Patents Examined by Yuanda Zhang
  • Patent number: 12040594
    Abstract: A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) has a shortened overall laser cavity by combining the gain section with a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR). The overall cavity length can be contracted by placing gain structures inside the DBR. This generally applies to a number of semiconductor material systems and wavelength bands, but this scheme is very well suited to the AlGaAs/GaAs material system with strained InGaAs quantum wells as a gain medium, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: Excelitas Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: Bartley C. Johnson, Mark E. Kuznetsov, Peter S. Whitney
  • Patent number: 12034273
    Abstract: An emitter may include a substrate, a conductive layer on at least a bottom surface of a trench, and a first metal layer to provide a first electrical contact of the emitter on an epitaxial side of the substrate. The first metal layer may be within the trench such that the first metal layer contacts the conductive layer within the trench. The emitter may further include a second metal layer to provide a second electrical contact of the emitter on the epitaxial side of the substrate, and an isolation implant to block lateral current flow between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: Lumentum Operations LLC
    Inventors: Eric R. Hegblom, Albert Yuen
  • Patent number: 12034268
    Abstract: Various disclosed embodiments provide illustrative interferometers, optical phase locked loops, laser systems, interferometry methods, and phase locked loop methods. In illustrative embodiments, light from a laser is split into a first arm and a second arm. Light in an arm chosen from the first arm and the second arm is time delayed. The light in the first arm is split into third, fourth, and fifth arms. The light in the second arm is split into sixth, seventh, and eighth arms. Light in the seventh and eighth arms is phase shifted relative to light in the sixth arm. Light in the third, fourth, and fifth arms is combined with light in the sixth arm and phase shifted light in the seventh and eighth arms, respectively. A frequency correction signal for the laser is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: JASR Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Tianyi Hu, Jinendra S. Ranka, Christopher S. Sexton, Brett A. Spivey, Kyle D Watson
  • Patent number: 12034275
    Abstract: A laser arrangement includes a laser array including a plurality of Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting lasers and an optical structure including a diffuser arranged to change a distribution of the laser light. The optical structure is configured to transform the laser light to transformed laser light such that an overlap of the emission cones of at least a group of the plurality of lasers is increased in field-of-view in comparison to perfectly collimated laser light diffused to a flat-top intensity profile in the field-of-view. The optical structure is arranged to redirect the laser light emitted at angles of the emission cone to the field-of-view so as to increase the overlap of the emitted laser light in the field-of-view. The optical structure is also configured to provide a slope angle ? of an intensity profile along a direction of the field-of-view that is smaller than a divergence angle of the laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: TRUMPF PHOTONIC COMPONENTS GMBH
    Inventors: Stephan Gronenborn, Holger Joachim Moench
  • Patent number: 12034274
    Abstract: A light emitting element according to the present disclosure includes a first light reflecting layer 41, a laminated structure 20, and a second light reflecting layer 42 laminated to each other. The laminated structure 20 includes a first compound semiconductor layer 21, a light emitting layer 23, and a second compound semiconductor layer 22 laminated to each other from a side of the first light reflecting layer. Light from the laminated structure 20 is emitted to an outside via the first light reflecting layer 41 or the second light reflecting layer 42. The first light reflecting layer 41 has a structure in which at least two types of thin films 41A and 41B are alternately laminated to each other in plural numbers. A film thickness modulating layer 80 is provided between the laminated structure 20 and the first light reflecting layer 41.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsushi Hamaguchi, Jugo Mitomo, Hiroshi Nakajima, Masamichi Ito, Susumu Sato
  • Patent number: 12027820
    Abstract: A surface-emitting laser includes a first reflector layer, an active layer provided on the first reflector layer, and a second reflector layer provided on the active layer. The second reflector layer includes a corner reflector that tapers in a direction opposite to the first reflector layer, and the corner reflector has a plan shape of a circle or a polygon with an even number of vertexes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Hiiro
  • Patent number: 12027821
    Abstract: A MEMS tunable VCSEL includes a membrane device having a mirror and a distal-side electrostatic cavity for displacing the mirror to increase a size of an optical cavity. A VCSEL device includes an active region for amplifying light. Then, a proximal-side electrostatic cavity is defined between the VCSEL device and the membrane device is used to displace the mirror to decrease a size of an optical cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: Excelitas Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: James W Getz, Peter S. Whitney
  • Patent number: 12015243
    Abstract: A laser diode driver circuit includes a first pair of contacts and connectors coupled to an anode of the laser diode. An inductance of each of the first pair of contacts and connectors is the same. A second pair of contacts and connectors are coupled to a cathode of the laser diode. An inductance of each of the second pair of contacts and connectors is the same. The laser diode driver circuit also includes current driving circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignees: STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT ) LIMITED, STMICROELECTRONICS (GRENOBLE 2) SAS
    Inventors: Denise Tingxi Lee, Neale Dutton, Nicolas Moeneclaey, Jerome Andriot-Ballet
  • Patent number: 12015245
    Abstract: Modification of the topology of selected regions of individual VCSEL devices during fabrication is utilized to provide an array output beam with specific characteristics (e.g., “uniform” output power across the array). These physical features include at least the width of the metal aperture, the width of the oxide aperture, and/or the geometry of the contact ring structure on the top of the VCSEL device. The modifications may also function to adjust the numerical apertures (NAs) of the devices, the beam waist, wallplug efficiency, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: II-VI Delaware, Inc.
    Inventors: Giuseppe Tandoi, Norbert Lichtenstein, Lukas Mutter, Andre Bisig
  • Patent number: 12009630
    Abstract: A system and method for safe use of an optics assembly with an external light source and an optically coupled optics module is disclosed. The system includes an external light module emitting a continuous wave laser through an output port. An optics module has an input port and a memory. The optics module generates a modulated optical signal. The memory stores the power level of the continuous wave laser signal received by the optics module. An optical jumper is provided for coupling the output port with the input port. A communication bus is coupled between a controller and the external light source module. The controller sets the external light source at a low power level and transitions the external light source to a high power level when the stored power level of the continuous wave laser signal received by the optics module exceeds a predetermined level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: QUANTA COMPUTER INC.
    Inventors: Chang-Sheng Lin, Hsiao-Hsien Weng, Zong-Syun He
  • Patent number: 11996676
    Abstract: A pulsed laser diode array driver includes an inductor having a first terminal configured to receive a source voltage, a source capacitor coupled between the first terminal of the inductor and ground, a bypass capacitor connected between a second terminal of the inductor and ground, a bypass switch connected between the second terminal of the inductor and ground, a laser diode array with one or more rows of laser diodes, and one or more laser diode switches, each being connected between a respective row node of the laser diode array and ground. The laser diode switches and the bypass switch are configured to control a current flow through the inductor to produce respective high-current pulses through each row of the laser diode array, each of the high-current pulses corresponding to a peak current of a resonant waveform developed at that row of the laser diode array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: Silanna Asia Pte Ltd
    Inventors: Joseph H. Colles, Steven E. Rosenbaum, Stuart B. Molin
  • Patent number: 11984698
    Abstract: A light emitting device includes a plurality of semiconductor laser elements, a frame part, a light-reflective member, a plurality of wires, and first and second protective elements. The frame part has a pair of first inner lateral surfaces and a second inner surface. The light-reflective member is configured to reflect laser light traveling from at least one of the plurality of semiconductor laser elements toward one of the first inner lateral surfaces of the frame part. The wires electrically connect the semiconductor laser elements respectively to an upper surface of the frame part. The first and second protective elements are disposed on the upper surface of the frame part in an area of the upper surface along the second inner surface. At least one of the wires is bonded on an area of the upper surface between the first and second protective elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Soichiro Miura, Ryota Okuno
  • Patent number: 11973315
    Abstract: An optoelectronic device includes a carrier substrate and a lower distributed Bragg-reflector (DBR) stack disposed on an area of the substrate and including alternating first layers. A set of epitaxial layers disposed over the lower DBR includes a quantum well structure. An upper DBR stack disposed over the set of epitaxial layers includes alternating second layers. Electrodes apply an excitation current to the quantum well structure. At least one of the electrodes includes a metal ring disposed at an inner side of at least one of the DBR stacks in proximity to the quantum well structure. One or more metal vias pass through the at least one of the DBR stacks so as to connect the metal ring at the inner side of the at least one of the DBR stacks to an electrical contact on an outer side of the at least one of the DBR stacks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Jae Y. Park, Arnaud Laflaquière, Christophe Vérove, Fei Tan
  • Patent number: 11967800
    Abstract: The grating layer of a surface emitting laser is divided into a first grating region and a second grating region along a horizontal direction. The second grating region is located at a middle area of the grating layer, while the first grating region is located in an outer peripheral area of the grating layer. Each of the first and second grating regions comprises a plurality of micro-grating structures. The grating period of the micro-grating structures in the first grating region is in accordance with the following mathematical formula: ? = m ? ? 2 ? n eff ; in addition, the grating period of the micro-grating structures in the second grating region is in accordance with the following mathematical formula: ? = o ? ? 2 ? n eff . Wherein ? is the length of grating period, ? is the wavelength of the laser light, neff is the equivalent refractive index of semiconductor waveguide, m=1, and o=2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: TRUELIGHT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chien Hung Pan, Cheng Zu Wu
  • Patent number: 11967803
    Abstract: A light emitting module includes: a first light emitting device including: a first package, a plurality of first semiconductor laser elements mounted in the first package, and a first lens member having lens portions, a number of the lens portion is the same as a number of the first semiconductor laser elements; and a second light emitting device including: a second package, a plurality of second semiconductor laser elements mounted in the second package, wherein a quantity of the second semiconductor laser elements is fewer than a quantity of the first semiconductor laser elements, and a second lens member which is structured the same as the first lens member; and one or more mounting substrates in which the first light emitting device and the second light emitting device are mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuma Kozuru, Takuya Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 11962127
    Abstract: External cavity laser systems are described that can operate with essentially no mode hopping. One example configuration of the laser system includes a semiconductor laser device, a folded cavity external to the semiconductor laser device, where at the semiconductor laser device is positioned at a fold in the folded cavity. In this configuration, at least one mirror is positioned in the folded cavity to enable sustained propagation of light within the folded cavity, and at least two polarization elements are positioned in the folded external cavity. The polarization elements cause a polarization state of the light that impinges in different directions on each semiconductor laser device that is positioned at a fold to be orthogonal to one another, thus eliminating or substantially reducing mode hopping in the laser output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Arizona Board of Regents on Behalf of the University of Arizona
    Inventor: Yushi Kaneda
  • Patent number: 11955776
    Abstract: Disclosed is a current-injection organic semiconductor laser diode comprising a pair of electrodes, an optical resonator structure, and one or more organic layers including a light amplification layer composed of an organic semiconductor, which has a sufficient overlap between the distribution of exciton density and the electric field intensity distribution of the resonant optical mode during current injection to emit laser light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignees: KYUSHU UNIVERSITY, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION, KOALA Tech Inc.
    Inventors: Sangarange Don Atula Sandanayaka, Fatima Bencheikh, Kenichi Goushi, Jean-Charles Ribierre, Chihaya Adachi, Takashi Fujihara, Toshinori Matsushima
  • Patent number: 11955774
    Abstract: Provided is an elliptical multi-mesa laser structure, including a substrate layer, an N-DBR, a functional layer and a P-DBR sequentially arranged from bottom to top. The substrate layer is fixedly connected with an N contact layer. The N-DBR is fixedly connected to a top of the substrate layer, and the N contact layer is arranged around the N-DBR. A space layer is inserted in the N-DBR. The functional layer is fixedly connected to a top of the N-DBR. The P-DBR is fixedly connected to a top of the functional layer, and a top of the P-DBR is fixedly connected with a P contact layer. Another space layer is inserted into the P-DBR.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: SHENZHEN TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Hui Li, Jian Feng, Chuyu Zhong, Wei Miao, Shilong Zhao, Zhao Chen
  • Patent number: 11942757
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to optical systems and methods for their manufacture. An example method includes coupling a first surface of a light-emitter substrate to a reference surface of a carrier substrate. The method also includes registering a mold structure with respect to the reference surface of the carrier substrate. Furthermore, the method includes using the mold structure to form an optical material over at least a portion of the light-emitter substrate. The optical material is shaped according to a shape of the mold structure and includes at least one registration feature. The method also includes coupling an optical lens element to the optical material such that the optical lens element is registered to the at least one registration feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Paul Karplus, Matthew Last
  • Patent number: 11929588
    Abstract: A pulsed laser diode driver includes an inductor having a first terminal configured to receive a source voltage. A source capacitor has a first terminal connected to the first terminal of the inductor to provide the source voltage. A bypass switch has a drain node connected to a second terminal of the inductor and to a first terminal of a bypass capacitor. A laser diode switch has a drain node connected to the second terminal of the inductor. A laser diode has an anode connected to a source node of the laser diode switch and a cathode connected to a bias voltage node. The laser diode switch and the bypass switch control a current flow through the inductor to produce a high-current pulse through the laser diode, the high-current pulse corresponding to a peak current of a resonant waveform developed at the anode of the laser diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Inventors: Joseph H. Colles, Steven E. Rosenbaum, Stuart B. Molin