Resonator-enhanced optoelectronic devices and methods of making same

• US 9,354,366 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2015
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VerLASE Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: VerLASE Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Jain, Ajaykumar R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hellner, Mark
• Application Number:
  US14/665,707
• Publication Number:
  US 20150192714A1
• Time in Patent Office: 435 Days
• Field of Search: 359/344
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/20 Filters polarising elements G02B5/30
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/207 comprising semiconducting materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02327 the optical elements being integrated or being directly associated to the device, e.g. back reflectors optical coatings H01L31/0216
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/162 the light source being a semiconductor device with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier, e.g. a light emitting diode
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/502 Wavelength conversion materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/0092 Nonlinear frequency conversion, e.g. second harmonic generation [SHG] or sum- or difference-frequency generation outside the laser cavity nonlinear frequency conversion per se G02F1/35
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/082 defining a plurality of resonators, e.g. for mode selection or suppression
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0087 for illuminating phosphorescent or fluorescent materials, e.g. using optical arrangements specifically adapted for guiding or shaping laser beams illuminating these materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/10 Construction or shape of the optical resonator , e.g. extended or external cavity, coupled cavities, bent-guide, varying width, thickness or composition of the active region H01S5/20 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/1092 Multi-wavelength lasing
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/1096 in a single cavity
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/755 Nanosheet or quantum barrier/well, i.e. layer structure having one dimension or thickness of 100 nm or less
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/774 Exhibiting three-dimensional carrier confinement, e.g. quantum dots

Abstract

Optical resonators that are enhanced with photoluminescent phosphors and are designed and configured to output light at one or more wavelengths based on input/pump light, and systems and devices made with such resonators. In some embodiments, the resonators contain multiple optical resonator cavities in combination with one or more photoluminescent phosphor layers or other structures. In other embodiments, the resonators are designed to simultaneously resonate at the input/pump and output wavelengths. The photoluminescent phosphors can be any suitable photoluminescent material, including semiconductor and other materials in quantum-confining structures, such as quantum wells and quantum dots, among others.

Claims

1. A method of forming an optical resonator system designed and configured to receive input light of a first wavelength and output output light of a second wavelength, wherein the first and second wavelengths differ from one another, the method comprising:

arranging a plurality of reflectors to define a plurality of optical resonator cavities configured as a function of the input light and the output light;

locating a photoluminescent layer between a pair of the plurality of reflectors, wherein the photoluminescent layer is selected to photoluminesce in the presence of the input light.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said arranging a plurality of reflectors and said locating a photoluminescent layer include making the plurality of reflectors and the photoluminescent layer monolithic with one another.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said arranging a plurality of reflectors and said locating a photoluminescent layer include not making the plurality of reflectors and the photoluminescent layer monolithic with one another.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said arranging the plurality of reflectors includes forming a plurality of distributed Bragg reflectors using thin films and configuring the plurality of distributed Bragg reflectors as a function of the input light and the output light.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said arranging the plurality of reflectors includes forming a plurality of non distributed Bragg reflectors using thin films and configuring the plurality of non distributed Bragg reflectors as a function of the input light and the output light.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said arranging the plurality of reflectors includes arranging the plurality of reflectors so that at least one of the plurality of optical resonator cavities resonates at the first wavelength and not at the second wavelength.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said arranging the plurality of reflectors includes arranging the plurality of reflectors so that at least one of the plurality of optical resonator cavities resonates at the second wavelength and not at the first wavelength.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said arranging the plurality of reflectors includes arranging the plurality of reflectors so that the plurality of optical resonator cavities are spaced from one another.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said arranging the plurality of reflectors includes arranging the plurality of reflectors so that the plurality of optical resonator cavities are optically coupled in series with one another.

10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising making each of the plurality of optical resonator cavities a thin-film cavity.

11. A method according to claim 1, further comprising making each of the plurality of optical resonator cavities a thick-film cavity.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein said arranging the plurality of reflectors includes arranging the plurality of reflectors so that at least one of the optical resonator cavities resonates simultaneously at the first wavelength and the second wavelength.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein said locating the photoluminescent layer includes providing a phosphor layer.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein said locating the phosphor layer includes providing a quantum-confining layer.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein said providing the quantum-confining layer includes providing a II-VI semiconductor material layer.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein said providing the quantum-confining layer includes providing a III-V semiconductor material layer.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein said providing the quantum-confining layer includes providing a layer comprising indium gallium nitride.

18. A method according to claim 14, wherein said providing the quantum-confining layer includes providing at least one quantum well layer.

19. A method according to claim 14, wherein said providing the quantum-confining layer includes providing at least one quantum dot layer.

20. A method according to claim 1, wherein said providing the photoluminescent layer includes providing a photoluminescent layer having intentionally varying thickness selected so that the optical resonator outputs light at multiple wavelengths.

21. A method according to claim 1, wherein said arranging the plurality of reflectors includes arranging the plurality of reflectors so that at least one of the plurality of optical resonator cavities is tuned to produce an internal standing wave having antinode locations within that at least one of the plurality of optical resonator cavities, and said locating the photoluminescent layer includes locating at least one quantum-confining sub-layer at at least one of the antinode locations.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein said locating the at least one quantum-confining sub-layer includes providing a quantum-well layer.

23. A method according to claim 21, further comprising providing a barrier layer between one of the plurality of reflectors and the at least one quantum-confining sub-layer, wherein the barrier layer participates as a component of that one of the plurality of reflectors.

24. A method according to claim 21, wherein said locating the at least one quantum-confining sub-layer includes providing a semiconductor material.

25. A method according to claim 21, wherein said locating the at least one quantum-confining sub-layer includes providing a II-IV semiconductor material.

26. A method according to claim 21, wherein said locating the at least one quantum-confining sub-layer includes providing a III-V semiconductor material.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein said providing the III-V semiconductor material includes providing indium gallium nitride.

28. A method according to claim 1, further comprising providing the photoluminescent layer with a substantially uniform thickness selected to output photoluminescent light across a band of wavelengths having a width less than about 50 nm.

29. A method according to claim 1, further comprising providing the photoluminescent layer with a varying thickness selected to output photoluminescent light across a band of wavelengths having a width greater than about 50 nm.

30. A method according to claim 1, further comprising locating a plurality of photoluminescent layers, respectively, within the plurality of optical resonator cavities, wherein the plurality of photoluminescent layers have substantially the same thickness as one another.

31. A method according to claim 1, further comprising locating a plurality of photoluminescent layers, respectively, within the plurality of optical resonator cavities, wherein the plurality of photoluminescent layers have substantially different thicknesses relative to one another.

32. A method according to claim 1, further comprising providing a light source adjacent to at least one of the plurality of optical resonator cavities.

33. A method according to claim 1, further comprising forming the plurality of reflectors and the photoluminescent layer so that they are monolithic with one another.

34. A method according to claim 1, further comprising tuning the optical resonator system to output light equivalent in intensity and quality to the light output of a light emitting diode.

35. A method according to claim 1, further comprising tuning the optical resonator system to output light equivalent in intensity and quality to the light output of a visible-light emitting diode.

36. A method according to claim 1, further comprising tuning the optical resonator system to output light equivalent in intensity and quality to the light output of a green light emitting diode.

37. A method according to claim 1, further comprising tuning the optical resonator system to output light equivalent in intensity and quality to the light output of a laser diode.

38. A method according to claim 1, further comprising tuning the optical resonator system to output light equivalent in intensity and quality to the light output of a visible laser diode.

39. A method according to claim 1, further comprising tuning the optical resonator system to output light equivalent in intensity and quality to the light output of a green laser diode.

40. A method according to claim 1, further comprising tuning the optical resonator system to output light equivalent in intensity and quality to the light output of a polariton light emitting diode.

41. A method according to claim 1, further comprising tuning the optical resonator system to output light equivalent in intensity and quality to the light output of a polariton laser diode.

42. A method according to claim 1, further comprising tuning the optical resonator system to output light equivalent in intensity and quality to the light output of a vertical cavity surface emitting laser.

43. A method according to claim 1, further comprising configuring the plurality of optical resonator cavities so that ones of the plurality optical resonator cavities function, respectively, as a red downconverter, a green downconverter, and a blue downconverter.

44. A method according to claim 1, further comprising configuring the optical resonator system to output light of a first wavelength in response to receiving the input light of a second wavelength different from the first wavelength and to resonate at each of the first and second wavelengths simultaneously.