser structures share the same substrate and have the same material for the cladding layers and for the cap and barrier reduction layers. The red and infrared laser structures can have native oxide confined or metal confined ridge waveguides.

Abstract: An optical amplifier pumping system with built-in redundant reliability for lightwave communication system provides plural levels of redundancy. A first level of redundancy deals with redundancy in the form of plural primary laser diode sources in the lightwave communication system. A second level of redundancy deals with redundancy of multiple single mode laser emitters on the same chip or bar sufficiently segmented so as not to interfere with operation of or cause failure to adjacent or neighboring emitters on the same chip or bar. A third level of redundancy deals with redundancy of a plurality of fiber pump sources for pumping a plurality of serially connected injection signal fiber amplifiers.