Abstract: A branched optical isolator includes, located over a substrate, at least two branches connected to a trunk at a junction location. At least one branch comprises an optical absorber material and at least one branch comprises an optical transmitter material. The optical isolator may be incorporated into an optical chip carrier such that: (1) an optical emitting portion of an optical chip integral to or attached to the optical chip carrier; and (2) a connection to the optical isolator, are butt connected with a gap less than 10 nanometers, and otherwise materials matched. The optical isolator provides for attenuated backscattered optical radiation into the optical chip.

Abstract: Methods and systems for a combination of up converters and semiconductor light sources in low voltage display or indicator system that can be battery powered. The display or indicator system includes one or more spatial light modulators and one or more up converters in combination with one or more semiconductor light sources. The spatial light modulator can be a liquid crystal display or a micro electro mechanical system or other spatial light modulator and can use direct modulation of the semiconductor light sources to modulate the visible emission from the up converters. The spatial light modulator can be placed between the up converting light source and the viewer or behind the up converting light source depending on the type of spatial light modulator, or modulation may be applied directly to one or more semiconductor light sources or arrays of semiconductor light sources that excite the up converters.

Abstract: A vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser comprises one or more semiconductor epitaxial phase-shifting mesa layers that are adapted to provide optical mode confinement, and that are further embedded between semiconductor epitaxial materials with a conductivity type that is substantially the same as the phase-shifting mesa layers. The laser further includes reverse-biased p-n junction materials adjacent to the epitaxial phase-shifting mesa layers that laterally confine electrically injected current to the phase-shifting mesa layers through formation of resistive material outside the phase-shifting mesa layers.

Abstract: A Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) includes an intracavity epitaxial layer configured to include a shallow mesa that alters the optical mode of the vertical cavity to laterally confine the optical mode in an otherwise planar epitaxial cavity. The VCSEL has optical confinement and current confinement within nearly the same active area and thus can operate with low threshold current, high efficiency, or high speed. In some embodiments, a mode confining region (i.e., mesa) is defined using a lithography process. This lithographic process eliminates external process variations such as material composition or thickness variation from influencing the mode confining region's size. The result is a highly uniform structure across a semiconductor wafer and from wafer to wafer. In some embodiments, the optical confinement and current confinement regions are self-aligned because the same manufacturing steps are used to form both.

Abstract: A layered structure is disclosed which includes a stack of alternating active regions and confining layers arranged so that each active region is sandwiched between confining layers. Each active region preferably includes one or more quantum well layers disposed between barrier layers. Carrier injection means are provided for injecting carriers into the layered structure to cause phase locked light emission from the active regions. In this manner, an output laser beam can be obtained that has substantially improved far field divergence as compared, for example, to a beam emanating from a single active region.