Surface emitting laser device with a vertical cavity

• US 5,781,575 A
• Filed: 01/02/1997
• Issued: 07/14/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Nilsson, Olle
• Primary Examiner(s): Bovernick, Rodney B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Song, Yisun
• Application Number:
  US08/775,886
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 372/45, 372/43, 372/33, 372/92, 372/96, 372/68, 372/50, 257/88
• US Class Current: 372/50.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/465 with a resonant cavity structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 2301/163 Single longitudinal mode
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18341 Intra-cavity contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18369 based on dielectric materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18383 with periodic active regions at nodes or maxima of light intensity
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/3095 Tunnel junction

Abstract

A surface emitting laser device with at least two active regions in one and the same optical, vertical cavity wherein the active regions are electrically connected in series.

Claims

1. A surface emitting laser device with at least two active regions in one optical cavity, the optical cavity being vertical and vertically substantially confined by or limited by two dielectrical reflecting devices, wherein a vertical optical standing wave pattern is created in the optical cavity, the active regions are electrically connected in series and arranged in horizontal planes corresponding to maximum electro-optical field strength and the voltage drop across the active regions is proportional to the number of active regions of the device, electrical contact regions are arranged in horizontal planes corresponding to minimum electro-optical field strength, and the device emits laser light generated in one single beam that comprises only one mode.

2. A device as in claim 1,

wherein the laser device is pumped electrically through a current (I) which flows vertically through the laser device via an upper and a lower contact.

3. A device as in claims 2,

wherein the electrical contact regions are arranged between the active regions.

4. A device as in claim 3,

wherein the active regions and the contact regions are perpendicular to a direction of propagation of the standing waves.

5. A device as in claim 1,

wherein the dielectrical reflecting devices comprise first and second dielectric Bragg devices.

6. A device as in claim 5, wherein the first Bragg device is partially transparent and arranged in an upper part of the device.

7. A device as in claim 6, wherein the first and as the second Bragg device are partially transparent.

8. A device as in claim 5,

wherein the second Bragg device is maximally reflecting and arranged in the lower part.

9. A device as in claim 5,

wherein the first and the second Bragg devices respectively are surrounded by upper and lower contact layers respectively whereupon at least the upper contact layer is substantially transparent.

10. A device as in claim 1,

wherein the device comprise regions.

11. A device as in claim 1,

wherein the active regions include quantum wells.

12. A device as in claim 3,

wherein the electrical contact regions are of the type of tunnel-diodes with thin, highly doped layers.

14. A device as in claim 1, wherein the laser light is emitted at a current threshold that is substantially inversely proportional to the number of active regions.

13. A surface emitting diode laser arrangement, with at least two active regions in one and the same optical cavity, the optical cavity being vertical and vertically substantially confined by two dielectrical reflecting devices, wherein a vertical optical standing wave pattern is created in the optical cavity, the active regions are electrically connected in series and arranged in horizontal planes corresponding to maximum electro-optical field strength, electrical contact regions are arranged in horizontal planes corresponding to minimum electro-optical field strength, and the arrangement emits laser light generated in one single beam that comprises only one mode.

15. A device as in claim 13, wherein the laser light is emitted at a current threshold that is substantially inversely proportional to the number of active regions.

16. A surface emitting laser device with at least two active regions in one optical cavity, the optical cavity being vertical and vertically substantially confined by two dielectrical reflecting devices, wherein a vertical optical standing wave pattern is created in the optical cavity, the active regions are electrically connected in series and arranged in horizontal planes corresponding to maximum electro-optical field strength, electrical contact regions are arranged in horizontal planes corresponding to minimum electro-optical field strength, and the device emits laser light generated in a one single beam that comprises only one mode at a current threshold that is substantially inversely proportional to the number of active regions.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the active regions are identical.

18. The device according to claim 16, wherein the impedance across the active regions for a give power is increased at the same time as the threshold current is lowered.