Method and apparatus for mode-locked vertical cavity laser with equalized mode response

• US 20030112843A1
• Filed: 07/03/2002
• Published: 06/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SiRF Technology (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SiRF Technology (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Epler, John E., Thornton, Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US10/189,201
• Publication Number:
  US 20030112843A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 372/97
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/041 Optical pumping
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0657 Mode locking, i.e. generation of pulses at a frequency corresponding to a roundtrip in the cavity
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/1039 Details on the cavity length
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/1092 Multi-wavelength lasing
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/142 which comprises an additional resonator
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/183 having only vertical cavities, e.g. vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers [VCSEL]
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18302 comprising an integrated optical modulator

Abstract

A multi-frequency light source is disclosed. In one disclosed aspect, the light source may comprise a gain region defined by a first and second mirror. The gain region may have corresponding resonant modes. An external cavity defined by a third mirror and said second mirror is also provided, with the external cavity having a plurality of resonant modes. The second mirror may be terminated with a layer of high reflectivity. In a further aspect, the second mirror may be terminated with an antiphase layer.

Claims

1. An equalized light source comprising:

a gain region defined by a first and second mirror, said second mirror being formed from alternating layers of n-low and n-high materials, and said gain region having a corresponding gain response;

an external cavity defined by a third mirror and said second mirror, said external cavity having a corresponding response shape; and

wherein said second mirror is terminated with a layer of n-high material.

2. The light source of claim 1, wherein a corresponding response of said second mirror and said gain response of said gain region are substantially complimentary in shape.

3. The light source of claim 1, wherein said second mirror is terminated with an antiphase layer.

4. The light source of claim 1, wherein said second mirror comprises a seven-layer structure.

5. The light source of claim 4, wherein said light source has a spectral bandwidth of approximately 325 GHz.

6. The light source of claim 1, wherein said response shape of said external cavity has a local minimum which corresponds to a local maximum of said gain response of said gain region.

7. A light source comprising:

a gain region defined by a first and second mirror, said gain region having a corresponding peaked gain response shape having a local maximum;

an external cavity defined by a third mirror and said second mirror, said external cavity having a corresponding response shape defined by a passband having a local minimum interspersed between a pair of local maximums; and

wherein a corresponding response of said second mirror is chosen so as to form a substantially flat output response when superimposed over said peaked gain response shape.

8. The light source of claim 7, wherein said corresponding response of said second mirror and said gain response shape of said gain region are substantially complimentary in shape.

9. The light source of claim 7, wherein said second mirror is terminated with an antiphase layer.

10. The light source of claim 7, wherein said second mirror comprises a seven-layer structure.

11. The light source of claim 10, wherein said light source has a spectral bandwidth of approximately 325 GHz.

12. The light source of claim 7, wherein said local minimum corresponds to said local maximum of said gain response shape of said gain region.

13. A light source comprising:

a gain region defined by a first and second mirror, said gain region having a corresponding peaked gain response shape having a local maximum;

an external cavity defined by a third mirror and said second mirror, said external cavity having a corresponding response shape defined by a passband having a local minimum interspersed between a pair of local maximums; and

wherein a corresponding response of said second mirror is chosen so as to be substantially complimentary in shape when compared to said peaked gain response.

14. The light source of claim 13, wherein said second mirror is terminated with an antiphase layer.

15. The light source of claim 13, wherein said second mirror comprises a seven-layer structure.

16. The light source of claim 15, wherein said light source has a spectral bandwidth of approximately 325 GHz.

17. The light source of claim 13, wherein said local minimum corresponds to said local maximum of said gain response shape of said gain region.