Laser with resonant reflector

• US 7,760,786 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2007
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: II-VI Delaware, Inc. (Coherent Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Finisar Corporation (II-VI Incorporated)
• Inventors: Morgan, Robert A., Strzelecki, Eva M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey; Minsun
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Phillip
• Application Number:
  US11/776,504
• Publication Number:
  US 20080037606A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• Field of Search: 372/50.124, 372/92, 372 96- 99
• US Class Current: 372/50.124
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 2301/166 Single transverse or lateral mode
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18308 having a special structure for lateral current or light confinement
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18327 Structure being part of a DBR H01S5/18391 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18358 containing spacer layers to adjust the phase of the light wave in the cavity
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18369 based on dielectric materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18377 comprising layers of different kind of materials, e.g. combinations of semiconducting with dielectric or metallic layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18388 Lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18391 Aperiodic structuring to influence the near- or far-field distribution

Abstract

A vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) is disclosed. The VCSEL includes a layer that at least partially defines an optical cavity having an optical axis. The VCSEL further includes a resonant reflector layer extending across at least part of the optical cavity. The resonant reflector layer has a refractive index that does not abruptly change laterally across the optical cavity. The refractive index of the resonant reflector layer includes contributions from a first material having a first refractive index and a second material having a second refractive index. At least one of the first material and the second material includes a polymer.

Claims

1. A vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL), comprising:

a plurality of layers that at least partially define an optical cavity having an optical axis, the plurality of layers including a top mirror layer; and

a resonant reflector layer adjacent the top mirror layer and configured to reduce a lateral mode of the optical cavity, the resonant reflector extending across at least part of the optical cavity, the resonant reflector layer having a refractive index that does not abruptly change laterally across the optical cavity, the refractive index of the resonant reflector layer including contributions from a first material having a first refractive index and a second material having a second refractive index, at least one of the first material and the second material comprising a polymer having a refractive index that is less than a refractive index of the top mirror layer.

2. The VCSEL as recited in claim 1, wherein the first material is substantially confined to a first region and the second material is substantially confined to a second region, the first region and the second region co-extending along an interface, at least part of the interface being non-parallel with respect to the optical axis.

3. The VCSEL as recited in claim 2, wherein the first region is positioned proximate a center of the optical cavity and includes lateral edges that are non-parallel with respect to the optical axis, and the second region includes lateral edges that co-extend along the lateral edges of the first region.

4. The VCSEL as recited in claim 3, wherein the lateral edges of the first region are at least partially curved.

5. The VCSEL as recited in claim 3, wherein the lateral edges of the first region are at least partially tapered.

6. The VCSEL as recited in claim 1, wherein the first refractive index is less than the second refractive index.

7. The VCSEL as recited in claim 1, wherein the first material substantially comprises AlGaAs, and the second material substantially comprises a polymer.

8. The VCSEL as recited in claim 7, wherein the polymer substantially comprises one of:

polyimide;

or, benzocyclobuthene (BCB).

9. The VCSEL as recited in claim 1, wherein a reflectivity of the resonant reflector is at a maximum in a location proximate a center of the optical cavity.

10. The VCSEL as recited in claim 1, wherein a reflectivity of the resonant reflector is substantially symmetric about a center of the optical cavity.

11. The VCSEL as recited in claim 1, further comprising an additional layer disposed on top of the resonant reflector, the additional layer comprising one of:

at least one period of a semiconductor DBR mirror;

or, a narrow band dielectric reflection filter.

12. The VCSEL as recited in claim 1, further comprising a contact layer arranged proximate a periphery of the optical cavity.

13. The VCSEL as recited in claim 1, wherein the top mirror layer has a refractive index that is greater than the first refractive index and the second refractive index.

14. The VCSEL as recited in claim 1, wherein the top mirror layer substantially comprises AlGaAs.

15. The VCSEL as recited in claim 1, wherein the polymer is a non-conductive material.