Tunable controlled laser array
First Claim
1. An optical transmission apparatus comprising:
- an array of lasers;
an optical output;
an array of mirrors, each mirror being movable such that light from a laser from the array of lasers directed to a mirror of the array of mirrors is directed to the optical output;
comprising an array of positioning elements, each positioning element coupled to a corresponding mirror of the array of mirrors wherein each positioning element is configured to move the corresponding mirror from a first position to a second position and from the second position to the first position; and
wherein the positioning element comprises an actuator and a spring.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A semiconductor laser capable of emitting in any one of standard communication wavelengths is of great practical value. To this end, a single semiconductor chip is fabricated on which many different distributed feedback (DFB) lasers are integrated. The device parameters of the different DFB lasers are varied such that each laser emits at a different wavelength. In addition a micro-mechanical optical element is packaged with the laser array, such that the position of the optical element controls which laser stripe is coupled to the output fiber. The micro-mechanical element or switch in various embodiments is a sliding waveguide, a movable lens, or a mirror that tilts. By selecting the particular DFB laser, controlling the temperature to fine tune the wavelength, and adjusting the position of the micro-mechanical optical element, the output wavelength is set to one of many communication wavelengths.
-
Citations
35 Claims
-
1. An optical transmission apparatus comprising:
-
an array of lasers;
an optical output;
an array of mirrors, each mirror being movable such that light from a laser from the array of lasers directed to a mirror of the array of mirrors is directed to the optical output;
comprising an array of positioning elements, each positioning element coupled to a corresponding mirror of the array of mirrors wherein each positioning element is configured to move the corresponding mirror from a first position to a second position and from the second position to the first position; and
wherein the positioning element comprises an actuator and a spring. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. An optical transmission apparatus comprising:
-
an array of single wavelength lasers on a semiconductor substrate, each laser emitting light at a specific wavelength as determined by dimensional variables of each laser;
a lens collimating light from a laser in the array of lasers;
an optical output; and
a moveabe mirror, the mirror not a diffractive grating, the mirror being moveable to receive the light collimated by the lens from any of a plurality of lasers in the array of lasers, the mirror reflecting the light back to the lens, which passes the light to the optical output. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. An optical transmission apparatus comprising:
-
an array of single wavelength lasers on a semiconductor substrate, each laser emitting light at a specific wavelength as determined by dimensional variables, of each laser;
an optical output; and
a mirror, the mirror not a diffractive grating, moveable to reflect light at normal incidence from any one of a plurality of lasers in the array of lasers to the optical output. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. An optical transmission apparatus comprising:
-
an array of lasers;
an optical output path for receiving light from a laser in the array of lasers; and
a moveable optical element with a portion of volume in the optical element evacuated to form a first reflective surface and a second reflective surface, the optical element moveable to reflect light from any one of a plurality of lasers in the array of lasers from the first reflective surface to the second reflective surface to the optical output path; and
wherein the optical element is moveable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the array of lasers. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 32)
-
-
28. An optical transmission apparatus comprising:
-
an array of lasers;
a focusing lens;
a moveable platform;
a first mirror and a second mirror coupled to the movable platform, the first and second mirror being separated and angled in opposite directions relative to each other, such that the first mirror reflects light from at least one laser from the array of lasers to the second mirror that reflects light to a focusing lens;
wherein the first mirror is translatable in a first direction; and
wherein the first direction is substantially perpendicular to the array of lasers. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
-
-
31. An optical transmission apparatus comprising:
-
an array of lasers;
an array of lenses, each lens in the array of lenses corresponding to each laser in the array of lasers, and collimating light from the corresponding laser;
a lens focusing light reflected by the second mirror into an optical output; and
first mirror and a second mirror, the first mirror having a fixed position relative to the array of lasers and receiving collimated light from the array of lasers, the second mirror moveable to couple light reflected by the first mirror to the lens, with two opposite sloped sides, such that one mirror reflects light from at least one laser from the array of lasers to the other mirror that reflects light to the lens. - View Dependent Claims (33)
-
-
34. An optical transmission apparatus, comprising:
-
an array of single wavelength lasers on a semiconductor substrate, each laser emitting light at a specific wavelength as determined by a grating fabricated within each laser;
a lens positioned to focus an optical beam from the array of lasers;
an optical element moveable to receive the focused optical beam from one of the array of lasers and to direct the focused optical beam into an optical output path; and
wherein the optical element is a moveable mirror, the lens has a back focal plane, and the mirror is disposed in the back focal plane of the lens. - View Dependent Claims (35)
-
Specification