Laser device having multiple emitters

• US 10,050,415 B1
• Filed: 07/07/2017
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera SLD Laser Incorporated (Kyocera Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Soraa Laser Diode, Inc. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Inventors: Raring, James W., Rudy, Paul, Bai, Chendong
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Vu A
• Application Number:
  US15/643,976
• Time in Patent Office: 403 Days
• Field of Search: 372 5012
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0087 for illuminating phosphorescent or fluorescent materials, e.g. using optical arrangements specifically adapted for guiding or shaping laser beams illuminating these materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/2201 in a specific crystallographic orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/34333 with a well layer based on Ga(In)N or Ga(In)P, e.g. blue laser
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4012 Beam combining, e.g. by the use of fibres, gratings, polarisers, prisms
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4031 Edge-emitting structures

Abstract

Method and devices for emitting electromagnetic radiation at high power using nonpolar or semipolar gallium containing substrates such as GaN, AlN, InN, InGaN, Al GaN, and AlInGaN, are provided. The laser devices include multiple laser emitters integrated onto a substrate (in a module), which emit green or blue laser radiation.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a laser bar device comprising;

a substrate having a surface region containing gallium and nitrogen material;

a plurality of laser devices arranged in parallel alignment and disposed on the surface region of the substrate, each of the laser devices of the plurality of laser devices being a ridge laser device, wherein every laser device disposed on the surface region of the substrate is one of the laser devices;

a plurality of emitters, one emitter of the plurality of emitters provided for each of the laser devices, the plurality of emitters being characterized by an average operating power of at least 25 mWatts per emitter, each of the plurality of emitters being characterized by an emission of electromagnetic radiation within a wavelength range of between 395 nm and 425 nm or each of the plurality of emitters being characterized by an emission of electromagnetic radiation within a wavelength range of between 430 nm and 480 nm, and each of the laser devices being characterized by a length and a width;

a first common electrode electrically coupled to each of the laser devices;

a second electrode electrically coupled to the substrate; and

a collimating optic configured with respect to the laser devices for optically combining the electromagnetic radiation from the plurality of emitters.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of laser devices each comprise an active region that is substantially the same as the active region of others of the plurality of laser devices.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of emitters are characterized by an average operating power of at least 100 mWatts per emitter, at least 500 mWatts per emitter, or at least 1 W per emitter.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein total output power of the laser bar device is greater than 5 W, greater than 10 W, or greater than 20 W.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the second electrode is a common electrode.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising a phosphor material operably coupled to the collimating optic.

7. A lighting device comprising the device of claim 1, the lighting device further comprising a phosphor material operably coupled to the collimating optic.

8. A display device comprising the device of claim 1, the display device further comprising a phosphor material operably coupled to the collimating optic.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising a number of cavity members, n, which is in a range of 2 to 5, 10, or 20.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein lateral spacing of one cavity member from another cavity member is in a range of 2 μ

m to 25 μ

m or 200 μ

m.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein a length of the cavity members is in a range of between 300 μ

m to 2000 μ

m or 3000 μ

m.

12. The device of claim 1, further comprising a phosphor material configured to interact with the combined electromagnetic radiation from the plurality of emitters to cause a shift in wavelength of the combined electromagnetic radiation from a first wavelength range to a second wavelength range.

13. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a micro-channel cooler thermally coupled to the substrate; and

a submount coupled to the substrate, wherein the submount is comprised of aluminum nitride, diamond, composite diamond, copper tungsten alloy, or beryllium oxide.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of emitters outputs the electromagnetic radiation within a blue wavelength range.

15. The device of claim 1, further comprising a phosphor material configured to interact with the combined electromagnetic radiation from the plurality of emitters to output substantially white light.

16. A package selected from a hermetically sealed package, an environmentally sealed package, or an open package, the package comprising the device of claim 1.

17. A device comprising:

a substrate having a surface region containing gallium and nitrogen material;

at least three laser devices arranged in parallel alignment and overlying the surface region of the substrate, each of the laser devices of the at least three laser devices being a ridge laser device, wherein every laser device disposed on the surface region of the substrate is one of the laser devices;

a plurality of emitters, one emitter of the plurality of emitters provided for each of the laser devices, the plurality of emitters being characterized by an average operating power of at least 25 mWatts per emitter, each of the plurality of emitters being characterized by an emission of electromagnetic radiation at a wavelength that is substantially the same as the wavelength of others of the plurality of emitters;

a first common electrode electrically coupled to each of the plurality of emitters;

a second electrode electrically coupled to the substrate;

a collimating optic configured with respect to the laser devices for optically combining electromagnetic radiation from the plurality of emitters to provide a collimated laser beam;

a fiber configured to receive the collimated laser beam; and

a member operably coupled to the substrate and configured for cooling purposes.

18. The device of claim 17, further comprising a phosphor material configured to interact with the combined electromagnetic radiation from the plurality of emitters to output substantially white light.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the plurality of emitters are characterized by an average operating power of at least 100 mWatts per emitter, at least 500 mWatts per emitter, or at least 1 W per emitter.

20. The device of claim 17, further comprising a phosphor material operably coupled to the collimating optic.