Optically Surface-Pumped Edge-Emitting Devices and Systems and Methods of Making Same
First Claim
1. An optical system, comprising:
- an optical device designed and configured to output working light of a first spectral composition in response to receiving pumping light of a second spectral composition different from the first spectral composition, said optical device including;
a plurality of layers having a stacking direction, first and second faces spaced along said stacking direction, and an edge extending between said first and second faces, wherein said plurality of layers are designed, arranged, and configured to define a resonator cavity designed and configured to resonate at a resonant frequency tuned to the second spectral composition;
a first photoluminescent layer located within said resonator cavity, said first photoluminescent layer designed and configured to create luminescence of the first spectral composition in response to stimulation by the pumping light when the pumping light is received through at least one of said first and second faces; and
a waveguide designed and configured as a function of said first spectral composition so as to guide the luminescence toward said edge so as to output the working light through said edge.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Optical resonator devices and systems enhanced with photoluminescent phosphors and designed and configured to output working light in an edge-emitting fashion at one or more wavelengths based on input/pump light, and systems and devices made with such resonators. The edge-emitting functionality is enabled by providing one or more waveguides that direct light luminesced from the phosphors to one or more edges of the device. In some embodiments, the resonators contain multiple optical resonator cavities in combination with one or more photoluminescent phosphor layers or other structures. In other embodiments, the resonators are designed to simultaneously resonate at the input/pump and output wavelengths. The photoluminescent phosphors can be any suitable photoluminescent material, including semiconductor and other materials in quantum-confining structures, such as quantum wells and quantum dots, among others.
76 Citations
54 Claims
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1. An optical system, comprising:
an optical device designed and configured to output working light of a first spectral composition in response to receiving pumping light of a second spectral composition different from the first spectral composition, said optical device including; a plurality of layers having a stacking direction, first and second faces spaced along said stacking direction, and an edge extending between said first and second faces, wherein said plurality of layers are designed, arranged, and configured to define a resonator cavity designed and configured to resonate at a resonant frequency tuned to the second spectral composition; a first photoluminescent layer located within said resonator cavity, said first photoluminescent layer designed and configured to create luminescence of the first spectral composition in response to stimulation by the pumping light when the pumping light is received through at least one of said first and second faces; and a waveguide designed and configured as a function of said first spectral composition so as to guide the luminescence toward said edge so as to output the working light through said edge. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of making an optical system that includes an optical device designed and configured to output working light from an edge of the optical device in response to being pumped with pumping light through a face of the optical device, the method comprising:
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arranging and configuring a plurality of layers within the optical device so as to define at least one resonator cavity designed and configured to resonate at a spectral frequency of the pumping light; providing a first photoluminescent layer within said at least one resonator cavity, wherein the first photoluminescent layer is designed and configured to provide luminescence in response to the pumping light; and providing a waveguide to guide the luminescence toward the edge of the optical device so as to output the working light through the edge of the optical device. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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Specification