Lasers and methods associated with the same

• US 20070153864A1
• Filed: 11/02/2006
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Luminus Devices Incorporated (Sanan Optoelectronics Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Luminus Devices Incorporated (Sanan Optoelectronics Company Limited)
• Inventors: Lidorikis, Elefterios, Erchak, Alexei, Pokrovskiy, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US11/592,029
• Publication Number:
  US 20070153864A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 372/50.124
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/10 Construction or shape of the optical resonator , e.g. extended or external cavity, coupled cavities, bent-guide, varying width, thickness or composition of the active region H01S5/20 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/1071 Ring-lasers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/11 Comprising a photonic bandgap structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18 Surface-emitting [SE] lasers, e.g. having both horizontal and vertical cavities
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/20 Structure or shape of the semiconductor body to guide the optical wave ; Confining structures perpendicular to the optical axis, e.g. index or gain guiding, stripe geometry, broad area lasers, gain tailoring, transverse or lateral reflectors, special cladding structures, MQW barrier reflection layers

Abstract

Laser structures and related methods are provided. The lasers may be formed of semiconductor materials with most (or all) of the components being formed on a unitary structure. The lasers may include a resonator separated from a light extraction region.

Claims

1. A laser comprising:

a resonator designed to confine, at least in part, light propagating within the waveguide; and

an extraction region separated from the resonator, the extraction region configured to receive light from the resonator and to emit the light through an emission surface, the emission surface having a dielectric function that varies spatially according to a pattern.

2. The laser of claim 1, wherein the extraction region is laterally separated from the resonator.

3. The laser of claim 1, wherein the resonator and the extraction region are in a first plane.

4. The laser of claim 3, wherein the plane is in a lateral direction.

5. The laser of claim 1, wherein the emission surface is aligned with an upper surface of the resonator.

6. The laser of claim 1, wherein the resonator is a waveguide.

7. The laser of claim 1, wherein the resonator has a ring shape.

8. The laser of claim 1, wherein the resonator surrounds the extraction region.

9. The laser of claim 1, further comprising a peripheral region surrounding the resonator.

10. The laser of claim 9, wherein a surface of the peripheral region has a dielectric function that varies spatially according to a pattern.

11. The laser of claim 1, wherein the light is emitted through the emission surface in a substantially vertical direction.

12. The laser of claim 11, wherein the substantially vertical direction is substantially parallel to the emission surface.

13. The laser of claim 1, further comprising a light-generating region coupled to the resonator such that light generated by the light-generating region may propagate within the resonator.

14. The laser of claim 1, wherein the resonator and the extraction region comprise semiconductor materials.

15. The laser of claim 1, wherein the resonator and the extraction region are part of a unitary structure.

16. The laser of claim 1, comprising an array of resonators.

17. The laser of claim 16, wherein more than one resonator in the array are arranged such that light may propagate between the resonators.

18. The laser of claim 16, wherein each resonator is associated with an extraction region and light emitted from each respective extraction region forms a coherent beam.

19. The laser of claim 1, wherein the pattern is non-periodic.

20. A laser comprising:

a resonator designed to confine, at least in part, laser light propagating within the resonator; and

an extraction region laterally separated from the resonator, the extraction region configured to receive light from the resonator and to emit the light through an emission surface.

21. The laser of claim 20, wherein the resonator and the extraction region are in a first plane.

22. The laser of claim 20, wherein the resonator and the extraction region comprise semiconductor materials.

23. The laser of claim 20, wherein the resonator and the extraction region are part of a unitary structure.

24. The laser of claim 20, wherein the resonator has a ring shape and surrounds the extraction region.

25. A method comprising:

propagating light in a resonator;

introducing the light into an extraction region separate from the resonator; and

emitting the light from a surface of the extraction region, wherein the surface has a dielectric function that varies according to a pattern.