Miniature self-pumped monolithically integrated solid state laser

• US 5,796,771 A
• Filed: 08/19/1996
• Issued: 08/18/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Army Department of United States, Hughes Electronics Corporation (AT&T, Inc.), Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (AT&T, Inc.), The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army, Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: DenBaars, Steven P., Church, Charles H., Zavada, John M., Speck, James S., Wilson, Robert G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Healy, Brian
• Application Number:
  US08/699,361
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 372/7, 372/10, 372/39, 372/40, 372/43, 372/50, 372/66, 372/69, 372/70, 372/71, 372/75, 372/92, 372/99, 372/68
• US Class Current: 372/75
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/025 of solid state lasers, e.g. housings or mountings
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/0627 the resonator being monolithic, e.g. microlaser
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/0933 of a semiconductor, e.g. light emitting diode
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/094084 with pump light recycling, i.e. with reinjection of the unused pump light, e.g. by reflectors or circulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/09415 the pumping beam being parallel to the lasing mode of the pumped medium, e.g. end-pumping
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/1063 using a solid state device provided with at least one potential jump barrier
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/113 using intracavity saturable absorbers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/1628 characterised by a semiconducting matrix
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/026 Monolithically integrated components, e.g. waveguides, monitoring photo-detectors, drivers stabilisation of output H01S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18341 Intra-cavity contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/34333 with a well layer based on Ga(In)N or Ga(In)P, e.g. blue laser

Abstract

The present invention is an integrated, diode laser-pumped, solid state lr which can be fabricated entirely with semiconductor fabrication techniques. The laser includes a substrate, a semiconductor light source grown over the substrate to provide pump light and a solid state laser grown over the substrate. The semiconductor light source produces pump light at a wavelength useful for pumping the solid state laser. The solid state laser includes a pump mirror transparent to the pump light, an output mirror, and a doped semiconductor layer deposited between the pump and output mirrors, the semiconductor, dielectric or polymer layer being doped with active metal ions. The pump light from the semiconductor light source is closely coupled to the solid state laser and passes through the pump mirror to pump the active metal ions.

Claims

1. An integrated solid state laser device comprising:

a substrate;

a semiconductor light source to provide pump light; and

a solid state laser positioned between the substrate and the semiconductor light source and including a layer doped with metal ions, and wherein the metal ions are pumped by pump light emitted by the semiconductor light source.

2. The laser device of claim 1, wherein the solid state laser comprises:

a pump mirror transparent to the pump light,

an output mirror, and

a semiconductor layer deposited between the pump and output mirrors, the semiconductor layer being doped with active metal ions;

wherein the pump light enters the solid state laser through the pump mirror.

3. The laser device of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor light source is a light emitting diode.

4. The laser device of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor light source is a semiconductor laser.

5. The laser device of claim 4, wherein the semiconductor light source is a vertical cavity laser comprising:

a high reflector mirror;

an output coupler; and

an active semiconductor layer between the high reflector mirror and the output coupler.

6. The laser device of claim 1, wherein the active metal ions are selected from one of the group consisting of lanthanide rare earth elements or the transition metals, erbium, neodymium, praseodymium, europium, thulium, ytterbium, cerium, titanium and chromium.

7. The laser device of claim 5, wherein the active semiconductor layer is selected from the group consisting of aluminum nitride, gallium nitride, indium nitride, aluminum gallium nitride, aluminum gallium indium nitride, gallium arsenide, aluminum gallium arsenide, aluminum gallium indium arsenide, indium arsenide, indium arsenide nitride and indium gallium arsenide nitride.

8. The laser device of claim 1, wherein the solid state laser further comprises a semiconductor Q-switch layer so as to produce Q-switched pulses from the solid state laser.

9. The laser structure of claim 1, further comprising a power supply for supplying power to the semiconductor light source.

10. The laser structure of claim 1 further comprising a pump light reflector layer to reflect pump light into the solid state laser.

11. The laser structure of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor light source comprises a first axis parallel to a primary direction of pump light emission and the solid state laser has a second axis essentially parallel to the first axis.

12. The laser structure of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor light source comprises a first axis parallel to a primary direction of pump light emission and the solid state laser has a second axis essentially perpendicular to the first axis.

13. An integrated, self-pumped laser device, comprising:

a substrate;

a vertical cavity laser on the substrate, comprising

a first mirror,

a second mirror, and

a semiconductor gain layer between the first and second mirrors, the vertical cavity laser having a first laser axis essentially perpendicular to said substrate and emitting pump light along said first laser axis; and

a solid state laser over the vertical cavity laser, comprising;

a pump mirror,

an output mirror, and

an active semiconductor layer doped with metal ions pumped by the pump light, the solid state laser having a second laser axis essentially parallel to the first laser axis.

14. The laser device of claim 13, wherein the metal ions are selected from one of the group consisting of lanthanide rare earth elements or the transition metals, erbium, neodymium, praseodymium, europium, thulium, ytterbium, cerium, titanium and chromium.

15. The laser device of claim 13, wherein the active semiconductor layer is selected from the group consisting of aluminum nitride, gallium nitride, indium nitride, aluminum gallium nitride, aluminum gallium indium nitride, gallium arsenide, aluminum gallium arsenide, aluminum gallium indium arsenide, indium arsenide, indium arsenide nitride and indium gallium arsenide nitride.

16. The laser device of claim 13, wherein the solid state laser structure further comprises a Q-switch layer so as to produce Q-switched pulses from the solid state laser structure.

17. The laser device of claim 13, wherein the solid state laser lies entirely outside the vertical cavity laser.

18. The laser device of claim 13, wherein the entire solid state laser lies between the first and second mirrors of the vertical cavity laser.

19. The laser device of claim 13, wherein at least a part of the solid state laser lies between the first and second mirrors of the vertical cavity laser.

20. The laser device of claim 13, further comprising a power supply for supplying power to the semiconductor light source.

21. The laser device of claim 13, further comprising a pump light reflector layer to reflect pump light into the solid state laser.

22. An integrated, self-pumped laser device, comprising:

a substrate;

a vertical cavity laser on the substrate, comprising

a first mirror,

a second mirror, and

a semiconductor gain layer between the first and second mirrors, the vertical cavity laser having a first laser axis essentially perpendicular to said substrate and emitting pump light along said first laser axis; and

a solid state laser over the vertical cavity laser, comprising;

a pump mirror,

an output mirror, and

an active semiconductor layer doped with metal ions pumped by the pump light, the solid state laser having a second laser axis essentially perpendicular to the first laser axis.

23. The laser device of claim 22, wherein the metal ions are selected from one of the group consisting of lanthanide rare earth elements or the transition metals, erbium, neodymium, praseodymium, europium, thulium, ytterbium, cerium, titanium and chromium.

24. The laser device of claim 22, wherein the active semiconductor layer is selected from the group consisting of aluminum nitride, gallium nitride, indium nitride, aluminum gallium nitride, aluminum gallium indium nitride, gallium arsenide, aluminum gallium arsenide, aluminum gallium indium arsenide, indium arsenide, indium arsenide nitride and indium gallium arsenide nitride.

25. The laser structure of claim 22, further comprising a power supply for supplying power to the semiconductor light source.

26. The laser structure of claim 22, further comprising a pump light reflector layer.

27. An integrated, self-pumped laser device, comprising:

a substrate;

an edge emitting semiconductor laser on the substrate, the vertical cavity laser having a first laser axis essentially parallel to said substrate and emitting pump light along the first laser axis; and

a solid state laser on the substrate adjacent the edge emitting semiconductor laser, the solid state laser comprising;

a first mirror,

an output mirror, and

an active semiconductor layer doped with metal ions pumped by the pump light,

the solid state laser having a second laser axis essentially parallel to the first laser axis.

28. The laser device of claim 27, wherein the metal ions are selected from one of the group consisting of lanthanide rare earth elements or the transition metals, erbium, neodymium, praseodymium, europium, thulium, ytterbium, cerium, titanium and chromium.

29. The laser device of claim 27, wherein the active semiconductor layer is selected from the group consisting of aluminum nitride, gallium nitride, indium nitride, aluminum gallium nitride, aluminum gallium indium nitride, gallium arsenide, aluminum gallium arsenide, aluminum gallium indium arsenide, indium arsenide, indium arsenide nitride and indium gallium arsenide nitride.

30. The laser structure of claim 27, further comprising a power supply for supplying power to the semiconductor light source.

31. The laser structure of claim 27, further comprising a pump light reflector layer to reflect pump light into the solid state laser.

32. An integrated, self-pumped laser device, comprising:

a substrate;

an edge emitting semiconductor laser on the substrate, the vertical cavity laser having a first laser axis essentially parallel to said substrate and emitting pump light along the first laser axis; and

a solid state laser on the substrate adjacent the edge emitting semiconductor laser, the solid state laser comprising;

a first mirror,

an output mirror, and

an active semiconductor layer doped with metal ions pumped by the pump light,

the solid state laser having a second laser axis essentially perpendicular to the first laser axis.

33. The laser device of claim 32, wherein the metal ions are selected from one of the group consisting of lanthanide rare earth elements or the transition metals, erbium, neodymium, praseodymium, europium, thulium, ytterbium, cerium, titanium and chromium.

34. The laser device of claim 32, wherein the active semiconductor layer is selected from the group consisting of aluminum nitride, gallium nitride, indium nitride, aluminum gallium nitride, aluminum gallium indium nitride, gallium arsenide, aluminum gallium arsenide, aluminum gallium indium arsenide, indium arsenide, indium arsenide nitride and indium gallium arsenide nitride.

35. The laser device of claim 32, wherein the solid state laser structure further comprises a Q-switch layer so as to produce Q-switched pulses from the solid state laser structure.

36. The laser structure of claim 32, further comprising a power supply for supplying power to the semiconductor light source.

37. The laser structure of claim 32, further comprising a pump light reflector layer to reflect pump light into the solid state laser.

38. An integrated solid state laser device comprising:

a substrate;

a semiconductor light source to provide pump light; and

a solid state laser coupled to the semiconductor light source, wherein the semiconductor light source is positioned between the solid state laser and the substrate, the solid state laser including a layer doped with metal ions, and wherein the metal ions are pumped by pump light emitted by the semiconductor light source.

39. The laser device of claim 38, wherein the solid state laser comprises:

a pump mirror transparent to the pump light,

an output mirror, and

a semiconductor layer deposited between the pump and output mirrors, the semiconductor layer being doped with active metal ions;

wherein the pump light enters the solid state laser through the pump mirror.

40. The laser device of claim 38, wherein the semiconductor light source is a light emitting diode.

41. The laser device of claim 38, wherein the semiconductor light source is a semiconductor laser.

42. The laser device of claim 41, wherein the semiconductor light source is a vertical cavity laser comprising:

a high reflector mirror;

an output coupler; and

an active semiconductor layer between the high reflector mirror and the output coupler.

43. The laser device of claim 38, wherein the active metal ions are selected from one of the group consisting of lanthanide rare earth elements or the transition metals, erbium, neodymium, praseodymium, europium, thulium, ytterbium, cerium, titanium and chromium.

44. The laser device of claim 42, wherein the active semiconductor layer is selected from the group consisting of aluminum nitride, gallium nitride, indium nitride, aluminum gallium nitride, aluminum gallium indium nitride, gallium arsenide, aluminum gallium arsenide, aluminum gallium indium arsenide, indium arsenide, indium arsenide nitride and indium gallium arsenide nitride.

45. The laser device of claim 38, wherein the solid state laser further comprises a semiconductor Q-switch layer so as to produce Q-switched pulses from the solid state laser.

46. The laser structure of claim 38, further comprising a power supply for supplying power to the semiconductor light source.

47. The laser structure of claim 38, further comprising a pump light reflector layer to reflect pump light into the solid state laser.

48. The laser structure of claim 38, wherein the semiconductor light source comprises a first axis parallel to a primary direction of pump light emission and the solid state laser has a second axis essentially parallel to the first axis.

49. The laser structure of claim 38, wherein the semiconductor light source comprises a first axis parallel to a primary direction of pump light emission and the solid state laser has a second axis essentially perpendicular to the first axis.