With Vertical Output (surface Emission) Patents (Class 372/50.124)
  • Patent number: 7672353
    Abstract: A semiconductor laser device has an optically pumped, surface-emitting vertical emitter with a radiation-generating vertical emitter zone comprising a layer containing an organic material and a monolithically integrated pump radiation source for the optical pumping of the vertical emitter. The pump radiation source is designed to emit pump radiation in a main radiation direction transverse to the main radiation direction of the vertical emitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH
    Inventor: Marc Philippens
  • Publication number: 20100046571
    Abstract: A surface emitting laser device can further improve the light emission efficiency thereof to enlarge the degree of freedom of the device. The surface emitting laser device includes an active layer 103, a photonic crystal layer disposed to be adjacent to the active layer, an electrode 108 disposed on the photonic crystal layer, and a plurality of light emitting regions regulated by the electrode. The photonic crystal layer is configured to include a first photonic crystal region 104 disposed just under the electrode, and having a periodic refractive index structure for resonance of light within a plane, and a second photonic crystal region 105 disposed just under the light emitting region, and having a periodic refractive index structure for emitting light in a direction perpendicular to the plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuichiro Hori
  • Publication number: 20100046565
    Abstract: A vertical cavity surface emitting laser includes a layer-stack structure including, on a substrate, a transverse-mode adjustment layer, a first multilayer reflecting mirror, an active layer having a light emission region, and a second multilayer reflecting mirror in order from the substrate side, and including a current confinement layer in which a current injection region is formed in a region corresponding to the light emission region in the first multilayer reflecting mirror, between the first multilayer reflecting mirror and the active layer, between the active layer and the second multilayer reflecting mirror, or in the second multilayer reflecting mirror. In the transverse-mode adjustment layer, reflectance at an oscillation wavelength in the region opposite to a center of the light emission region is higher than that at an oscillation wavelength in the region opposite to an outer edge of the light emission region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Masui, Takahiro Arakida, Rintaro Koda, Osamu Maeda, Tomoyuki Oki, Naoki Jogan
  • Publication number: 20100046570
    Abstract: Provided is a high-output surface-emitting laser capable of reducing effects on reflectance of an upper reflection mirror in a single transverse mode. The surface-emitting laser includes plural semiconductor layers, laminated on a substrate, which includes a lower semiconductor multilayer reflection mirror, an active layer, and an upper semiconductor multilayer reflection mirror, wherein the lower or upper semiconductor multilayer reflection mirror includes a first semiconductor layer having a two-dimensional photonic crystal structure comprised of a high and low refractive index portions which are arranged in a direction parallel to the substrate, and wherein a second semiconductor layer laminated on the first semiconductor layer includes a microhole which reaches the low refractive index portion, the cross section of the microhole in the direction parallel to the substrate being smaller than the cross section of the low refractive index portion formed in the first semiconductor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Mitsuhiro Ikuta
  • Patent number: 7668220
    Abstract: Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers are disclosed, one example of which includes a substrate upon which a lower mirror layer is formed. An active region and upper mirror layer are disposed, in that order, on the lower mirror layer. In particular, the upper mirror layer includes a plurality of DBR layers formed on the active region. The upper mirror layer additionally includes a photonic crystal formed on the plurality of DBR layers and having a periodic structure that contributes to the definition of a central defect. As a consequence of this structure, the photonic crystal has a reflectivity that is wavelength dependent, and the central defect enables the VCSEL to propagate a single mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Finisar Corporation
    Inventors: Jan Lipson, Thomas Lenosky, Hongyu Deng
  • Publication number: 20100040104
    Abstract: The present invention provides a Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser including: a first multilayer film reflector; an active layer having a light emission region; a second multilayer film reflector; and a reflectance adjustment layer in this order on a substrate side. The first multilayer film reflector and the second multilayer film reflector have a laminated structure in which reflectance of oscillation wavelength ?x is almost constant without depending on temperature change. The active layer is made of a material with which a maximum gain is obtained at temperature higher than ambient temperature. The reflectance adjustment layer has a laminated structure in which difference ?R(=Rx?Ry) between reflectance Rx of a region opposed to a central region of the light emission region and reflectance Ry of a region opposed to an outer edge region of the light emission region is increased associated with temperature increase from ambient temperature to high temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2009
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Osamu Maeda, Yuji Masui, Masaki Shiozaki, Takahiro Arakida, Takayuki Kawasumi
  • Publication number: 20100040094
    Abstract: Surface emitting laser arrays with intra-cavity harmonic generation are coupled to an optical system that extracts harmonic light in both directions from an intra-cavity nonlinear optical material in such a way that the focusing properties of the light beams are matched.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2009
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicant: ALCES TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: David M. Bloom
  • Patent number: 7664158
    Abstract: A two-dimensional photonic crystal formed by arranging in a lattice pattern a medium having a refractive index different from that of a medium layer formed near an active layer. The two-dimensional photonic crystal includes a distributed-feedback control photonic crystal in which a light propagating through the active layer as a core is subjected to a two-dimensional distributed feedback within a plane of the active layer, and the light is not radiated in a direction normal to the plane of the active layer, and a surface-emission control photonic crystal in which the light is radiated in the direction normal to the plane of the active layer, which are superimposed with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuaki Kiyota
  • Publication number: 20100027578
    Abstract: A surface emitting laser which is configured by laminating on a substrate a lower reflection mirror, an active layer, and an upper reflection mirror, which includes, in a light emitting section of the upper reflection mirror, a structure for controlling reflectance that is configured by a low reflectance region and a concave high reflectance region formed in the central portion of the low reflectance region, and which oscillates at a wavelength of ?, wherein the upper reflection mirror is configured by a multilayer film reflection mirror based on a laminated structure formed by laminating a plurality of layers, the multilayer film reflection mirror includes a phase adjusting layer which has an optical thickness in the range of ?/8 to 3?/8 inclusive in a light emitting peripheral portion on the multilayer film reflection mirror, and an absorption layer causing band-to-band absorption is provided in the phase adjusting layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2009
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tetsuya Takeuchi
  • Publication number: 20100027576
    Abstract: A surface emitting laser configured by laminating on a substrate a lower reflection mirror, an active layer and an upper reflection mirror includes, in a light emitting section of the upper reflection mirror, a structure for controlling reflectance that is configured by a low reflectance region and a convex high reflectance region formed in the central portion of the low reflectance region, and which oscillates at a wavelength of ?, wherein the upper reflection mirror is configured by a multilayer film reflection mirror based on a laminated structure formed by laminating a plurality of layers, and an absorption layer causing band-to-band absorption is provided in the laminated structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2009
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tetsuya Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 7656924
    Abstract: A surface emitting laser includes a lower semiconductor multilayer mirror formed of a plurality of pairs of a high-refractive-index area and a low-refractive-index area; an active layer vertically sandwiched by cladding layers; a current confinement layer of AlzGa1-zAs having an oxide area in a peripheral portion of the current confinement layer, where 0.95?z?1; and an upper semiconductor multilayer mirror formed of a plurality of pairs of a high-refractive-index area and a low-refractive-index area. The low-refractive-index area of at least one of the lower semiconductor multilayer mirror and the upper semiconductor multilayer mirror includes an Alz1Ga1-z1As layer with a thickness thinner than that of the current confinement layer, where z?z1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Shimizu, Setiagung Casimirus, Yasukazu Shiina, Takeshi Hama, Norihiro Iwai
  • Patent number: 7656925
    Abstract: The two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser according to the present invention includes a number of main modified refractive index areas periodically provided in a two-dimensional photonic crystal and secondary structures each relatively located in a similar manner to each of the main modified refractive index areas. The location of the secondary structure is determined so that a main reflected light which is reflected by a main modified refractive index area and a secondary reflected light which is reflected by a secondary structure are weakened or intensified by interference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignees: Kyoto University, Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Otsuka, Eiji Miyai, Kyosuke Sakai, Yoshitaka Kurosaka, Susumu Noda, Dai Ohnishi, Wataru Kunishi
  • Patent number: 7656926
    Abstract: Provided is an optical connection device and a method of fabricating the same. The optical connection device includes a laser diode formed on a substrate, a photodiode that is formed on the laser diode and has an aperture which is an exit of light emitted from the laser diode, and a plurality of electrode pads connected to electrodes for the laser diode and the photodiode on the substrate. A direction in which the light of the laser diode is emitted is opposite to a bonding direction between the laser diode and the substrate with respect to the laser diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Han-youl Ryu, Kyoung-ho Ha
  • Patent number: 7653111
    Abstract: The invention is directed to an optically pumped surface-emitting semiconductor laser device having at least one radiation-generating quantum well structure and at least one pump radiation source for optically pumping the quantum well structure, whereby the pump radiation source comprises an edge-emitting semiconductor structure. The radiation-generating quantum well structure and the edge-emitting semiconductor structure are epitaxially grown on a common substrate. A very efficient and uniform optical pumping of the radiation-generating quantum well structure is advantageously possible with this monolithically produced semiconductor laser device. Methods for manufacturing inventive semiconductor laser devices are also specified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Osram GmbH
    Inventors: Tony Albrecht, Norbert Linder, Johann Luft
  • Publication number: 20100014551
    Abstract: A VCSEL includes a GaAs substrate; a first semiconductor distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) disposed on the GaAs substrate and including a first part and a second part on the first part; a semiconductor mesa disposed on the first semiconductor DBR and including an active layer; and a second DBR on the semiconductor mesa. The first part is composed of an undoped semiconductor material. The second part includes third III-V compound semiconductor layers composed of a material containing indium and gallium as the group III element and phosphorus as the group V element and fourth III-V compound semiconductor layers composed of a material containing gallium as the group III element and arsenic as the group V element. The third III-V compound semiconductor layers and the fourth III-V compound semiconductor layers are doped with an n-type impurity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2009
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Applicant: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka ONISHI, Hideyuki DOI
  • Publication number: 20100014544
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for decreasing the spectral bandwidth of a semiconductor laser, such as a vertical cavity surface emitting laser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2008
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Applicant: Octrolix BV
    Inventors: Rene Gerrit Heideman, Edwin Jan Klein
  • Publication number: 20100002741
    Abstract: A vertical cavity surface light emitting device (VCSLED) with multiple active layers includes at least one optical resonance unit comprising a highly-doped conduction region (1), an insulating layer (2), a negative electrode (3), confinement layers (4, 6), an active layer (5), and a positive electrode (7). The optical resonance units are stacked repetitively in a vertical thickness of half wavelength to constitute an optical resonant cavity. In the laser produced from the VCSLED with multiple active layers, the VCSLED is sandwiched by reflectors (104, 105) for emitting and receiving laser light. The laser utilizes the ability of photonic crystal to emit coherent light to improve its electro-optical conversion efficiency and eliminate the fabrication of Bragg reflectors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Inventor: Yiquan Li
  • Patent number: 7643531
    Abstract: An optical semiconductor element includes: a surface-emitting type semiconductor laser that emits laser light; a photodetecting element formed above the surface-emitting type semiconductor; a first electrode of a first polarity formed on the surface-emitting type semiconductor laser; a second electrode of a second polarity different from the first polarity formed on the photodetecting element; and an additional electrode that covers the first electrode and the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yasutaka Imai, Tsuyoshi Kaneko, Atsushi Sato
  • Publication number: 20090323751
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided that includes an optical feedback structure that is monolithically integrated with a VCSEL device and which extends the speed of the VCSEL device beyond the speed to which it would otherwise be limited due to relaxation oscillation. The optical feedback structure does not rely on light emissions from the VCSEL substrate material to produce optical feedback. Consequently, extension of the bandwidth of the semiconductor device through the use of optical feedback is not limited by the absorption threshold wavelength of the substrate material. Furthermore, because the optical feedback structure does not include the substrate, the ability to use optical feedback to extend the bandwidth of the device is independent of the precision with which the substrate thickness can be controlled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: Avago Technologies Fiber IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Chen Ji, Chung-Yi Su
  • Publication number: 20090316745
    Abstract: A laser diode has a horizontal cavity and a mirror attached to the horizontal cavity at an angle of substantially 45° or substantially 135°. The laser diode is mounted on a stem substantially horizontally with taking light vertically emitted to the horizontal cavity as an optical signal, and light horizontally emitted as an optical signal for monitoring, respectively. A photodetector is mounted on the stem substantially orthogonally and so as to let in the optical signal for monitoring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Inventors: Toshihiko Fukamachi, Takuma Ban, Toshiki Sugawara
  • Publication number: 20090310632
    Abstract: In a surface emitting laser element, on an inclined substrate, a resonator structural body including an active layer, and a lower semiconductor DBR and an upper semiconductor DBR sandwiching the resonator structural body are stacked. A shape of a current passing-through region in an oxide confinement structure of the upper semiconductor DBR is symmetrical to an axis passing through a center of the current passing-through region parallel to an X axis and symmetrical to an axis passing through the center of the current passing-through region parallel to a Y axis, and a thickness of an oxidized layer surrounding the current passing-through region is greater in the +Y direction than in the +X and ?X directions. An opening width of a light outputting section in the X axis direction is smaller than another opening width of the light outputting section in the Y axis direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Satoru SUGAWARA, Toshihiro Ishii, Kazuhiro Harasaka, Shunichi Sato
  • Publication number: 20090304038
    Abstract: A semiconductor laser device comprising an optically pumped surface emitting vertical emitter (1), which emits in a vertical main radiation direction, and at least one monolithically integrated pump radiation source (2) for optically pumping the vertical emitter (1), wherein the pump radiation source (2) emits pump radiation in a pump main radiation direction running transversely with respect to the vertical main radiation direction. In a first embodiment, the semiconductor laser device includes at least one vertical section of the pump radiation source (2) that is embodied in index-guiding fashion for the pump radiation in a lateral direction transversely with respect to the pump main radiation direction and transversely with respect to the vertical main radiation direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2007
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Inventors: Wolfgang Schmid, Martin Müller
  • Publication number: 20090304039
    Abstract: An optoelectronic semiconductor component has a semiconductor body (1) comprising a surface emitting vertical emitter region (2) comprising a vertical emitter layer (3), at least one pump source (4) provided for optically pumping the vertical emitter layer (3), and a radiation passage area (26) through which electromagnetic radiation (31) generated in the vertical emitter layer leaves the semiconductor body (1), wherein the pump source (4) and the vertical emitter layer (3) are at a distance from one another in a vertical direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Applicant: OSRAM Opto Semiconductors GmbH
    Inventors: Stephan Lutgen, Peter Brick, Tony Albrecht
  • Publication number: 20090296752
    Abstract: An extended cavity surface emitting laser has a first laser die with a first cavity and a first gain element and a second laser die with a second cavity and a second gain element. The first and second gain elements are in series to provide optical gain and optical feedback in an extended optical cavity configuration. The first and second gain elements provide optical gain and optical feedback in a common extended cavity with the first and second gain elements operating serially as a common extended cavity optical mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Inventors: Giorgio Giaretta, Arvydas Umbrasas, Michael Jansen
  • Publication number: 20090295902
    Abstract: A surface-emitting laser array includes a plurality of surface-emitting laser elements. Each surface-emitting laser element includes a first reflection layer formed on a substrate, a resonator formed in contact with the first reflection layer and containing an active layer, and a second reflection layer formed over the first reflection layer and in contact with the resonator. The second reflection layer contains a selective oxidation layer. The first reflection layer contains on the active layer side at least a low refractive index layer having an oxidation rate equivalent to or larger than an oxidation rate of a selective oxidation layer contained in the second reflection layer. The resonator is made of an AlGaInPAs base material containing at least In. A bottom of a mesa structure is located under the selective oxidation layer and over the first reflection layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2007
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Shunichi Sato, Akihiro Itoh, Satoru Sugawara, Hiroyoshi Shouji
  • Publication number: 20090296768
    Abstract: A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) includes a semiconductor substrate, a lower reflecting mirror formed on the semiconductor substrate, and a mesa structure. The mesa structure includes an active layer, a selective oxidization layer that includes a current confined structure, and an upper reflecting mirror. A lower electrode is connected to the semiconductor substrate, and an upper electrode is connected to the upper reflecting mirror. The VCSEL emits laser light perpendicularly to the plane of the semiconductor substrate when an electric current flows between the upper electrode and the lower electrode. The semiconductor substrate is inclined with respect to (100) plane. The active layer includes a quantum well layer having a compressive strain with respect to the substrate, and a spacer layer. The spacer layer has either a compressive strain or a tensile strain with respect to the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kei HARA, Morimasa Kaminish
  • Patent number: 7627014
    Abstract: Several methods are used in novel ways with newly identified and viable parameters to decrease the peak transition energies of the pseudomorphic InGaAs/GaAs heterostructures. These techniques, taken separately or in combination, suffice to permit operation of light emitting devices at wavelengths of 1.3 ?m or greater of light-emitting electro-optic devices. These methods or techniques, by example, include: (1) utilizing new superlattice structures having high In concentrations in the active region, (2) utilizing strain compensation to increase the usable layer thickness for quantum wells with appropriately high In concentrations, (3) utilizing appropriately small amounts of nitrogen (N) in the pseudomorphic InGaAsN/GaAs laser structure, and (4) use of nominal (111) oriented substrates to increase the usable layer thickness for quantum wells with appropriately high In concentrations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: JDS Uniphase Corporation
    Inventors: Jack L. Jewell, Henryk Temkin
  • Patent number: 7627015
    Abstract: A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) optimized for use in self mixing applications. The VCSEL generally includes a bottom distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) mirror formed on a substrate. An active region is formed on the bottom mirror. A top DBR mirror is formed on the active region. A trench is formed in the at least the top mirror. An aperture is oxidized into the VCSEL. At least one of the bottom DBR mirror, the top DBR mirror, the metal contacts, the trench, and/or the aperture is optimized to optimize the linewidth enhancement factor for use in self mixing applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Finisar Corporation
    Inventor: James K. Guenter
  • Patent number: 7623558
    Abstract: Surface emitting laser arrays with intra-cavity harmonic generation are coupled to an optical system that extracts harmonic light in both directions from an intra-cavity nonlinear optical material in such a way that the focusing properties of the light beams are matched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Alces Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: David M. Bloom
  • Publication number: 20090285255
    Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to provide a surface emitting laser capable of selectively generating a laser oscillation in the fundamental mode and thereby emitting a single-wavelength laser light. In a surface emitting laser including an active layer and a two-dimensional photonic crystal provided on one side of the active layer, a reflector 45 or 46 is provided at least at a portion of the circumference of the two-dimensional photonic crystal. The reflector has a reflectance distribution in which the reflectance has a maximum value at a position where the amplitude envelope of the fundamental mode of an internal resonance light created within the two-dimensional photonic crystal. This design strengthens the fundamental mode while suppressing the second mode, thus enabling the laser oscillation in the fundamental mode to be selectively obtained, so that a single-wavelength laser light can be emitted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Applicants: KYOTO UNIVERSITY, ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kyosuke Sakai, Eiji Miyai, Susumu Noda, Dai Ohnishi, Wataru Kunishi
  • Publication number: 20090285602
    Abstract: In a surface emitting laser element, on a substrate whose normal direction of a principal surface is inclined, a resonator structural body including an active layer, and a lower semiconductor DBR and an upper semiconductor DBR sandwiching the resonator structural body are stacked. A shape of a current passing through region in an oxide confinement structure of the upper semiconductor DBR is symmetrical to an axis passing through a center of the current passing through region parallel to an X axis and symmetrical to an axis passing through the center of the current passing through region parallel to a Y axis, and a length of the current passing through region is greater in the Y axis direction than in the X axis direction. A thickness of an oxidized layer surrounding the current passing through region is greater in the ?Y direction than in the +X and ?X directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Harasaka, Shunichi Sato, Naoto Jikutani, Toshihiro Ishii
  • Patent number: 7620087
    Abstract: A radiation-emitting semiconductor component comprising a semiconductor body (3) with a first active zone (1) and a second active zone (2) arranged above the first active zone, the first active zone being provided for generating a radiation having a first wavelength ?1 (11) and the second active zone being provided for generating a radiation having a second wavelength ?2 (22), the radiation having the first wavelength ?1 being coherent and the radiation having the second wavelength ?2 being incoherent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH
    Inventors: Marc Philippens, Tony Albrecht
  • Patent number: 7620089
    Abstract: A surface-emitting type semiconductor laser includes: a lower mirror; an active layer formed above the lower mirror; and an upper mirror formed above the active layer, wherein the upper mirror includes a first region in which a plurality of holes are formed and a second region inside the first region in which no hole is formed, the second region is in a circular shape as viewed in a plan view, the circular shape has a radius with which an energy increasing rate in the active layer becomes positive with a lower-order mode and (becomes) negative with a higher-order mode, and the holes have a depth with which the energy increasing rate becomes positive with the lower-order mode, and becomes negative with the higher-order mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Masamitsu Mochizuki
  • Patent number: 7620088
    Abstract: A surface-emitting semiconductor laser component, in particular an electrically pumped semiconductor laser component, featuring emission in a vertical direction. The component is provided for the generation of laser radiation by means of an external optical resonator (4, 5). The component comprises a semiconductor body with a semiconductor layer sequence (2) having a lateral main direction of extension and an active zone (3) provided for generation of radiation. A radiation-transmissive contact layer (6) is arranged within the resonator and is electrically conductively connected to the semiconductor body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH
    Inventors: Wilhelm Stein, Tony Albrecht, Peter Brick
  • Publication number: 20090279579
    Abstract: The present invention provides a two-dimensional photonic crystal surface-emitting laser light source capable of producing a beam that is not accompanied by unnecessary side lobes. A window-shaped electrode 36 having a central window 361 devoid of the electrode material is provided on the surface of a device substrate 31 from which surface emission is extracted. A mount surface electrode 37 having an area smaller than that of the window-shaped electrode 36 including the window 361 is provided on a mount surface 38. The distance between the device substrate 31 and the active layer 32 is larger than that between the mount surface 38 and the active layer 32. When a voltage is applied between the electrodes, electric charges are injected into the active layer and emission is obtained. Then, a component of light having a specific wavelength is amplified by a two-dimensional photonic crystal 33, whereby a laser oscillation is produced. The laser light is extracted through the window 361 to the outside.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicants: KYOTO UNIVERSITY, ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dai Ohnishi, Wataru Kunishi, Eiji Miyai, Susumu Noda
  • Publication number: 20090279580
    Abstract: To provide surface-emitting type semiconductor lasers and methods of manufacturing the same in which the polarization direction of laser light can be readily controlled, a surface-emitting type semiconductor laser includes a vertical resonator above a substrate. The vertical resonator includes a first mirror, an active layer and a second mirror disposed in this order from the substrate. The vertical resonator has a plurality of unit resonators. An emission region of each of the unit resonators has a diameter that oscillates in a single-mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hitoshi NAKAYAMA, Tsugio IDE, Tsuyoshi KANEKO
  • Patent number: 7616675
    Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor laser device capable of realizing efficient current injection and a method of manufacturing the same. The method includes the steps of: forming a DBR mirror over a Si substrate; forming an n-type conductive layer over the DBR mirror; forming a luminescent layer over a part of the n-type conductive layer; forming an insulating layer over a side surface of the luminescent layer over the n-type conductive layer; forming a p-type conductive layer over the insulating layer and the luminescent layer; forming another DBR mirror over the p-type conductive layer so as to be located immediately above the luminescent layer; forming an electrode electrically connected to the n-type conductive layer; and forming another electrode over the p-type conductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Kenichi Kawaguchi, Tsuyoshi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7613217
    Abstract: This surface emitting semiconductor device 1 comprises a first conductivity type semiconductor region, an active layer, a second conductivity type semiconductor layer and current block semiconductor region. The first conductivity type semiconductor region is provided on a surface made of GaAs semiconductor. The active layer is provided on the first conductivity type semiconductor region. The active layer has a side surface. The second conductivity type semiconductor layer is provided on the active layer. The second conductivity type semiconductor layer has a side surface. The current block semiconductor region is provided on the side surface of the active layer and on the side surface of the second conductivity type semiconductor layer. The active layer is made of III-V compound semiconductor including at least nitrogen element as a V group element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsukuru Katsuyama, Jun-ichi Hashimoto
  • Publication number: 20090268774
    Abstract: A Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser capable of decreasing the lowering of the yield due to displacement and separation of a pedestal without enormous increase of the threshold value and more difficult manufacturing process is provided. A base of a mesa spreads over the top face of a lower DBR layer. The base is a non-flat face in which end faces of a plurality of layers are exposed. The non-flat face is generated due to etching unevenness in forming the mesa, and is in a state of a step in which end faces of a low-refractive index layer and a high-refractive index layer included in the lower DBR layer are alternatively exposed. At least one of the layers exposed in the non-flat face in the plurality of low-refractive index layers included in the lower DBR layer is an oxidation inhibition layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Oki, Rintaro Koda, Naoki Jogan, Yuji Masui, Takahiro Arakida
  • Publication number: 20090268769
    Abstract: A surface-emission laser diode includes an active layer, a pair of cavity spacer layers formed at both sides of the active layer, a current confinement structure defining a current injection region into the active layer, and a pair of distributed Bragg reflectors opposing with each other across a structure formed of the active layer and the cavity spacer layers, the current confinement structure being formed by a selective oxidation process of a semiconductor layer, the pair of distributed Bragg reflectors being formed of semiconductor materials, wherein there is provided a region containing an oxide of Al and having a relatively low refractive index as compared with a surrounding region in any of the semiconductor distributed Bragg reflector or the cavity spacer layer in correspondence to a part spatially overlapping with the current injection region in a laser cavity direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Inventor: Naoto Jikutani
  • Publication number: 20090268773
    Abstract: A surface emitting laser element that includes a cylindrical mesa post in which a plurality of semiconductor layers including an active layer is grown and that emits a laser light in a direction perpendicular to a substrate surface, the surface emitting laser element including a dielectric multilayer film on a top surface of the mesa post in at least a portion over a current injection area of the active layer; and a dielectric portion that includes layers fewer than layers of the dielectric multilayer film and that is arranged on a portion excluding the portion over the current injection area on the top surface of the mesa post and on at least part of a side surface of the mesa post.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicant: THE FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO.,LTD.,
    Inventors: Norihiro IWAI, Takeo Kageyama, Kinuka Tanabe
  • Patent number: 7609745
    Abstract: A novel semiconductor laser device is provided which can suppress internal optical absorption even when In is used as a material for a semiconductor multilayer mirror containing a nitride. The semiconductor laser device has two mirrors disposed to face each other, and an active layer disposed therebetween. At least one of the mirrors is a multilayer mirror having first nitride semiconductor layers containing Ga and second nitride semiconductor layers containing Al, which are alternately laminated to each other. The second nitride semiconductor layer contains In and includes a first region having a refractive index lower than that of the first nitride semiconductor layer, and a second region having a refractive index lower than that of the first nitride semiconductor layer and an In concentration lower than that of the first region. The second region is disposed closer to the active layer than the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tetsuya Takeuchi
  • Publication number: 20090262765
    Abstract: A Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser (VCSEL) is disclosed, comprising an optical cavity bounded by a top mirror and a bottom mirror, wherein the top mirror has multiple layers of alternating refractive index, of which the bottom three or more layers of the top mirror are deep oxidation layers having an increased oxidation length, a light emitting active region between the top mirror and the bottom mirror, and an aperture with tapered edges between the active region and the top mirror, wherein the aperture has a thickness, a taper length, an oxide aperture length, a taper angle, and an aperture opening diameter designed to reduce an optical mode's diameter without significantly increasing the optical mode's round trip scattering loss.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Publication date: October 22, 2009
    Applicant: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Yu-Chia Chang, Larry A. Coldren
  • Publication number: 20090262775
    Abstract: A surface emitting laser which oscillates at a wavelength X of a blue band, including a photonic crystal layer including a photonic crystal structure, an active layer provided on one surface of the photonic crystal layer, and an electrode provided on the other surface of the photonic crystal layer for injecting electric current into the active layer. The photonic crystal structure has a thickness of 100 nm or more. A laser beam is emitted toward a direction opposite to a side of the photonic crystal layer on which the electrode is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2009
    Publication date: October 22, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeshi Uchida, Yasuhiro Nagatomo, Yuichiro Hori, Mitsuhiro Ikuta
  • Publication number: 20090262770
    Abstract: A surface-emission laser diode of a vertical-cavity surface-emission laser structure includes a substrate and a mesa structure formed on the substrate, the mesa structure including therein a current confinement structure, wherein the current confinement structure includes a conductive current confinement region and an insulation region surrounding the conductive current confinement region, the insulation region being an oxide of a semiconductor material forming the conductive current confinement region, and wherein a center of the current confinement region is offset from a center of the mesa structure in a plane perpendicular to a laser oscillation direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2007
    Publication date: October 22, 2009
    Inventors: Akihiro Itoh, Shunichi Sato
  • Patent number: 7606282
    Abstract: Improved slope efficiency in a VCSEL can be accomplished by selecting particular mirror layer compositions and/or mirror layer configurations that minimize increased reflectivity in the top mirror and/or maximize increased reflectivity of the bottom mirror with increasing temperature. Improved reflectivity of the bottom mirror compared to the top mirror over a desired operating temperature range can be facilitated by (i) selecting mirror pairs for the bottom and/or top mirror that gives the bottom mirror pairs a greater increase in contrast ratio with increasing temperature compared to the top-mirror pairs, and/or (ii) including fewer mirror pairs in the bottom mirror than the number of mirror pairs that would give optimal reflectivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Finisar Corporation
    Inventors: Ralph H. Johnson, James Guenter
  • Publication number: 20090252532
    Abstract: A red surface emitting laser element includes a first reflector, a second reflector including a p-type semiconductor multilayer film, an active layer between the first reflector and the second reflector, and a p-type semiconductor spacer layer between the active layer and the second reflector, the p-type semiconductor spacer layer having a thickness of 100 nm or more and 350 nm or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuya Takeuchi, Mamoru Uchida, Tomoyuki Miyamoto, Fumio Koyama
  • Patent number: 7599417
    Abstract: Embodiments include a laser pumping unit and a high power vertical external cavity surface emitting laser (VECSEL) device including the same. The laser pumping unit easily diffuses current in a traverse direction by using a tunnel junction. The laser pumping unit may include a substrate, a lower distributed brag reflector (DBR) layer formed on the substrate, an active layer with a quantum well structure formed on the lower DBR layer to generate a light having a predetermined wavelength, a tunnel junction layer formed on the active layer to increase resistance in a vertical direction, and an upper DBR layer formed on the tunnel junction layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Taek Kim
  • Publication number: 20090245312
    Abstract: Provided is a surface emitting laser element array of low cost and high reliability. The surface emitting laser element array has a substrate having a semiconductor of a first conduction type; and a plurality of surface emitting laser elements each having, above the substrate, an active layer sandwiched between a first conduction type semiconductor layer area and a second conduction type semiconductor layer area and disposed between a upper reflective mirror and a lower reflective mirror, the surface emitting laser elements being separated from each other by an electric separation structure formed having such a depth as to reach the substrate. The first conduction type semiconductor layer area is arranged between the substrate and the active layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: THE FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD
    Inventors: Takeo Kageyama, Keishi Takaki, Naoki Tsukiji, Norihiro Iwai, Hitoshzi Shimizu, Yasumasa Kawakita, Suguru Imai
  • Patent number: 7596163
    Abstract: A VCSEL includes a substrate, a first semiconductor multilayer of a first conductivity-type, an active layer, a second semiconductor multilayer of a second conductivity-type, a contact layer, each of the layers stacked on the substrate. The second semiconductor multilayer constitutes a resonator together with the active layer and the first semiconductor multilayer. A metal layer is formed on the contact layer. The metal layer includes an opening portion that defines a region that emits laser light. When oscillation wavelength of the laser light is ?, optical thickness T of the contact layer and a top layer of the second semiconductor multilayer that contacts with the contact layer is smaller than ?/4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Yoshikawa, Masateru Yamamoto, Takashi Kondo