Abstract: A monolithic long-wavelength vertical optical cavity device built up along a vertical direction. The device, when designed as a surface emitting laser, has a bottom Distributed Bragg Reflector (DBR), an active region consisting of active bulk medium or quantum wells, a current confinement layer next to the active layer, and a top DBR. The bottom DBR and the active region are lattice matched to the lattice defining material, while the top DBR is lattice relaxed. The design achieves high reflectivity, low absorption and diffraction loss. The design also ensures low production cost due to low precision requirement and wafer size production. The device can be used as a light detector when the active region is replaced by a spacer or a optical filter.

Abstract: A monitoring and control assembly for an optical system includes a tunable laser. The laser generates a divergent output beam along an optical axis. A first photodetector is provided. A wavelength selective filter is tilted at an angle relative to the optical axis that provides an angular dependence of a wavelength reflection of the wavelength selective filter and directs the reflected output beam towards the first photodetector.

Abstract: The present invention provides multiple-wavelength vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (“MW-VCSEL”) arrays. These arrays are fabricated in a molecular beam epitaxy system or the like using two patterned-substrate growth techniques. The growth techniques can be used with an in-situ laser reflectometry. In one embodiment, a temperature dependent growth rate to create the devices is provided. In an alternative aspect, uniform growth is performed followed by a temperature-dependent desorption technique. These techniques provided desired wavelength span and desired characteristics.

Abstract: A monolithic long-wavelength vertical optical cavity device built up along a vertical direction. The device, when designed as a surface emitting laser, has a bottom Distributed Bragg Reflector (DBR), an active region consisting of active bulk medium or quantum wells, a current confinement layer next to the active layer, and a top DBR. The bottom DBR and the active region are lattice matched to the lattice defining material, while the top DBR is lattice relaxed. The design achieves high reflectivity, low absorption and diffraction loss. The design also ensures low production cost due to low precision requirement and wafer size production. The device can be used as a light detector when the active region is replaced by a spacer or a optical filter.

Abstract: A monolithic vertical optical cavity device built up along a vertical direction. The device has a bottom Distributed Bragg Reflector (DBR), a Quantum Well (QW) region consisting of least one active layer grown on top of the bottom DBR by using a Selective Area Epitaxy (SAE) mask such that the active layer or layers exhibit a variation in at least one physical parameter in a horizontal plane perpendicular to the vertical direction and a top DBR deposited on top of the QW region. A spacer is deposited with or without SAE adjacent the QW region. The device has a variable Fabry-Perot distance defined along the vertical direction between the bottom DBR and the top DBR and a variable physical parameter of the active layer. The varying physical parameter of the active layers is either their surface curvature and/or the band gap and both of these parameters are regulated by SAE. The monolithic vertical cavity device can be used as a Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) or a Vertical Cavity Detector (VCDET).