Long wavelength, vertical cavity surface emitting laser with vertically integrated optical pump

• US 5,513,204 A
• Filed: 04/12/1995
• Issued: 04/30/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California), W. L. Gore & Associates (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Original Assignee: Optical Concepts, Inc.
• Inventors: Jayaraman, Vijaysekhar
• Primary Examiner(s): Bovernick, Rodney B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): McNutt, Robert
• Application Number:
  US08/422,486
• Time in Patent Office: 384 Days
• Field of Search: 372/96, 372/50, 372/75
• US Class Current: 372/96
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0216 using an intermediate compound, e.g. a glue or solder
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/041 Optical pumping
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/1017 Waveguide having a void for insertion of materials to change optical properties
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18305 with emission through the substrate, i.e. bottom emission
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18369 based on dielectric materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/1838 Reflector bonded by wafer fusion or by an intermediate compound
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18383 with periodic active regions at nodes or maxima of light intensity
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18388 Lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/34306 emitting light at a wavelength longer than 1000nm, e.g. InP based 1300 and 1500nm lasers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/423 having a vertical cavity
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/426 Vertically stacked cavities

Abstract

A long wavelength VCSEL according to the present invention is optically coupled to and optically pumped by a shorter wavelength, electrically pumped VCSEL. Short wavelength radiation emitted from the top surface of the underlying VCSEL is transmitted through the lower mirror of the long wavelength VCSEL. Long wavelength radiation is preferably emitted from the top surface of the long wavelength VCSEL. The two VCSELs are preferably joined together using a transparent optical adhesive, a wafer-fusing process, or a metal to metal bond.

Claims

1. An optical device, comprising:

a first vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL), said first VCSEL having a long wavelength active medium interposed between a first mirror and a second mirror, said first VCSEL emitting radiation at a first wavelength; and

a second VCSEL integral with said first VCSEL, said second VCSEL electrically pumped and emitting radiation at a second wavelength, said second wavelength shorter than said first wavelength, wherein said second VCSEL optically pumps said first VCSEL.

2. The optical device of claim 1, further comprising means for electrically modulating said second VCSEL, wherein modulation of said second VCSEL modulates said first VCSEL.

3. The optical device of claim 1, further comprising means for electrically modulating said first VCSEL.

4. The optical device of claim 1, wherein said first and second mirrors transmit radiation at said second wavelength.

5. The optical device of claim 1, wherein said first mirror transmits radiation at said second wavelength and said second mirror reflects radiation at said second wavelength.

6. The optical device of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second mirrors of said first VCSEL is formed of alternating layers of materials selected from the group consisting of gallium arsenide, aluminum arsenide, aluminum gallium arsenide, and aluminum arsenide, wherein said mirror formed of said alternating layers is wafer-fused to said long wavelength active medium.

7. The optical device of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second mirrors is a dielectric mirror.

8. The optical device of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second mirrors is formed of alternating layers of indium phosphide and indium aluminum arsenic oxide.

9. The optical device of claim 1, wherein said first VCSEL is wafer-fused to said second VCSEL.

10. The optical device of claim 1, further comprising a layer of optical adhesive, said optical adhesive at an interface between said first VCSEL and said second VCSEL.

11. The optical device of claim 1, wherein said first VCSEL is joined to said second VCSEL using metal to metal bonding.

12. The optical device of claim 11, wherein said metal to metal bond is comprised of indium containing solder.

13. The optical device of claim 1, wherein said first mirror of said first VCSEL is formed of alternating layers of gallium arsenide and aluminum arsenide, and said first mirror and said second VCSEL are grown in a single epitaxial step.

14. The optical device of claim 1, wherein said first wavelength is approximately 1300 nanometers and said second wavelength is approximately 980 nanometers.

15. The optical device of claim 1, wherein said first wavelength is approximately 1550 nanometers and said second wavelength is approximately 980 nanometers.

16. The optical device of claim 1, wherein said first VCSEL has a first optical mode with a first transverse dimension and said second VCSEL has a second optical mode with a second transverse dimension, said first transverse dimension larger than said second transverse dimension.

17. The optical device of claim 1, wherein said first VCSEL has an optical mode defined by a lateral refractive index variation.

18. The optical device of claim 17, wherein said lateral refractive index variation is formed using a technique selected from the group consisting of chemical etching, regrowth, implantation, diffusion, disordering, or selective growth.

19. The optical device of claim 1, further comprising:

a mechanical spacer interposed between said first VCSEL and said second VCSEL; and

at least one gallium arsenide microlens interposed between said first VCSEL and said second VCSEL, said microlens focussing the radiation from said second VCSEL onto said first VCSEL.

20. The optical device of claim 1, wherein said long wavelength active medium is comprised of a first plurality of second wavelength absorbing layers and a second plurality of quantum well layers.

21. An optical device, comprising:

a first array of vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs), said VCSELs of said first array having a long wavelength active medium interposed between a first mirror and a second mirror, said VCSELs of said first array emitting radiation at a first wavelength; and

a second array of VCSELs integral with said first array of VCSELS, said VCSELs of said second array electrically pumped and emitting radiation at a second wavelength, said second wavelength shorter than said first wavelength, wherein said second array optically pumps said first array.

22. A method of stimulating emission in a first vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) causing radiation at a first wavelength to be emitted by said first VCSEL, said method comprising injecting radiation into said first VCSEL at a second wavelength with a second VCSEL integral with said first VCSEL, said second wavelength shorter than said first wavelength.