Disordered Region Patents (Class 372/46.016)
  • Patent number: 10998695
    Abstract: A semiconductor laser device includes an optical waveguide that extends toward a first end of the semiconductor laser device. The optical waveguide includes a first clad layer, an active layer, a second clad layer, and an electrode layer in this order. A reflecting surface, which has a dielectric film and a metal film in this order from the active layer, crosses the active layer at a second end of the optical waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Kawakami, Masayuki Ohta, Ryota Kawamura
  • Patent number: 9356429
    Abstract: A quantum cascade laser includes a substrate having first, second, third, and fourth regions; a stacked semiconductor layer including n-type lower and upper conductive layers, a core layer having a mesa structure, and a cladding layer; first and second buried layers disposed on side surfaces of the core layer and above the substrate; a first electrode disposed on the upper conductive layer above the first region; and a second electrode disposed on the lower conductive layer above the fourth region. The core layer is disposed on the lower conductive layer above the second region. The upper conductive layer is disposed on the first buried layer and the core layer. The cladding layer is disposed on the upper conductive layer above the second region. The substrate and the cladding layer are formed of an undoped or semi-insulating semiconductor. The first and second buried layers are formed of a semi-insulating semiconductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Jun-ichi Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 9343638
    Abstract: An electro-optic device, comprising a layer of light-carrying material; and a rib, projecting from the layer of light-carrying material, for guiding optical signals propagating through the device. The layer of light-carrying material comprises a first doped region of a first type extending into the rib, and a second doped region of a second, different type extending into the rib such that a pn junction is formed within the rib. The pn junction extends substantially parallel to at least two contiguous faces of the rib, resulting in a more efficient device. In addition, a self-aligned fabrication process can be used in order to simplify the fabrication process and increase reliability and yield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: University of Southampton
    Inventors: Frederic Gardes, David Thomson, Graham Reed
  • Patent number: 9042420
    Abstract: A device including one or more layers with lateral regions configured to facilitate the transmission of radiation through the layer and lateral regions configured to facilitate current flow through the layer is provided. The layer can comprise a short period superlattice, which includes barriers alternating with wells. In this case, the barriers can include both transparent regions, which are configured to reduce an amount of radiation that is absorbed in the layer, and higher conductive regions, which are configured to keep the voltage drop across the layer within a desired range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Sensor Electronic Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Shur, Maxim S. Shatalov, Alexander Dobrinsky, Remigijus Gaska, Jinwei Yang
  • Patent number: 9042418
    Abstract: Novel methods and systems for miniaturized lasers are described. A photonic crystal is bonded to a silicon-on-insulator wafer. The photonic crystal includes air-holes and can include a waveguide which couples the laser output to a silicon waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Seheon Kim, William Dos Santos Fegadolli, Axel Scherer
  • Patent number: 8964804
    Abstract: A modulated laser system generally includes a light emission region, a modulation region having a plurality of semiconductive layers, at least one of which includes a quantum well layer having a variable energy bandgap, and an isolation region separating the light emission region and the modulation region. The laser may be an electro-absorption modulated laser, the light emission region may include a distributed feedback laser, and the modulation region may include an electro-absorption modulator. The laser may be manufactured by forming a lower semiconductive buffer layer on a substrate, an active layer including one or more quantum well layers having the variable energy bandgap on or above the lower semiconductive buffer layer, an upper semiconductive buffer layer on or above the active layer, a contact layer on or above the upper semiconductive buffer layer, and an isolation region separating the light emission region and the modulation region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Source Photonics (Chengdu) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mark Heimbuch, Near Margalit
  • Patent number: 8879598
    Abstract: A device including one or more layers with lateral regions configured to facilitate the transmission of radiation through the layer and lateral regions configured to facilitate current flow through the layer is provided. The layer can comprise a short period superlattice, which includes barriers alternating with wells. In this case, the barriers can include both transparent regions, which are configured to reduce an amount of radiation that is absorbed in the layer, and higher conductive regions, which are configured to keep the voltage drop across the layer within a desired range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Sensor Electronic Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Shur, Maxim S. Shatalov, Alexander Dobrinsky, Remigijus Gaska, Jinwei Yang
  • Patent number: 8842707
    Abstract: A semiconductor laser element includes: a window region including a disordered portion formed by diffusion of a group-III vacancy, the diffusion promoted by providing on the window region a promoting film that absorbs a predetermined atom; a non-window region including an active layer of a quantum well structure; and a difference equal to or larger than 50 meV between an energy band gap in the window region and an energy band gap in the non-window region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidehiro Taniguchi, Hirotatsu Ishii, Takeshi Namegaya
  • Patent number: 8787418
    Abstract: A device including one or more layers with lateral regions configured to facilitate the transmission of radiation through the layer and lateral regions configured to facilitate current flow through the layer is provided. The layer can comprise a short period superlattice, which includes barriers alternating with wells. In this case, the barriers can include both transparent regions, which are configured to reduce an amount of radiation that is absorbed in the layer, and higher conductive regions, which are configured to keep the voltage drop across the layer within a desired range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Sensor Electronic Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Shur, Maxim S. Shatalov, Alexander Dobrinsky, Remigijus Gaska, Jinwei Yang
  • Patent number: 8582616
    Abstract: A separate-confinement heterostructure, edge-emitting semiconductor laser having a wide emitter width has elongated spaced apart intermixed and disordered zones extending through and alongside the emitter parallel to the emission direction of the emitter. The intermixed zones inhibit lasing of high order modes. This limits the slow axis divergence of a beam emitted by the laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas C. Hasenberg, Jason P. Watson
  • Patent number: 8472495
    Abstract: A laser device includes a substrate, a lower cladding layer on the substrate, an active layer on the lower cladding layer and having a disordered portion spaced from an end face of a resonator of the laser device, an upper cladding layer located on the active layer, and a diffraction grating located in a portion of a layer lying above or below the active layer, with respect to the substrate. The disordered portion intersects a boundary between a diffraction grating section, in which the diffraction grating is located, and a bulk section, in which no diffraction grating is located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Motoda
  • Patent number: 8451874
    Abstract: A very large mode (VLM) slab-coupled optical waveguide laser (SCOWL) is provided that includes an upper waveguide region as part of the waveguide for guiding the laser mode. The upper waveguide region is positioned in the interior regions of the VLM SCOWL. A lower waveguide region also is part of the waveguide that guides the laser mode. The lower waveguide region is positioned in an area underneath the upper waveguide region. An active region is positioned between the upper waveguide region and the lower waveguide region. The active region is arranged so etching into the VLM SCOWL is permitted to define one or more ridge structures leaving the active region unetched. One or more mode control barrier layers are positioned between said upper waveguide region and said lower waveguide region. The one or more mode control barrier layers control the fundamental mode profile and prevent mode collapse of the laser mode. The mode control barrier layers also block carrier leakage from the active region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Robin K. Huang, Joseph P. Donnelly
  • Patent number: 8451877
    Abstract: Tailored doping of barrier layers enables balancing of the radiative recombination among the multiple-quantum-wells in III-Nitride light-emitting diodes. This tailored doping enables more symmetric carrier transport and uniform carrier distribution which help to reduce electron leakage and thus reduce the efficiency droop in high-power III-Nitride LEDs. Mitigation of the efficiency droop in III-Nitride LEDs may enable the pervasive market penetration of solid-state-lighting technologies in high-power lighting and illumination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Mary Crawford, Daniel Koleske, Jaehee Cho, Di Zhu, Ahmed Noemaun, Martin F. Schubert, E. Fred Schubert
  • Patent number: 8385379
    Abstract: A semiconductor device of the invention is formed so that n-type InP current blocking layers enter the inside of p-type InP cladding layers, i.e., the n-type current blocking layers ride over the upper part of the p-type InP cladding layers, so that a distance between the n-type InP current block layers composing a current blocking region is narrower than a width of the p-type cladding layers contacting with the n-type InP current blocking layers. Thereby, the semiconductor device whose leak current in the current blocking region may be reduced which permits high-output and high-temperature operations may be readily fabricated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Junji Yoshida, Naoki Tsukiji, Hidehiro Taniguchi, Satoshi Irino, Hirokazu Itoh, Harunobu Ikeda, Masako Kobayakawa, Akihiko Kasukawa
  • Patent number: 8363688
    Abstract: An edge emitting semiconductor laser includes a semiconductor body having a wave guide area. The wave guide area comprises a lower cover layer, a lower wave guide layer, an active layer for generating laser radiation, an upper wave guide layer and an upper cover layer. The wave guide area also includes at least one structured laser radiation scattering area in which a lateral base laser radiation mode experiences less scattering losses than the radiation of higher laser modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignees: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Angewandten Forschung E. V., OSRAM Opto Semiconductors GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Christoph Eckstein, Uwe D. Zeitner, Wolfgang Schmid
  • Patent number: 8363687
    Abstract: A Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) capable of providing high output of fundamental transverse mode while preventing oscillation of high-order transverse mode is provided. The VCSEL includes a semiconductor layer including an active layer and a current confinement layer, and a transverse mode adjustment section formed on the semiconductor layer. The current confinement layer has a current injection region and a current confinement region. The transverse mode adjustment section has a high reflectance area and a low reflectance area. The high reflectance area is formed in a region including a first opposed region opposing to a center point of the current injection region. A center point of the high reflectance area is arranged in a region different from the first opposed region. The low reflectance area is formed in a region where the high reflectance area is not formed, in an opposed region opposing to the current injection region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Osamu Maeda, Masaki Shiozaki, Takahiro Arakida
  • Patent number: 8258048
    Abstract: A semiconductor laser device capable of reducing the threshold current and improving luminous efficiency and a method of fabricating the same are obtained. This semiconductor laser device comprises a semiconductor substrate having a principal surface and a semiconductor element layer, formed on the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate, having a principal surface substantially inclined with respect to the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate and including an emission layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Yamaguchi, Masayuki Hata, Takashi Kano, Masayuki Shono, Hiroki Ohbo, Yasuhiko Nomura, Hiroaki Izu
  • Patent number: 7995634
    Abstract: A nitride semiconductor laser element exhibits high-speed responsiveness by largely reducing the capacitance of the nitride semiconductor laser element. The nitride semiconductor laser element includes an n-type semiconductor layer, an active layer and a p-type semiconductor layer each laminated on the main surface of the substrate. The nitride semiconductor laser element further includes a striped ridge portion formed in the p-type semiconductor layer, and pn-junctions of the semiconductor layer in the peripheral region remote from the ridge portion are broken by ion implantation to form an insulative region for reducing the capacitance of the element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Nichia Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Kitano, Ken Katsuragi, Hiroaki Matsumura
  • Publication number: 20100278204
    Abstract: A separate-confinement heterostructure, edge-emitting semiconductor laser having a wide emitter width has elongated spaced apart intermixed and disordered zones extending through and alongside the emitter parallel to the emission direction of the emitter. The intermixed zones inhibit lasing of high order modes. This limits the slow axis divergence of a beam emitted by the laser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2010
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Applicant: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas C. Hasenberg, Jason P. Watson
  • Patent number: 7787509
    Abstract: In a constitution where a first clad layer is formed on a semiconductor substrate, an active layer having the strained multiple quantum well structure is formed on the first clad layer, and a second clad layer is formed on the active layer, the sum of products of strain amounts and film thickness in the active layer is set to a negative value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tsutomu Ukai, Masaya Mannoh
  • Patent number: 7782920
    Abstract: A separate-confinement heterostructure, edge-emitting semiconductor laser having a wide emitter width has elongated spaced apart intermixed and disordered zones extending through and alongside the emitter parallel to the emission direction of the emitter. The intermixed zones inhibit lasing of high order modes. This limits the slow axis divergence of a beam emitted by the laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas C. Hasenberg, Jason P. Watson
  • Patent number: 7782918
    Abstract: Provided are a laser apparatus into which a large current can be injected and a production method which enables easy production of the apparatus. A laser apparatus includes a light-emitting region on a substrate, and a periodic refractive index structure containing an i-type material provided at a periphery of the light-emitting region. Another laser apparatus includes a light-emitting region between a first electrode and a second electrode on a substrate, wherein at least one of the first and the second electrodes includes a periodic refractive index structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Tamamori, Shinan Wang
  • Patent number: 7769067
    Abstract: A vertical cavity surface emitting laser device includes a first reflective mirror layer, a second reflective mirror layer, and an active layer disposed therebetween, wherein at least one of the first reflective mirror layer and the second reflective mirror layer includes a periodic-refractive-index structure in which the refractive index periodically changes in the in-plane direction and a part of the periodic-refractive-index structure includes a plurality of parts that disorder the periodicity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichiro Hori, Mamoru Uchida, Kobei Okamoto, Yasuhiro Nagatomo
  • Patent number: 7646797
    Abstract: Current channels, blocking areas, or strips in a semiconductor laser are used to channel injected current into the antinodal region of the optical standing wave present in the optical cavity, while restricting the current flow to the nodal regions. Previous devices injected current into both the nodal and antinodal regions of the wave, which is fed by the population inversion created in the active region by the injected electrons and holes, but inversion created in the nodal regions is lost to fluorescence or supports the creation of undesirable competing longitudinal modes, causing inefficiency. Directing current to the antinodal regions where the electric field is at its maximum causes a selected longitudinal mode to preferentially oscillate regardless of where the longitudinal mode lies with respect to the gain curve. In one embodiment, exacting fabrication of the Fabry-Perot cavity correlates the current channels to antinodal regions, vis-a vis current blocking areas, strips or segmented layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Robert C. Hoffman
  • Patent number: 7633987
    Abstract: A semiconductor laser device includes a first semiconductor laser element and a second semiconductor laser element. The first semiconductor laser element has a first end face window structure that is a region including first impurities formed near an end face, and the second semiconductor laser element has a second end face window structure that is a region including second impurities formed near an end face. The distance from a lower end of a first active layer to a lower end of the first end face window structure is shorter than the distance from a lower end of a second active layer to a lower end of the second end face window structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Kashima, Kouji Makita, Kenji Yoshikawa
  • Publication number: 20090262772
    Abstract: A semiconductor laser device capable of reducing the threshold current and improving luminous efficiency and a method of fabricating the same are obtained. This semiconductor laser device comprises a semiconductor substrate having a principal surface and a semiconductor element layer, formed on the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate, having a principal surface substantially inclined with respect to the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate and including an emission layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Publication date: October 22, 2009
    Applicant: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Yamaguchi, Masayuki Hata, Takashi Kano, Masayuki Shono, Hiroki Ohbo, Yasuhiko Nomura, Hiroaki Izu
  • Patent number: 7567605
    Abstract: A semiconductor laser device capable of reducing the threshold current and improving luminous efficiency and a method of fabricating the same are obtained. This semiconductor laser device comprises a semiconductor substrate having a principal surface and a semiconductor element layer, formed on the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate, having a principal surface substantially inclined with respect to the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate and including an emission layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Yamaguchi, Masayuki Hata, Takashi Kano, Masayuki Shono, Hiroki Ohbo, Yasuhiko Nomura, Hiroaki Izu
  • Publication number: 20090154516
    Abstract: A method of forming a buried aperture in a nitride light emitting device is described. The method involves forming an aperture layer, typically an amorphous or polycrystalline material over an active layer that includes a nitride material. The aperture layer material typically also includes nitride. The aperture layer is etched to create an aperture which is then filled with a conducting material by epitaxial regrowth. The amorphous layer is crystallized forming an electrically resistive material during or before regrowth. The conducting aperture in the electrically resistive material is well suited for directing current into a light emitting region of the active layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Applicant: PALO ALTO RESEARCH CENTER INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Christopher L. Chua, Zhihong Yang
  • Patent number: 7539230
    Abstract: A semiconductor laser device includes a red-light-emission portion and an infrared-light-emission portion on a single substrate. The red-light-emission portion has a structure in which an AlGaInP-based active layer is sandwiched by a first cladding layer of a first conductivity type having a striped portion and a second cladding layer of a second conductivity type. The infrared-light-emission portion has a structure in which an AlGaAs-based active layer is sandwiched by a third cladding layer of the first conductivity type having a striped portion and a fourth cladding layer of the second conductivity type. The first, second, third, and fourth cladding layers are all made of an AlGaInP-based material. When in these layers, the Al:Ga contents are represented by X1:1-X1, X2:1-X2, X3:1-X3, and X4:1-X4, respectively, X1?X2 and X3?X4 are satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Takayama, Tomoya Satoh, Koichi Hayakawa, Isao Kidoguchi
  • Patent number: 7539229
    Abstract: Embodiments provide a vertical external cavity surface emitting laser (VECSEL) that may provide a uniform current density in an active layer using a double current injecting channel. The surface emitting laser device may include a double channel current injection structure for uniformly applying current to an active layer, wherein the double channel current injection structure may include: a first current injection channel, which may allow current to be injected toward a central portion of an aperture, which may be a light beam output region formed in the active layer, and may have a smaller diameter than the aperture: and a second current injection channel, which may allow current to be injected toward an edge of the aperture and may be located around the aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Taek Kim, Ki-sung Kim
  • Patent number: 7483466
    Abstract: A vertical cavity surface emitting laser device includes a first reflective mirror layer, a second reflective mirror layer, and an active layer disposed therebetween, wherein at least one of the first reflective mirror layer and the second reflective mirror layer includes a periodic-refractive-index structure in which the refractive index periodically changes in the in-plane direction and a part of the periodic-refractive-index structure includes a plurality of parts that disorder the periodicity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tatsuro Uchida, Yuichiro Hori, Mamoru Uchida, Kohei Okamoto, Yasuhiro Nagatomo
  • Patent number: 7477668
    Abstract: Provided are a laser apparatus into which a large current can be injected and a production method which enables easy production of the apparatus. A laser apparatus includes a light-emitting region on a substrate, and a periodic refractive index structure containing an i-type material provided at a periphery of the light-emitting region. Another laser apparatus includes a light-emitting region between a first electrode and a second electrode on a substrate, wherein at least one of the first and the second electrodes includes a periodic refractive index structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Tamamori, Shinan Wang
  • Patent number: 7197055
    Abstract: In a semiconductor laser 1, a current blocking layer 19 covers a p-type 2nd cladding layer 17 and a p-type cap layer 18 that extend in a lengthwise direction of an optical resonator, at both a light-emission end and an end opposite the light-emission end, to thus form non-current injection regions in an optical waveguide. By making current blocking layer 19 at the light-emission end large enough that carriers flowing from a current injection region do not reach the light-emission end surface, the light intensity distribution in the near field at the light-emission end surface is strongly concentrated, allowing the horizontal divergence angle of an emerging laser beam to be enlarged. This structure makes it possible to enlarge the horizontal divergence angle independently after having optimized the thickness of cladding layers and the size of the current injection region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuo Ueda, Masahiro Kume, Toshiya Kawata, Isao Kidoguchi
  • Publication number: 20070019698
    Abstract: A semiconductor laser device includes: a first light emitting device, the first light emitting device including a first first-conductive-type cladding layer, a first active layer having a first window region in the vicinity of a light emitting edge surface and a first second-conductive-type cladding layer stacked in this order on a substrate; and a second light emitting device, the second light emitting device including a second first-conductive-type cladding layer, a second active layer having a second window region in the vicinity of a light emitting edge surface and a second second-conductive-type cladding layer stacked in this order on the substrate. In the semiconductor laser device, respective lattice constants of the first second-conductive-type and second second-conductive-type cladding layers are adjusted to compensate for a difference in diffusion rate of an impurity between the first window region in the first active layer and the second window region in the second active layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2006
    Publication date: January 25, 2007
    Inventors: Toshiya Fukuhisa, Masaya Mannoh, Hidetoshi Furukawa
  • Patent number: 7139300
    Abstract: A wide-stripe diode-laser includes a lower cladding region, a lower waveguide region, an active region, an upper waveguide region, and an upper cladding region all comprising semiconductor layers epitaxially grown on a semiconductor substrate. An elongated rectangular electrode on the upper cladding layer defines a stripe or pumped section. Adjacent the electrode is an unpumped section in which at least the quantum-well layer has been treated to cause the active region to be disordered. In this unpumped section, at least one area of the area is etched to a depth equal to or less than the thickness of the cladding region. The etched area provides a diverging lens effect in the waveguide region. The diverging lens effect expands the fundamental mode of the laser in the stripe to a width sufficient to improve single mode performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Serguei G. Anikitchev, Andrea Caprara
  • Publication number: 20060245459
    Abstract: A semiconductor laser device includes: an active layer formed on a substrate and including an AlGaAs layer; and an upper spacer layer formed at least one of above and below the active layer and including AlaGabIn1-a-bP (where 0?a?1, 0?b?1, and 0?a+b?1). The upper spacer layer has a composition enough to serve as a barrier layer against electrons injected into the active layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2006
    Publication date: November 2, 2006
    Inventors: Toshikazu Onishi, Kazutoshi Onozawa, Tetsuzo Ueda
  • Publication number: 20060222036
    Abstract: A semiconductor laser device capable of reducing the threshold current and improving luminous efficiency and a method of fabricating the same are obtained. This semiconductor laser device comprises a semiconductor substrate having a principal surface and a semiconductor element layer, formed on the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate, having a principal surface substantially inclined with respect to the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate and including an emission layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Publication date: October 5, 2006
    Inventors: Tsutomu Yamaguchi, Masayuki Hata, Takashi Kano, Masayuki Shono, Hiroki Ohbo, Yasuhiko Nomura, Hiroaki Izu
  • Publication number: 20060165143
    Abstract: In the fields of semiconductor laser devices made of nitride semiconductor layers, the present invention provides a semiconductor laser device having higher output and longer lifetime characteristics and a manufacturing method thereof. The semiconductor laser device according to the present invention includes a resonator that has: the first cladding layer which is made of n-type GaN or n-type AlGaN; an active layer which is made of an AlGaInN multiple quantum well and positioned above the first cladding layer; the second cladding layer which is made of p-type or undoped GaN, or p-type or undoped AlGaN and positioned above the active layer; and the third cladding layer which is made of p-type GaN or p-type AlGaN and positioned above the second cladding layer. The resonator also has an ion implanted part at an end part of the resonator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2006
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Ohno
  • Patent number: 7039084
    Abstract: A semiconductor laser with a window structure which can emit a light beam with a non-deviated outgoing angle. The semiconductor laser emits a light beam generated at an active layer via a window section. The window section includes a first semiconductor layer having a first carrier concentration and a second semiconductor layer on the first semiconductor layer as an extension of the active layer and which has a second carrier concentration lower than the first carrier concentration. The window section further includes a third semiconductor layer having a third carrier concentration. According to the third layer, a refractive index distribution of the light beam at the window section is symmetrical in the laminating direction, with the extension of the active layer as a center. Because the beam is uniformly propagated, the beam can be emitted without being deviated in the laminating direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuichiro Okunuki
  • Patent number: 7037743
    Abstract: A semiconductor laser device is provided that includes a first conductivity type semiconductor substrate, a first conductivity type cladding layer provided on the semiconductor substrate and an active layer provided on the cladding layer. The active layer has a super-lattice structure including a disordered region in a vicinity of a cavity end face. A first cladding layer of a second conductivity type is provided on the active layer, an etching stop layer of the second conductivity type is provided on the first cladding layer and a second cladding layer of the second conductivity type is provided on the etching stop layer. The second cladding layer forms a ridge structure that extends along a cavity length direction. An impurity concentration in the etching stop layer in the vicinity of the cavity end face is equal to or smaller than about 2×1018 cm?3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshikazu Onishi, Hideto Adachi, Masaya Mannou, Akira Takamori
  • Patent number: 7027474
    Abstract: The laser semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a first clad layer of a first conductivity type, an active layer, a second clad layer of a second conductivity type, and a protective layer of the second conductivity type, and peak wavelength of photo luminescence of an active layer (window region) in a region near an end surface of a laser resonator is smaller than peak wavelength of photo luminescence of the active layer (active region) in an inner region of the laser resonator. In the active layer in the region near the end surface of the laser resonator, first impurity atoms of a second conductivity and second impurity atoms of the second conductivity exist mixedly, with the concentration of the first impurity atoms being higher than that of the second impurity atoms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nobuhiro Ohkubo
  • Publication number: 20050232325
    Abstract: In a semiconductor laser 1, a current blocking layer 19 covers a p-type 2nd cladding layer 17 and a p-type cap layer 18 that extend in a lengthwise direction of an optical resonator, at both a light-emission end and an end opposite the light-emission end, to thus form non-current injection regions in an optical waveguide. By making current blocking layer 19 at the light-emission end large enough that carriers flowing from a current injection region do not reach the light-emission end surface, the light intensity distribution in the near field at the light-emission end surface is strongly concentrated, allowing the horizontal divergence angle of an emerging laser beam to be enlarged. This structure makes it possible to enlarge the horizontal divergence angle independently after having optimized the thickness of cladding layers and the size of the current injection region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2005
    Publication date: October 20, 2005
    Inventors: Tetsuo Ueda, Masahiro Kume, Toshiya Kawata, Isao Kidoguchi