U.S. patent application number 12/629333 was filed with the patent office on 2010-11-04 for optical phase conjugation laser diode.
Invention is credited to Joseph Reid Henrichs.
Application Number | 20100279446 12/629333 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36944095 |
Filed Date | 2010-11-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100279446 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Henrichs; Joseph Reid |
November 4, 2010 |
OPTICAL PHASE CONJUGATION LASER DIODE
Abstract
A phase-conjugating resonator that includes a semiconductor
laser diode apparatus that comprises a phase-conjugating array of
retro-reflecting hexagon apertured hexahedral shaped corner-cube
prisms, an electrically and/or optically pumped gain-region, a
distributed bragg reflecting mirror-stack, a gaussian mode
providing hemispherical shaped laser-emission-output metalized
mirror. Wherein, optical phase conjugation is used to neutralize
the phase perturbating contribution of spontaneous-emission,
acoustic phonons, quantum-noise, gain-saturation, diffraction, and
other intracavity aberrations and distortions that typically
destabilize any stimulated-emission made to undergo amplifying
oscillation within the inventions phase-conjugating resonator.
Resulting in stablized high-power laser-emission-output into a
single low-order fundamental transverse cavity mode and reversal of
intra-cavity chirp that provides for high-speed internal modulation
capable of transmitting data at around 20-Gigabits/ps.
Inventors: |
Henrichs; Joseph Reid;
(Lee's Summit, MO) |
Correspondence
Address: |
K&L GATES LLP
210 SIXTH AVENUE
PITTSBURGH
PA
15222-2613
US
|
Family ID: |
36944095 |
Appl. No.: |
12/629333 |
Filed: |
December 2, 2009 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
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Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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12009755 |
Jan 22, 2008 |
7738522 |
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12629333 |
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11074342 |
Mar 7, 2005 |
7376169 |
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12009755 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
438/31 ;
257/E33.01; 257/E33.067; 977/755; 977/774 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01S 5/02212 20130101;
H01S 5/34306 20130101; H01S 5/3054 20130101; H01S 5/0264 20130101;
H01S 2301/18 20130101; H01S 5/145 20130101; H01S 5/0261 20130101;
H01S 5/18391 20130101; B82Y 20/00 20130101; H01S 5/0262 20130101;
H01S 5/18308 20130101; H01S 5/18388 20130101; H01S 5/18319
20130101; H01S 5/0207 20130101; H01S 5/305 20130101; H01S 5/02251
20210101; H01S 5/18358 20130101; H01S 3/10076 20130101; H01S
5/04257 20190801 |
Class at
Publication: |
438/31 ; 977/774;
977/755; 257/E33.01; 257/E33.067 |
International
Class: |
H01L 33/04 20100101
H01L033/04; H01L 33/10 20100101 H01L033/10 |
Claims
1. An optical phase conjugating laser diode, comprising: a) a
stimulated-emission source of photons, defining a gain-medium for
the optical phase conjugating resonant-cavity of said laser; b)
providing for an optical feedback, using a pseudo phase-conjugating
corner-cube array as first reflector, a distributed bragg
mirror-stack as second reflector, and a gaussian mode providing
laser-emission-mirror as third reflector, defining a fundimental
transverse mode for said cavity of said laser; c) providing for an
electrical pumping source, defining an energy source for pumping
said gain-region of said laser, whereby, said phase-conjugation
provides for a high-power laser-emission-output into a single
fundamental transverse spatial cavity mode of said cavity, and
whereby, said phase-conjugation provides for a neutralization of
the perturbation causing contribution of spontaneous emission.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Not Applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not Applicable
INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT
DISC
[0003] Not Applicable
REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX
[0004] Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0005] 1. Field of the Invention
[0006] This invention relates generally to semiconductor "Laser
Diode" (LD) devices, and more specifically to broad-area
"Edge-Emitting Laser" (EEL) diode and broad-area "Surface-Emitting
Laser" (SEL) diode devices.
[0007] 2. Description of Related Art
[0008] Semiconductor laser diodes, as coherent light sources, have
been adopted for a large variety of different applications in a
remarkably short amount of time; e.g., for use in "Gigabit Ethernet
Local Area Network" (GELAN) applications. Almost all semiconductor
laser diodes in common use today can be divided into two main
design categories:
[0009] (i) "Edge-Emitting Laser" (EEL) diode designs, and
[0010] (ii) "Surface-Emitting Laser" (SEL) diode designs.
[0011] Regardless current market successes, semiconductor laser
diodes, because they typically exhibit a high-degree of
`Inhomogeneous Broadening`, have an uncertain future in several
high-value market applications. This is particularly true for SEL
based laser diode configurations; e.g., such as the "Vertical
Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser" (VCSEL). Further, inhomogeneous
broadening occurs when the environment or properties of particles
in an emitting sample are non-identical. Moreover, for all
semiconductor-based material, the presence of imperfections and
impurities within crystalline structures alters the physical
environment of the atoms that make up their crystalline structure
from one lattice site to another. The random distribution of
lattice point environments leads ultimately to a distribution of
particles whose center frequencies are shifted in a random way
throughout the crystalline lattice of semiconductor material used
in the construction of laser diode devices (particularly a laser
diode's gain-region), which results in an inhomogeneously broadened
gain of the laser diode's gain-medium.
[0012] Additionally, when any particular semiconductor material,
being crystalline in its molecular structure, has introduced to it
an electromagnetic field (e.g., during electrical pumping), the
crystallographic organizing molecules that comprise the
semiconductor material begin to oscillate, which in turn results in
the formation of acoustic packets of discrete energy (called
phonons). Further, the collisions of phonons with particles that
comprise a semiconductor's underlying crystalline lattice results
in the perturbation for the phase of excited emissions present
within same material; e.g., excited emissions such as
"Spontaneous-Emission" (SE) and "Stimulated-Emission" (STE).
[0013] Consequently, when phonons collide with SE present with the
semiconductor it undergoes a perturbation of its phase, which
results in it becomes arbitrarily distributed relative to the laser
field (stimulated emission), which in turn causes the oscillating
STE undergoing amplification (via resonance) within the cavity of
the laser diode, to destabilize; thereby, causing all kinds of
instabilities to manifest for the laser-emission-output.
[0014] Consequently, parameters such as `low threshold current` and
`slope efficiency` are commonly used as performance indicators in
order to help laser diode designers to determine the degree of
instability that is or might be present within any particular laser
diode device. Further, low threshold current is a particularly
important parameter to strive and watch for in semiconductor laser
diodes because it reduces the total input electrical power that is
not being converted into laser radiation; wherein, threshold
current density depends upon the two things:
[0015] The configuration of a laser diode's resonator (i.e., via
mirror and/or facet reflectivities, cavity length, confinement
factor, and active-layer thickness), and
[0016] The configuration of a laser diode's gain-region and
construction material used (i.e., via gain coefficient,
carrier-density at transparency, carrier decay-rates). In terms of
the latter, a quantum-well comprised gain-medium is found to be
better (i.e., more efficient) than a bulk comprised gain-medium,
while a gain-medium comprising a strain-layer quantum-well is even
more efficient than an unstrained one.
[0017] Moreover, the slope efficiency, which is the laser
efficiency excluding the injection power needed to achieve
threshold, is typically high in semiconductor laser diodes when
compared to other types of lasers. For, example quantum-well laser
slope efficiencies typically equal around 50%. This translates to
1-photon produced for every 2-injection electrons, after threshold
is reached. This is an impressive number, which makes semiconductor
laser diodes competitive in many opto-electrical applications. It
is also an interesting number because it indicates an efficient
extraction of electrical power that is only possible when the laser
field is able to interact with essentially the entire carrier
distribution. In other words, a quantum-well comprised
semiconductor gain-medium saturates more or less homogeneously,
even though its band structure contributes large inhomogeneous
broadening.
[0018] Moreover, please note that at high injection current
semiconductor laser diodes comprising quantum-well gain-mediums
show noticeable gain roll-over. Heating of the laser diode appears
to be the culprit behind this particular degradation because the
degree of roll-over is proportional to pulse duration, i.e. a
longer pulse duration equals a lower threshold for the gain
roll-over. Laser performance can also degrade with increasing
ambient temperature.
[0019] Moreover, regarding the increasing ambient temperature, the
degradation is specifically in the increase in lasing threshold.
Therefore, we can quantify the temperature sensitivity of the
semiconductor laser diode by a T.sub.0 parameter, which is given
as
I th ( T 2 ) = I th ( T 1 ) exp [ T 2 - T 1 T 0 ] ( 1 )
##EQU00001##
wherein, I.sub.th(T.sub.1) and I.sub.th(T.sub.2) are the threshold
currents at temperatures T.sub.1 and T.sub.2, respectively. At
present, high T.sub.0 laser diodes tend to be configured as single
"Graded-Index" (GRIN) quantum-well comprising laser diode devices.
Further, the previously mentioned graded-index structure helps to
capture and trap injected carriers in the active-region of the
laser diode, and this is especially important at high temperature
levels where the injection electrons are, on the average, much more
energetic than normal. Consequently, the quantum-well structure
itself also helps in increasing T.sub.0, because of its two
dimensional band structure, which makes laser performance less
sensitive to the changes in the carrier energy distributions with
temperature, more than the three dimensional structure typically
exhibited by bulk-area semiconductor gain media. Additionally, the
value of T.sub.0 will vary from around 70.degree. Celsius for
bulk-area comprised semiconductor laser-diodes, and to as high as
over 250.degree. Celsius for quantum-well comprised semiconductor
laser diodes.
[0020] Additionally, the implication from the high slope efficiency
that semiconductor laser diodes saturate homogeneously would not be
surprising except that spectral data indicate differently. The
spectral data for the semiconductor laser diode teaches us that
increasing amounts of current injection will result in multimode
emission close to threshold. Further, multimode emission results
when high rates of semiconductor spontaneous-emission leads to
relatively high intensities of "Amplified Spontaneous-Emission"
(ASE) modes occurring below the lasing threshold of the laser
diode.
[0021] While, in contrast, the spectrum for the laser diode becomes
single mode at even higher current levels because of mode
competition. It is interesting to note that the laser diode's
spectrum reverts back to multi-mode emission output at even higher
current levels. This multi-longitudinal mode behavior is called
spectral mode hopping by those well versed in the art, and is only
possible for an inhomogeneously broadened gain-medium.
[0022] Moreover, this type of behavior does not occur for VCSEL
diodes. VCSEL diodes, regardless of the fact that they are "High-Q
Cavity" (HQC) lasers (i.e., having a short cavity length dimension
that typically equals one emission wavelength), just like all other
semiconductor based laser diodes they too comprise of an
inhomogeneously broadened gain-medium, but since they exhibit
single longitudinal laser-emission-output the instability exhibits
itself as a different kind of behavior. Moreover, for the VCSEL
diode, an inhomogeneously broadened gain results instead, in an
unstable state of polarity for it's laser-emission-output.
[0023] Furthermore, the polarity switching behavior occurs at
different input current levels; whereby, the exhibited state of
laser emission polarity undergoes a flip/flop switch like change
from one particular state of linear polarity to an opposed one.
This makes it practically impossible for the VCSEL diode to be used
in polarity sensitive applications like magneto-optic high-density
data storage.
[0024] Since most types of lasers may be unambiguously classified
as being either homogeneously or inhomogeneously broadened, the
dual character exhibited by the semiconductor laser diode makes its
particular physics interesting and somewhat complicated. Further,
in order to know the ultimate linewidth of any semiconductor laser
diode we most account for fluctuations made to occur in the laser
field by the presence of spontaneous-emission within the laser's
resonating cavity.
[0025] The addition of a spontaneously emitted photon, which has an
arbitrary phase relative to that of the laser-field, results in a
random walk-off for the tip of the laser-field vector. The field
amplitude remains at essentially the square of the photon number,
while the phase fluctuates freely, eventually assuming all values
between 0 and 2.pi.. The diffusion of phase leads to a vanishing
laser field-vector sum, and the rate of decay of the ensemble
average of the field-vector is a measure of the
spontaneous-emission linewidth of the laser diode. According to
this picture, the laser linewidth is given by the Schawlow-Townes
formula, which is given as
.DELTA. .upsilon. S - T = A n ss ( 2 ) ##EQU00002##
where A is the spontaneous-emission coefficient into the lasing
mode and n.sub.ss is the steady-state photon number of the lasing
mode.
[0026] In Addition, the linewidth of the semiconductor laser diode
has a contribution that comes from fluctuations in the refractive
index caused by fluctuations in the carrier-density. Further,
because of gain-clamping, intensity fluctuations have negligible
direct effect on the linewidth; however, they do cause fluctuations
in the carrier-density. Since the refractive index change due to
carrier-density at the gain-peak is large in a semiconductor
gain-medium, the density fluctuations cause substantial index
fluctuations, which, in turn, lead to fluctuations in phase.
Moreover, resulting in the following increase in the fundamental
laser linewidth, which is given as
.DELTA..upsilon.=(1+.alpha..sup.2).DELTA..upsilon..sub.S-T (3)
[0027] where .alpha. is the linewidth-enhancement factor, which is
a measure of the change in the medium refractive for a
corresponding change in the laser diode's gain. Hence, intensity
fluctuations contribute indirectly to the linewidth, even though
their direct contribution is negligible. Further, in two-level
media, the indirect contribution is also negligible, since the
change in the index of refraction goes through zero at the
gain-maximum. Zero thus multiplies the change in saturation caused
by intensity fluctuations, unless the laser diode is forced to
operate away from the gain-maximum.
[0028] For EEL diodes, the laser field is index guided by the
diode's heterostructure in the transverse ({circumflex over (x)})
direction. Wherein, the optical guide is usually made sufficiently
narrow to support only one transverse mode. Since the required
guide thickness is approximately 1-.mu.m, the transverse beam
divergence may be as large as 30.degree.. However, one should
remember that if the laser field is diffraction limited in this
direction, in principle it may be collimated, expanded, focused,
etc. to any desired shape with conventional optics. Of course,
doing so may be impractical because the needed optical elements are
likely to be considerably larger than the laser diode.
[0029] In the lateral (y) direction, the optical-field confinement
is often weaker, leading to substantial astigmatism in the
laser-emission-output. Single-mode operation is still possible with
a narrow gain or index stripe width. However, for high-power
operation, the lateral dimension has to be wide in order to prevent
material damage due to high optical intensities. The lateral mode
profile then depends more on the gain medium than is the case with
the transverse mode profile, and that a wide stripe laser diode
usually operates multimode. Further, the onset of multimode
operation is hastened by self-focusing, which is caused by the
saturation of the carrier-induced refractive index change.
[0030] Moreover, in order to promote a better understand of the
self-focusing effect, we should first look at the reverse, which is
where a low laser intensity profile results instead, in a lack of
gain-saturation, which provides for a carrier distribution that is
made to follow the injection current distribution. To put it more
succinctly, when the carrier-induced refractive index is made to
decrease with increasing carrier density, then the resulting
refractive index distribution tends to defocus the laser field,
i.e. commonly referred to as the anti-guiding effect.
[0031] Contrariwise, owing to the more typical occurrence of
gain-saturation, a spatial hole is burned into the center of the
distribution by the laser field. This, as a direct consequence of
gain-saturation, leads to the formation of concentric variations in
the refractive index distribution, which, in turn, results in the
self-focusing of the laser field. Consequently, the resultant
focused laser field burns a deeper hole in the carrier
distribution, which, in turn, further leads to even more focusing,
i.e. this is commonly referred to as the self-focusing effect.
Eventually the self-focusing is balanced by diffraction and gain to
provide for a final intensity profile that comprises of several
narrow `bumps` (i.e., commonly referred to as filaments).
[0032] Typically, filamentation makes a noise contribution that
keeps laser diodes suffering from it from being utilized in current
application. However, for a laser diode that has a large area
gain-volume, the self-focusing effect causing filamentation, being
comprised as having a very high-intensity optical field, would most
likely introduce what is commonly called "Catastrophic Optical
Damage" (COD) to the laser diode's molecular structure, causing it
to fail entirely. Filamentation is just one instability made to
occur when spontaneous-emission makes its phase perturbating
contribution to resonant laser fields.
[0033] Prior art teaches hundreds of semiconductor laser diode
resonators that fail to completely neutralize any one particular
instability, the reason simply being, because these resonators
still harbored within themselves the destabilizing phase
perturbating effects contributed by spontaneous-emission. These
resonator designs, some of which are described below in much
detail, failed because they were designed to treat one, maybe two,
particular instabilities rather than the cause of the
destabilization.
[0034] In a contrariwise fashion, my "Optical Phase Conjugation
Laser Diode" (OPCLD) invention, by utilizing `optical phase
conjugation` neutralizes the instability seeded phase perturbations
that both spontaneous-emission and acoustic-phonons contribute to
stimulated-emission undergoing resonant amplification. Therefore,
my OPCLD invention, in stark contrast to prior art, eliminates the
cause of destabilization in order to successfully effect a
homogenous broadening of the gain for the semi-conductor laser
diode.
[0035] In the following paragraphs there is contained much,
relevant prior art that teaches several examples of resonator
designs that effect some degree of resonance stabilization for
current laser diodes. However, because these approaches fail to
neutralize the arbitrary phase instability contributed to resonance
by the acoustic phonons and the spontaneous-emission that occur
within all semiconductor laser diodes, they fail to stabilize the
amplified resonance of intracavity stimulated-emission, which is
seriously degrading the performance of current laser diodes.
[0036] Take for example, the resonator of a typical VCSEL, where
its gain-region is reconfigured to be physically longer along its
lateral direction, while being made physically shorter along its
transverse direction (e.g., forming either a rectangular or
elliptical shaped gain-region), which theoretically provides more
gain to one opposed polarity orientation over another. For more
details, please see--Krassimir Panajotov et al., "Polarization
behavior and mode structure of Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting
Lasers with elliptical surface relief," published in Vertical
Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers VII, Proceedings of SPIE, Vol. 4994,
pp. 127-138, (2003).
[0037] Unfortunately, even after being redesigned to provide for a
laser-emission-output that exhibits a stable polarity, the VCSEL
still suffers from the same polarity switching instability problem
it did before being redesigned. The real cause behind the VCSEL's
failure to stabilize the polarity of its stimulated-emission output
lies not within what is probably misconstrued as being an
unfortunately redesigned laser diode resonator, but rather, lies
within the arbitrary phase contribution of intracavity
spontaneous-emission. For more details regarding the
polarity-switching problem sometimes experienced by VCSELs. For
more details, please see--R. P. van Extor, "Characterizing and
understanding VCSEL polarization noise," Proceedings of SPIE, Vol.
3946, pp 58-68, 26-28 Jan. (2000).
[0038] Furthermore, now that we have established and identified the
root cause of instabilities responsible for lowing the performance
of semiconductor laser diodes, lets focus more specifically upon
the relevant Prior art. Prior art is filled with examples of
Edge-Emitting based Laser diode designs, which are described as
having a semiconductor-comprised gain-medium, for example a
quantum-well semiconductor gain structure that is formed
epitaxially upon an upturned surface of a semiconductor substrate
wafer. Whereby, two cavity forming mirrors are created, not
epitaxially grown (i.e., internal light reflecting cleaved facets
form along crystalligerous striations as the result of an entire
wafer being diced into individual EEL devices), when individual
EELs are diced for electronic component packaging.
[0039] Generally, the two total internal reflection edge facets are
positioned on opposite sides of a semiconductor comprised
gain-region along angles that are perpendicular to the substrate
wafer's outermost surfaces, which altogether forms a resonant
cavity. Electrical and/or optical pumping of the gain-medium will
generate amplified photonic radiation, which is made to propagate
(i.e., intracavity photonic radiation undergoes oscillation made to
build into resonantly amplified laser-emission-output) in a
direction that runs parallel along the plane of the substrate
wafer.
[0040] Moreover, edge-emitting laser diodes are among the most
common semiconductor laser diode devices currently produced.
Available commercially as individual laser diodes, laser diodes
combined into a transceiver package (i.e., having a combined
photo-detector and internally modulated laser diode transmitter
based semiconductor comprised integrated circuit structure), and as
linear-bar laser diode arrays. The linear-bar laser diode arrays
are used, for example, as an optical pump source for pumping
solid-state lasers in order to provide for high-power
laser-emission-output levels (e.g., 1 to 100 Watts) greater than a
few hundred milliwatts. Many adaptations of the edge-emitting laser
will typically operate in high-order spatial modes and at multiple
frequencies. This prevents their use in applications, which require
high-power laser-emission output into a single transverse spatial
cavity mode at a single frequency.
[0041] Furthermore, EELs exhibit a significant degree of
astigmatism, and a beam aspect ratio that is generally large making
it difficult to focus the beam to a small spot size preventing EELs
from being used in those applications that require a focused beam
output. Further, poor beam quality in EELs also makes frequency
doubling of the laser-emission-output, using nonlinear optical
materials, difficult and inefficient. Further, EELs, because of
their much longer cavity lengths and significantly larger
gain-volumes, can only be internally modulated at around
2.3-Gbits/ps before they begin to suffer significantly from
dispersive pulse broadening effects, which has prevented them from
being used in applications requiring a high-degree of internal
modulation for the laser-emission-output transmission of data
signals.
[0042] VCSELs on the other hand, due to their reduced threshold
current, circular output beam, inexpensive high-volume manufacture,
and high-rates of internal modulation (typically >5-Gbits per
second), VCSELs are today, particularly suitable for the multimode
optical fiber that typically comprises today's "Local Area
Networks" (LANs). Widely adapted for LANs are the selectively
oxidized VCSEL diodes, which use an oxide aperture located within
its vertical cavity to produce strong electrical and optical
confinement, enabling high electrical-to-optical conversion
efficiency, however, a design strategy that only provides minimal
modal discrimination--allowing emission into multiple transverse
spatial modes.
[0043] Because, multimode configured fiber spans, such as the kind
utilized in many of today's enterprise-wide LAN and Data-Center
topologies, are configured to never exceed a few hundred meters in
length, the multi-mode signals they carry do not undergo signal
attenuation or data loss. Therefore, the typical multi-mode VCSEL
diode has made an ideal coherent light source for these multi mode
LAN topologies; moreover, resulting in the VCSEL capturing more
than 70% total market share for semiconductor laser diodes used in
Datacom applications. However, VCSELs that emit into a single
transverse spatial mode are increasingly being sought-out for
emerging high-value applications, including:
[0044] Data communication using single-mode optical fiber;
[0045] Barcode scanning;
[0046] Laser printing;
[0047] Optical read/write data-heads;
[0048] Long-Haul Telecommunications and Datacom transmission;
[0049] Modulation Spectroscopy; and
[0050] "Fiber to the Home" (FTTH) compliant transmitters.
[0051] However, because selectively oxidized based VCSEL diode
designs exhibit a high-degree of index confinement, stable single
low-order transverse spatial mode operation in selectively oxidized
VCSELs is a challenging task at best. VCSELs are typically designed
and constructed to have optical cavity lengths approximately one
wavelength of a desired laser-emission-output (i.e., making the
VCSEL a `High-Q Cavity` laser diode design). This short cavity
length in turn produces widely spaced resonance nodes, causing the
VCSEL diode to operate within a much-desired single longitudinal
optical-mode (i.e., giving the appearance of having a homogeneously
broadened gain for the VCSEL).
[0052] However, because their cavity diameter dimensions (i.e.,
5-.mu.m to 20-.mu.m) are relatively large compared to their cavity
lengths, these laser diodes usually (i.e., typically the diameter
size of a VCSEL's resonating optical cavity will not exceed
13-.mu.m, which is about twelve times greater than a single
wavelength of the laser-emission-output by the device) operate in
multiple transverse spatial modes (i.e., generally called multimode
operation); moreover, each additional transverse spatial mode
possess an unique wavelength, polarization, and what is commonly
called a transverse spatial profile (i.e., sometimes generally
called a beam intensity pattern). For applications requiring small
spot size and high spectral purity, lasing into a single transverse
cavity mode, usually the lowest-order fundamental mode (i.e.,
TEM.sub.00), is necessary.
[0053] In general, low-order fundamental transverse cavity mode
laser-emission output for a selectively oxidized VCSEL is attained
by providing optical loss to higher-order transverse cavity modes.
By selectively creating optical loss for the higher-order modes, we
provide modal discrimination, which consequently leads to a VCSELs
operation in a single transverse cavity mode. Strategies for
producing VCSELs that operate in a single transverse cavity mode
have been developed.
[0054] However, because these strategies are based upon either an
introduction of loss being made relatively greater for higher-order
cavity modes, and thereby, will provide for an increased gain for
low-order fundamental transverse cavity modes. In addition, there
is an alternative approach to providing loss to higher-order cavity
modes, and that is to provide gain directly for the low-order
fundamental transverse cavity modes instead.
[0055] Furthermore, increased modal loss provided for higher-order
cavity modes has been successfully demonstrated using three
different design approaches, which first includes a modal
discrimination technique that uses an etched-surface relief located
on the periphery of the top facet that selectively reduces the
reflectivity of the top mirror for higher-order transverse optical
modes. The advantage of this technique is that the ring located
around the edge of the cavity, etched in the top quarter-wave
mirror stack assembly can be produced during the VCSEL's initial
fabrication by conventional dry-etching, or it can be post
processed on a completed VCSEL die using focused ion-beam etching.
A disadvantage, however, is that the etched relief requires careful
alignment to the oxide aperture or it could greatly result in an
increase of optical scattering loss for the fundamental transverse
cavity modes, as manifested by the relatively low (i.e., less than
4-mW) single-mode laser-emission output powers that have been
reported.
[0056] Consequently, it would be more desirable to introduce
mode-selective loss into the VCSEL's structure during its epitaxial
deposition to avoid extra fabrication steps and self-alignment
problems. Two such techniques use tapered oxide current apertures
and extended optical cavities within the VCSEL laser diode
respectively. The first approach, pursued extensively at Sandia
National Laboratories (i.e., Albuquerque N. Mex.), is predicated on
designing the profile of the oxide aperture tip in order to
preferentially increase loss to higher-order transverse spatial
cavity modes.
[0057] Furthermore, the aperture-tip profile is produced by
tailoring the composition of the "Aluminum-Gallium-Arsenide"
(AlGaAs) layers, which are oxidized during fabrication to create an
aperture located within the before mentioned VCSEL. Further, VCSELs
containing a tapered oxide whose tip is vertically positioned at a
null (i.e., node of standing wave) in the longitudinal optical
standing wave will produce greater than 3-mW of single mode output,
and greater than 30-dB of side-mode suppression. Creating this
structure, however, requires a detailed understanding of the
oxidation process, and produces additional loss for the
much-desired fundamental transverse cavity mode.
[0058] Furthermore, one other method used to increase modal
discrimination is to extend the optical cavity length of VCSEL
itself and thus, increase the diffraction loss for the higher-order
transverse spatial cavity modes. Researchers at the University of
Ulm (i.e., Ulm, Germany) have reported single-mode operation up to
5-mW, using a VCSEL constructed with a 4-.mu.m thick cavity spacer
inserted within the VCSEL's optical cavity. However, the problem
here is that using even longer cavity spacers can also introduce
multiple longitudinal cavity modes (i.e., generally called spatial
hole burning) negating the VCSEL's greatest contribution to
semiconductor laser diode application, but has resulted in single
transverse cavity mode operation up to nearly 7-mW. It is
interesting to note that VCSELs comprising multiple wavelength
cavities do not appear to suffer any electrical penalty, however,
careful cavity design is required to balance the trade-offs between
the modal selectivity in the transverse and spectral longitudinal
cavity modes.
[0059] However, this is all rather academic, because in order to
achieve stability for a laser-emission-output into a single
fundamental transverse cavity mode of low-order (i.e., preferably
TEM.sub.00), the required amounts of loss needed in order to
discriminate the desired mode ultimately introduce so much loss
that the laser-emission-output levels never exceed a few milliwatts
of power for typical gain-regions 13-.mu.m in diameter, more or
less making these devices incapable of any real world application.
Further, the 13-.mu.m diameter size used for the VCSEL's
gain-region typically cannot be exceeded in an attempt to increase
gain because it would introduce the onset of higher-order
transverse spatial cavity modes below threshold regardless of any
particular loss mechanism utilized to eliminate them.
[0060] In addition, prior art also teaches that manipulating the
modal gain rather than the modal loss can also produce single-mode
VCSELs. One such technique was developed at Sandia National
Laboratories to spatially aperture laser gain independently of the
oxide aperture. The essential aspect of this VCSEL design approach
is its lithographically defined gain-region, which is produced by
an intermixing of quantum-well active-regions at the lateral
periphery of the VCSEL's laser cavity.
[0061] Interestingly, both the modal loss and modal gain design
approaches, though they have had some moderate success, do not
completely resolve the multi-mode operational issue for the VCSEL
because they only treat the symptoms of the instability not the
cause. More succinctly, a laser diode that is capable of a
high-powered single fundamental transverse cavity mode
laser-emission-output, under normal resonator design
conditions--like the use of conventional mirrors, is really an
oxymoron. However, prior art does teach several examples of stable
resonator designs that can effectively achieve a high-power
laser-emission-output into a single fundamental transverse cavity
mode.
[0062] In addition, prior art also teaches the use of ion implants
as loss providing structures, which are formed during a VCSEL's
fabrication. Wherein, the epitaxial growth of the VCSEL's bottom
total-reflection "Distributed Bragg Reflector" (DBR) quarter-wave
mirror-stack assembly is epitaxially grown upon a substrate wafer.
After which, the VCSEL's active-region is epitaxially grown upon
the top outermost surface of the previously deposited bottom
total-reflection DBR (i.e., a first quarterwave mirror-stack
assembly), and is typically comprised as having a minimum of one
"Multiple Quantum-well" (MQW) that is sandwiched between two GRIN
comprised spacer layers. After which, the VCSEL's top
partial-reflection DBR (i.e., a second DBR quarter-wave
mirror-stack assembly) is next epitaxially grown upon the top
outermost surface of the VCSEL's MQW comprised active-region.
[0063] Moreover, prior art further teaches that upon completion of
the epitaxial deposition of the various optical and/or
semiconductor materials that comprise the VCSEL's MQW gain-region,
the gain-region is typically homogenized via an ion-implantation
process, or alternatively, is homogenized via an ion-implantation
process, which is made to occur around the masked regions that were
used to create the top partial-reflection DBR mirror-stack
assembly. The resultant VCSEL has a central quantum-well comprised
active-region structure that preferentially provides gain for a
single low-order fundamental transverse spatial cavity mode.
[0064] Consequently, only a single-mode output of little more than
just a few milliwatts with a side-mode suppression ratio greater
than 40-dB is obtained for this approach. This approach also
requires greater fabrication complexity, however, it is anticipated
that higher performance can be reached with further refinement of
process parameters. Further, in order to achieve a stability for a
laser-emission-output into a single fundamental transverse
cavity-mode of low-order (i.e., preferably TEM.sub.00), the
required amounts of loss needed in order to discriminate the
desired cavity mode ultimately introduces so much loss that the
laser-emission-output levels never exceed only a few milliwatts of
output power for a gain-region 13-.mu.m in diameter, making these
devices incapable of any real world application.
[0065] Furthermore, because of new and greater demands being made
on VCSEL based applications, new types of single-mode VCSELs are
currently under development at numerous laboratories around the
world. These techniques introduce modal discrimination by
increasing optical loss for the higher-order modes, or as an
alternative introduce modal discrimination by increasing the
relative gain of the fundamental optical transverse mode. A number
of additional techniques not described in detail here have also
been used for forcing VCSEL devices to operate in single transverse
cavity modes.
[0066] Moreover, prior art further teaches techniques that include:
Spatial Filtering--please see--R. A. Morgan et al., "Transverse
Mode Control of Vertical-Cavity Top-Surface-Emitting Lasers," IEEE
Photon., Tech. Lett., Vol. 4, pp. 374-376, (1993), Anti-guiding
Techniques--please see--Y. A. Wu et al., "Single-Mode Emission from
a Passive Anti-guiding Region Vertical Cavity Surface Omitting
Laser," Electronics Lett., pp. 1861-1863, (1993), External Cavity
Techniques--please see--B. Koch et al., "Single-Mode Vertical
Cavity Surface Emitting Laser by Graded Index Lens Spatial
Filtering," Appl. Phys. Lett., Vol. 70, pp. 2359-2361, (1997), and
Altering the Top Mirror Structure--please see--H. Martinson et al.,
"Transverse Mode Selection in Large Area Oxide Confined Vertical
Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers Using Shallow Surface Relief," IEEE
Photon. Tech. Lett., Vol. 11, pp. 1536-1538, (1999), and B. Koch et
al., "Single Mode VCSEL," Digest of the Conference on Lasers and
Electro-Optics--CLEO 2000, San Francisco, Calif., pp. May 1,
(2000).
[0067] Moreover, prior art further teaches that these techniques
have resulted in laser-emission-output levels being limited to less
than 5-mW. Apparently, a major drawback with existing VCSEL design
is the performance of their laser-emission-output levels for single
mode devices, which are typically very small. Further, when
designers increased the lateral size (i.e., between 13-.mu.m and
90-.mu.m) of the VCSEL diode's gain-region in an attempt to improve
the performance of laser-emission-output levels, the ending result
was a multimode transverse behavior exhibited by the resultant
laser-emission-output, but with significant increase in power
levels.
[0068] In addition, prior art also teaches that because VCSEL
diodes use epitaxially deposited multilayered quarterwave
mirror-stack assemblies (i.e., sometimes-called distributed
feedback reflectors) in order to provide optical feedback. These
structures being constructed using optical and/or semiconductor
material that are lattice-matched to the material used to construct
the VCSEL's active-region.
[0069] If the VCSEL's active-region is constructed using a material
regime that provides for a non-visible emission spectra (e.g.,
1.3-.mu.m to 1.6-.mu.m for long non-visible wavelengths and
500-.mu.m to 300-.mu.m for short non-visible wavelengths) then the
only available mirror construction material lattice-matched to a
previously deposited gain-region have very low contrasting
refractive indices between them, which results in the VCSEL's
mirror-stack assemblies constructed using these materials of
low-contrast refractive indices having almost no reflectivity. This
is why the current market does not see any commercially available
Indium-Phosphide based long-wavelength 1.550-.mu.m VCSEL diodes.
Further, it is quit clear that the VCSEL diode suffers from several
major performance issues yet to be resolved, which limits its
application to non-proprietary low-power, multimode, and visible
wavelength operation.
[0070] In conventional VCSEL diodes, cavity mirrors are positioned
on opposite faces of a semiconductor comprised gain-medium. A first
mirror is epitaxially grown onto a semiconductor substrate. The
semiconductor comprised gain-medium is epitaxially grown onto the
first mirror structure. Then a second mirror is epitaxially grown
onto the previously grown gain-medium.
[0071] Electrical or optical pumping generates a laser beam with
laser-emission output emitted in a direction orthogonal to the
plane of the substrate. Conventional VCSELs find application in
optical Datacom and optical interconnect systems. VCSEL diodes are
characterized by generally low-order fundamental transverse cavity
mode TEM.sub.00, where laser-emission output levels above 2-mW cw
degenerate into polarity switching multi-mode output emission.
[0072] In addition, prior art teaches the construction and use of a
BALD based resonator design, which has either a vertically oriented
(i.e., laser-emission being perpendicular to grown semiconductor
layers and their growth substrate wafers) resonating optical
cavity, e.g. like those used in a "Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting
Laser" (VCSEL), or has a laterally oriented (i.e., laser-emission
being parallel to grown semiconductor layers and their growth
substrate wafers) resonating optical cavity, e.g. like those used
in a EEL diode.
[0073] Furthermore, concerning the later, larger area VCSEL
emitters, having large beam diameters equal too or greater than
100-am, have demonstrated laser-emission-output power levels
equaling 100-mW cw to >2-W pulsed laser-emission-output.
However, operation of any VCSEL diode having such a large
gain-region diameter generally carries with it the penalty of a
laser-emission output beam exhibiting higher-order transverse
cavity modes and related multiple frequencies, and for devices
having gain-region diameter sizes that exceed 1 millimeter in size
suffer from the filamentation problem that ultimately leads to
COD.
[0074] Furthermore, prior art also teaches the use of an external
cavity VCSEL diode approach, which is commonly referred to by prior
art as a "Vertical External Cavity Surface Emitting Laser"
(VECSEL), whereby an external reflector serves as the output
coupler. External cavity VECSEL devices can provide lo-w-order
fundamental transverse cavity mode laser-emission-output at
significantly higher power levels than conventional VCSEL diodes.
Previous work on external cavity vertically emitting semiconductor
lasers typically resulted in low output power.
[0075] For example, the work of Sandusky and Brueck produced low
laser-emission-output power and used optical pumping to excite a
semiconductor gain-medium. For more details, please see--J. V.
Sandusky, "A cw external cavity surface-emitting laser," Photonics
Technology Letters, vol. 8, pp. 313-315, (1996). Additionally, in a
study by Hadley et al., where an electrically excited VCSEL, having
an external cavity configuration, produced 2.4-mW cw and 100-mW
pulsed laser-emission-output into an low-order fundamental
transverse cavity mode using an gain-region and emitting area
equaling 120-.mu.m. For more details, please see--M. A. Hadley, G.
C. Wilson, K. Y. Lau, and J. S. Smith, "High single-traverse mode
output from external cavity surface emitting laser diodes," Applied
Phys. Letters, vol. 63, pp. 1607-1609, (1993).
[0076] In addition, please see--Mooradian et al. for details
regarding a VECSEL diode design called the NECSEL, which is a
variation of the VECSEL approach, but is capable of producing very
high-power laser-emission-output into a single fundamental
transverse cavity mode. Further, the NECSEL diode design, by
utilizing an extended vertical cavity surface emitting resonator,
which is designed to function by striking careful balances between
diffraction, the location, the size, the use of thermal lensing
(i.e., caused by carrier induced change of refractive index and
gain-saturation), a gain-region comprised with a large numbers of
quantum-wells (i.e., greatly reduces probability of filamentation
and COD), cavity length, radius of curvature for a
laser-emission-output coupling mirror, can provide for a high-power
laser-emission-output into a single fundamental transverse cavity
mode.
[0077] For more details, please see--A. V. Shchegrov, A. Mooradian,
"488-nm coherent emission by intracavity frequency doubling of
extended cavity surface-emitting diode lasers," Proceedings Of
SPIE, Vol. 4994, pp. 197-205, 29-30 Jan., (2003), and A. V.
Shchegrov, A. Mooradian, "Novel 980-nm and 480-nm light sources
using vertical cavity lasers with extended coupled cavities,"
published in Vertical Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers VII,
Proceedings of SPIE, Vol. 4994, pp. 21-31, 29-30 Jan., (2003).
[0078] Furthermore, while the NECSEL design approach is capable of
producing high-power laser-emission-output into a single
fundamental transverse cavity mode it suffers from two major flaws
that limit its use to non-telecom and non-Datacom application
(i.e., for use in optical fiber signal regenerative pumping).
[0079] Because the NECSEL uses DBR multi-layered minor structures
to provide for optical feedback the device is limited to only near
infra-red and visible wavelength application.
[0080] Because the NECSEL resonator is configured to utilize
internal thermal lensing (i.e., resulting from carrier induced
change of refractive index and the gain-saturation that occurs for
large semiconductor gain-volume) to provide for a stable resonance
capable of lasing into a single fundamental transverse cavity mode
at higher laser-emission output power, it cannot provide for
internal modulation speeds of around 2.3-Gigabits/ps--soon to
exceed the 10-Gigabits/ps that are typically being required for
present and near-future low-cost fiber-optic application (e.g.,
such as Passive Optical Networks, Fiber-To-The-Home, and
Fiber-To-The-Premises).
[0081] Moreover, to define this problem further, let us take a
quick look at ion-implanted VCSELs; they typically suffer from
internal modulation delays as large as 1-.mu.sec or more; moreover,
the laser turn-on delay for these devices is caused by intracavity
thermal lens formation. For more details, please see--K. L. Lear,
R. P. Schneider, Jr., K. D. Choquette, and S. P. Kilcoyne, Photon.
Tech. Lett. 8, 740 (1996), and N. K. Dutta, L. Tu, G. Hasnain, G.
Zydzik, H. Wang, and A. Y. Cho, Electron. Lett. 27, 208,
(1990).
[0082] In addition, prior art also teaches many examples of
narrow-stripe EEL diodes, which emit high-quality laser beams, but
have several drawbacks that limit their use in high-value
applications. For example, due to the inhomogeneous broadening of
their gain, the practical output power for EEL semiconductor laser
diodes is at best around 50-mW to 300-mW. The main reason for this
is lateral mode instabilities, which arise because high output
power and single mode operation have contradictory design
requirements.
[0083] Moreover, for high power operation, a large optical mode
cross section is needed to circumvent the material damage threshold
.quadrature.10 MW/cm.sup.2. While, on the other hand, one is not
completely free to change the transverse (i.e., perpendicular to
the plane of the p-n function) mode dimension because it is
determined by the heterostructure, whose primary purpose is carrier
confinement.
[0084] Furthermore, typical heterostructure only support the lowest
transverse cavity modes. This leaves the lateral (i.e., parallel to
the plane of the p-n junction) mode dimension as the only
transverse degree-of freedom. The lateral mode dimension may be
increased by having a wide channel with weak lateral waveguiding.
The weak optical confinement within these laser diodes, which are
called broad area edge-emitting laser diodes, usually leads to
multilateral mode operation. We consider multilateral mode
operation to be instability because it gives rise to spectral
broadening and high spatial frequencies in the lateral field
distribution. Many applications are unaffected by this instability
because the laser-emission-output can still be coupled to a
multimode optical fiber with reasonable efficiency. However, as we
expand the range of, applications to include, for example,
free-space communications, then it is desirable, if not necessary,
for a high power semiconductor laser diode to be able to operate in
a single cavity mode.
[0085] Moreover, there are several factors affecting lateral mode
stability. For BALD based devices, the gain-medium plays an
important role through filamentation. Filamentation results from
the self-focusing due to gain-saturation. More succinctly,
filamentation results when the inhomogeneous character of the laser
transition and the asymmetrical electron momentum distribution of
the population inversion about the peak gain-frequency lead to an
appreciable carrier-induced refractive index .delta.n.sub.g that
decreases with increasing carrier density.
[0086] Near threshold, where the carrier density decreases with
distance from the center of the laser beam, .delta.n.sub.g causes
the refractive index in gain-guided laser diodes to increase with
distance from the beam center. The resulting refractive index
distribution acts as a diverging lens (anti-guiding). While the net
consequence of anti-guiding and diffraction is a diverging
wavefront, the laser diode still has a finite steady-state beam
width because of gain guiding.
[0087] Further above threshold, the higher laser peak intensity
creates a dip in the carrier density because of the
gain-saturation. Further, due to .delta.n.sub.g, the net refractive
index has a bump in the middle. Consequently, a waveguide is
created that focuses the laser beam, resulting in a higher peak
intensity, which in turn creates a stronger waveguide. Further, for
laser diodes, this self-focusing phenomenon is called
filamentation. Wherein, a steady-state filament size is reached
when the self-focusing is balanced by diffraction and carrier
diffusion. Moreover, the filament is considerably narrower than the
electrode width, and it has a flat wavefront, which is typical of
index-guided modes.
[0088] Moreover, filamentation occurs very close to threshold, and
at high excitations, the filament width will reach an asymptotic
value that is independent of electrode width. The asymptotic
filament size is governed by .delta.n.sub.g, carrier diffusion, and
laser-wavelength (i.e., via diffraction). Further, at even higher
excitations, more than one filament will appear in the lateral
field distribution, which does not settle to a steady-state. The
detrimental effects of filamentation are material damage due to
increased peak-intensity, and increased loses via spontaneous
emission due to a reduced overlap between lasing optical field and
the gain-region.
[0089] In addition, prior art teaches many laser diode designs that
were created to realize a semiconductor laser diode capable of
emitting spatially coherent laser light (i.e., single transverse
modes), and yet would still have laser-emission-output power
equaling several watts to dozens of watts or more. For more
details, please see Botez and Schifres, "Diode Laser Arrays,"
Cambridge Press, (1994), which describes a monolithic laser diode
structure that realizes a high-quality laser-emission-output and a
process for producing the semiconductor comprised structure.
[0090] Furthermore, in order to remedy the drawbacks of
conventional current-injection type semiconductor laser diodes,
both U.S. Pat. No. 5,461,637 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,627,853 proposes
that broad area surface-emitting semiconductor comprised laser
diodes be optically excited by a coherent laser light source
outside the cavity.
[0091] However, since these semiconductor laser diodes utilize
thermal lensing to affect an increase in the refractive indices
with a change in temperature--then the temperature must be
increased. These semiconductor laser diode devices, however, are
quit sensitive to temperature distribution, which in turn causes
their spatial oscillation modes to become unstable (i.e., the
instability sometimes called spatial mode hoping by those well
versed in the art).
[0092] Moreover, what should be apparent by now to the reader is
how difficult it is to achieve both a single low-order fundamental
transverse cavity mode oscillation and a high-power
laser-emission-output for conventional semiconductor laser diode
devices. For example, prior art teaches that the semiconductor
laser diode device describe above has a design configuration that
finds it difficult to emit laser light with higher output power
into a single transverse cavity mode.
[0093] For more details, please see--Nakamura et al.,
"InGaN/GaN/AlGaN-Based Laser Diodes Grown on GaAs substrates with a
Fundamental Transverse Mode," Japanese Journal of Applied Physics,
Part 2 Letters, vol. 37, pp. L1020, (1998), which discloses an
InGaN based short-wavelength semiconductor laser diode device.
Additionally, prior art further teaches a quality high-powered
laser-emission-output semiconductor laser diode; described in great
detail in an abstract written by B. Pezeshki et al., "400-mW
Single-Frequency 660-nm Semiconductor Laser," published in IEEE
Photonics technology Letters, vol. 11, pp. 791, (1999), which
discloses an AlGaInP based (i.e., which comprises of material
capable of visible spectra emission wavelengths) semiconductor
laser diode design.
[0094] In addition, prior art teaches a BALD design approach to
solve the previously described problems of unstable low-power
multimode laser-emission-output, which includes what is sometimes
called a phased array semiconductor laser diode. Further, the BALD
design approach comes in two flavors, including:
[0095] (i) Edge-Emitting phased array semiconductor laser diodes,
and
[0096] (ii) Surface-Emitting phased array semiconductor laser
diodes.
[0097] Moreover, an Edge-Emitting Phased Array semiconductor laser
diode is configured to have multi-emission or broad area emission
capabilities, and in particular to a phased array laser diode or a
phased locked array laser diode having preferred fundamental
supermode operation with a structural design that utilizes
"Impurity Induced Disordering" (IID).
[0098] Furthermore, prior art teaches that an Edge-Emitting phased
array semiconductor laser diode comprises a plurality of closely
coupled or spaced emitters on the same integral structure or
substrate. Examples of such phased array laser diodes have been
thoroughly described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,255,717,
also in U.S. Pat. No. Re. 31,806, and also described in an article
by William Streifer et al., entitled "Phased Array Diode Lasers,"
published in the June, (1984), issue of `Laser Focus World` and
`Electro-Optics` magazines. Wherein, the laser emitters of such
laser diodes are represented by a periodically spaced current
confinement means (e.g., contact stripes used for current pumping
and to establish spaced optical cavities in the active gain-region
of these laser diodes).
[0099] Moreover, prior art continues by teaching that the current
confinement means may be interconnected or closely spaced to a
degree that the optical mode established in each of the lasing
cavities below a respective current confinement will couple to its
neighboring optical mode, i.e. the evanescent waves will overlap
into adjacent optical lasing cavities. Further, the array of
optical fields produced, become locked in phase, and if the phase
difference between the adjacent current confinement equals zero,
then the lateral radiation pattern in the far field will comprise a
much-desired single lobe.
[0100] However, prior art also teaches that a phased array laser
diode will not operate in a single mode, but rather operates with
two or more lobes in a far field pattern. Consequently, the phase
relationship between adjacent optical modes is not under
independent control and the phases will adjust themselves in a
manner that minimizes laser threshold current.
[0101] In most cases, it appears that the lasing mode favored is a
supermode, which results as a direct consequence of the optical
fields located between adjacent optical emitters pass through zero.
This is because in most real world index-guided laser diodes, as
well as in many gain-guided laser diodes, pumping is reduced for
locations that lay between laser emitters requiring overall reduced
current pumping.
[0102] Furthermore, the prior art teaches that the foregoing
explanation can be exemplified as follows. An array laser diode
with N.sup.th coupled emitters has N.sup.th possible coupled modes,
which are referred to as "supermodes." A supermode is a cooperative
lasing of the N.sup.th-optical emitters or filaments of the array
laser diode. Since there are N.sup.th-optical emitters, there are
N.sup.th possible supermodes, because all these emitters are
optically coupled.
[0103] Each supermode has the property that the 1.sup.st and the
N.sup.th supermode have the same intensity pattern or envelope, the
2.sup.nd and the (N-1).sup.th have the same intensity envelope, and
in general, the i.sup.th and (N-i).sup.th have the same intensity
envelopes. The 1.sup.st or fundamental supermode has all emitters
lasing in phase with an amplitude distribution representative of
half a sinusoidal cycle. This is the only supermode pattern that
radiates in a single central lobe in the far field pattern because
all emitters are in phase.
[0104] Therefore, for a uniformly spaced array of identical
emitters, the 1.sup.st and N.sup.th supermode envelopes are half a
sinusoidal period, the second and the (N-1).sup.th supermode
envelopes are two half-sinusoidal periods, etc. The phase
relationship between the individual emitters in N.sup.th supermodes
differs. More specifically, for the 1.sup.st supermode, all
emitters are in phase, and for the N.sup.th supermode, the phases
alternate between zero and .pi..
[0105] Usually the 1.sup.st and N.sup.th supermodes have the lowest
current thresholds as compared to all other supermodes because
their intensity envelopes do not exhibit nulls near the center of
the array where the charge density is greater because of current
spreading and charge diffusion in the active region of the laser
diode array. However, as previously indicated, the N.sup.th
supermode, which radiates in two lobes, has a lower current
threshold of operation than the 1.sup.st supermode. Further, phased
array laser diodes have a high utility due to their high power
output. It is preferred that the power be concentrated into a
single lobe, i.e. in the 1.sup.st supermode. The reason being is
that a substantial majority of laser applications require power in
a single far field lobe. Further, if lasing is experienced in more
than one lobe, measures are taken to diminish or otherwise attempt
to eliminate or block off the other operating lobes in the far
field pattern.
[0106] Moreover, prior art further teaches that there has been much
activity relative to phase locked array laser diodes or phased
array laser diodes, where efforts have been established to
discriminate among the supermodes to provide for fundamental
supermode selection. One such suggestion was at the IEEE 9th
Conference in Brazil, July 1984, where J. Katz et al. presents a
talk on supermode discrimination via a controlled lateral gain
distribution along the plane of the lasing structure by
incorporating a separate contact to each laser diode array
structure, and tailoring the currents through the array laser diode
structures themselves. Further, the abstract presented for the talk
can be found in the Proceedings of the Conference--pages 94 and 95,
in a document entitled "Supermode Discrimination in Phase-Locked
Arrays of Semiconductor Laser Arrays."
[0107] Furthermore, more recently are the articles of Twu et al.
entitled "High Power Coupled Ridge Waveguide Semiconductor Laser
Arrays," Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 45(7), pp. 709-711, Oct. 1,
(1984), and S. Mukai et al. entitled "Fundamental Mode Oscillation
of Buried Ridge Waveguide Laser Array," Applied Physics Letters,
Vol. 45(8), pp. 834-835, Oct. 15, (1984). Wherein, these articles
suggest discrimination among the supermodes to obtain the single
lobe fundamental supermode by employing index guided ridge
waveguide structure, where the laser diode structures are uniformly
pumped with an optical field mainly confined to the ridge region of
the structure, while higher gain is experienced in the valley or
coupling regions to induce in-phase operation (0.degree. phase) and
promotion of fundamental supermode operation.
[0108] In addition, prior art also teaches a similar techniques
used to discriminate among supermodes, which is disclosed in U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 667,251, which was filed Nov. 1, 1984.
Further, prior art also teaches a technique proposed in U.S. Pat.
No. 4,624,000, entitled "Phased Array Semiconductor Lasers With
Preferred Emission in a Single Lobe.", which relates to the use of
structural means associated with the laser diode to enhance the
amount of gain experienced in regions between adjacent optical
cavities of lasing structures by spatially modulating the optical
overlap of the optical field of each of the laser structures across
the entire array to thereby favor the fundamental supermode over
other potential modes.
[0109] In addition, prior art also teaches a phased array
semiconductor laser diode design approach that includes a sizable
array of VCSELs, which was originally disclosed by Jewell et al. in
U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,350. Further, the patent first describes the
growth of a vertical-cavity Fabry-Perot resonator structure on a
substrate as being laterally undefined. Vertically, it consisted of
upper and lower interference mirrors separated by an optical
distance equal to the lasing wavelength. The mirrors are further
described as sandwiching an active layer comprising of several
quantum-well layers, which emitted light at the lasing wavelength
when current was passed through them.
[0110] All the layers were described as being constructed using
III-V based semiconductors that were epitaxially deposited by
"Molecular Beam Epitaxy" (MBE) on a doped GaAs substrate wafer.
Wherein the layers deposited above the active-region were p-type,
while those deposited below were n-type to form a laser diode. A
layer of gold was then deposited over the upper mirror as a contact
layer.
[0111] Moreover, the laser diode array was then laterally defined
by a photolithographic definition of a nickel mask above the
intended lasers followed by chemically assisted, ion-beam etching.
The ion-beam etching was carried through the entire vertical-cavity
structure to create an array of pillars having heights of more than
5-.mu.m. Each pillar was a separate laser and was electrically
selected by contacting the metal at the top of the respective
pillar. The conductive substrate served as a common counter
electrode. Light was emitted through the substrate. Jewell et al.
demonstrated their invention with lasers having diameters ranging
down to 2-.mu.m. Thus, it became possible to fabricate extremely
dense arrays of lasers.
[0112] Moreover, the pillar lasers of Jewell et al. suffer from
several problems, e.g. electrical contacts need to be formed onto
the top of the high aspect-ratio pillars, which posses a
fabrication problem. Additionally, for small pillar laser diodes,
the relatively large sidewalls cause excessive recombination.
Consequently, heat cannot be efficiently dissipated from the pillar
laser structures, causing degradation in laser-emission-output
performance. The sophisticated processing of Jewell et al. raises
questions of manufacturability.
[0113] For example, Jewell et al. suggests that planarization using
polyimide would maintain the index-guide optical waveguiding
function and current confining function of the previously defined
pillars and yet, would ease the contacting problem. Work is
progressing on this approach and on regrowth using insulating
AlGaAs, which would help solve the recombination and thermal
dissipation problems, but currently the results are not very
satisfactory.
[0114] In addition, prior art further teaches a planarized array of
vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers, which is disclosed by
Orenstein et al. in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 480,117, which
was filed on Feb. 14, (1990); Also, disclosed in an abstract
entitled "Lateral definition of high performance surface emitting
lasers by planarity preserving ion implantation processes,"
published in Conference Proceedings, CLEO, pages 504-505, May
21-25, (1990); and Also, in an abstract entitled "Vertical-cavity
surface-emitting InGaAs/GaAs lasers with planar lateral
definition," Applied Physics Letters, volume 56, pages 2384-2386,
(1990).
[0115] Wherein, Orenstein et al. constructed the same vertical
cavity surface-emitting phase locked structure as in the Jewell et
al. phased array. However, they performed the lateral definition
via an ion implanting of protons in regions surrounding the
intended laser pillars, which extended down to just above the
active-region layer. The protons reduced the conductivity of the
implanted region; thus, current was successfully gain-guided
through the laser's gain-region.
[0116] However, using the above-mentioned approach Orenstein et al.
might have retained the current gain-guiding of Jewell et al., but
as a result sacrificed any index guiding advantages, since the
protons did not have a significant effect on the refractive index
of the implant area. Consequently, the deep ion implantation of
their technique places a lower limit on the size of the lasers and
the separation between adjacent laser diode pillars.
[0117] Although, VCSELs provide the advantage of lasers having very
small areas and low threshold current some applications require
higher optical power. In principle, a SEL can achieve high-power
through a simple increase in the cross-section of the lasing
gain-region with a constant current density. Recent experiments,
however, has demonstrated that this technique does not work.
[0118] For larger sized surface-emitting lasers, the produced laser
light is filamented into irregularly and perhaps separated lasing
areas. Similar filamentation has also been observed in edge
emitting "Broad Area Laser Diodes" (BALD), which, for both SEL
diodes and BALD devices, is due to inhomogeneities in the gain and
resultant refractive index distributions of their optical
waveguides, the reasons being previously explained.
[0119] Moreover, for VCSELs, filamentation can additionally arise
from spatial variations in minor reflectivities, which must be
necessarily, above 99% because of their short gain lengths and high
cavity finesse. The previously mentioned spatial variations are
enough to induce lasing preferentially in some regions but not in
others. Aside from efficiency and thermal problems, the sparsely
connected filaments are not likely to be phase-locked or even to
have the same frequency. Therefore, a large area surface-emitting
laser tends to lose its laser characteristics. Further, even medium
sized lasers (i.e., lasers having gain-regions 5-.mu.m to 40-.mu.m
in diameter) are bound to oscillate in a large number of transverse
cavity modes, the distribution of which is uncontrollable.
[0120] Moreover, prior art further teaches that a Yoo et al. has
disclosed an array of small phase-locked lasers in a abstract
document entitled "Fabrication of a two-dimensional phased array of
vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers,", which was published in
Applied Physics Letters, volume 56, pages 1198-1200, (1990). In
this refinement of the Jewell et al. technique, they fabricated a
rectangular array to have more than 160 laser diodes configured
within a 25-.mu.m.sup.2 surface area. Each laser diode structure
had a square dimension equaling 1.3-.mu.m.sup.2, and is separated
from neighboring laser diodes by a space of no less than 0.1-.mu.m.
The circular array was planarized with polyimide and a common upper
electrode attached to all the LDs located within the array. The
angular distribution of the far-field optical intensity showed
substantial, though possibly not complete, phase locking between
all of the laser diodes.
[0121] Moreover, Yoo et al. was able to achieve phase locking
between the strongly waveguiding of the Jewell et al. pillars
design, but only by a very small separation between the pillars and
the small areas of the pillars themselves. The calculations of Yoo
et al. in "Array Mode Analysis of Two-Dimensional Phased Arrays of
Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers," IEEE Journal of Quantum
Electronics, volume 26, pages 1039-1051, (1990), have shown this
requirement of small laser spacing for strongly waveguided
structures. However, such a structure and associated processing
produce very high surface recombination on the sides of the pillars
because of the large surface-to-volume ratio. As a result, their
phase-locked array showed poor efficiency and threshold current,
and their phase locking was not complete.
[0122] Additionally, prior art teaches a approach by Deppe et al.
that utilizes a different yet similar phase-locked surface-emitting
laser diode array, which is fully disclosed an abstract document
entitled "Phase-coupled two-dimensional Al.sub.xGa.sub.1-xAs/GaAs
vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser array," Applied Physics
Letters, volume 56, pages 2089-2091, (1990). Wherein, they stopped
the epitaxial growth of the vertical cavity with the upper spacer
layer. After which, they formed a 2-.mu.m wide Mn--Al metallization
grid upon the top of the upper spacer layer and an insulating InP
direct-bandgap semiconductor stack was deposited upon the top of
the grid-covered spacer layer. Lasing, however, was not configured
to occur beneath the grid.
[0123] Furthermore, phase-locked laser diode arrays, such as the
one just described, present several unique applications. If the
laser structures are phase locked with non-zero phase differences,
the far-field intensity assumes a multi-lobed or at least off-axis
pattern with the details of the patterns depending on the number of
structures and the relative phase differences between each
structure. If, however, the phase differences are controlled, then
the intensity pattern can be controlled.
[0124] Consequently, the two-dimensional phased arrays of both EEL
diode and VCSEL diode based designs have one major still unresolved
flaw, due to the phase perturbation contributed by spontaneous
emission, the phase difference exhibited by adjacent laser diode
regions do not always equal zero, and the laser-emission-output for
the majority of laser diodes comprising the array is out of phase
(i.e., not phased locked) causing multiple lobes to appear in the
far field pattern of a coupled laser-emission-output (i.e., a far
field version of a multimode high-order transverse cavity mode
intensity pattern). Resulting in a high degree of signal noise,
which has keep these semiconductor laser diodes from being used in
high-value applications; e.g., applications such as
Telecommunications, Datacom, and the convergent "Passive Optical
Networks" (PONs).
[0125] In addition, prior art also teaches a new kind of laser
diode design approach altogether; currently, this laser diode
design is called the "Quantum Cascade" (QC) laser diode, and was
initially described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,709, incorporated herein
by reference in its entirety. For more details, please see--U.S.
Pat. No. 5,509,025; U.S. Pat. No. 5,901,168; and U.S. Pat. No.
6,055,257, which are altogether incorporated herein by reference in
their entireties. Unlike the more conventional semiconductor laser
diode, QC semiconductor lasers are unipolar, that is, they are
based upon one type of carrier (i.e., typically electrons located
in the conduction band), which make inter-subband transitions
between energy levels that are created by quantum confinement.
Further, in a unipolar semiconductor lasers, electronic transitions
between conduction band states arise from size quantization made to
occur in the active gain-region of a heterostructure. The
inter-subband transitions are located between excited states of
coupled quantum-wells for which, resonant tunneling is the pumping
mechanism.
[0126] Furthermore, a single gain-region unipolar semiconductor
laser is possible, but multiple gain-regions may be used as well.
QC lasers comprise an active gain-region having a plurality (e.g.,
typically twenty-five) of essentially identical undoped
laser-active semiconductor based layers, sometimes referred to as
"Radiative Transition" (RT) regions. Each active (RT) region
comprises as a plurality of semiconductor layers, and has
quantum-well regions interleaved with barrier regions, to provide
two or more coupled quantum-wells.
[0127] Moreover, prior art teaches that these coupled quantum-wells
provide for at least second and third associated energy states for
charged carriers (e.g., electrons). Further, the second energy
state comprises of a lower energy than the third energy state,
which corresponds to second and third wavefunctions, respectively.
The energy difference between the third and the second energy state
determines the wavelength of the laser-emission-output. The energy
difference between second and third energy states is in turn
determined by the arrangement of all the coupled quantum-wells in
the active region. The arrangement, includes the number of
quantum-wells, the thickness of each individual quantum-well, the
energy height, and thickness of each energy barrier layer that is
located between two neighboring quantum-wells.
[0128] Furthermore, a multilayer carrier injector or injection
region, sometimes referred to as an "injection/relaxation" (I/R) or
"energy relaxation" region, is disposed between any two adjacent
active regions. Thus, a given active region is separated from an
adjoining one by an I/R region. The I/R region, like the active
region, also typically comprises a plurality of semiconductor
layers. Each active region-I/R region pair (i.e., each RT-I/R pair)
may also be referred to as a `repeat unit.` At least, some of the
layers in each I/R region are doped, and in any case, the I/R
regions, as well as the active regions, are unipolar.
[0129] The aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,709, discloses a
technique for designing a QC laser that uses the inter-subband
transition located between energy levels of a coupled quantum-well
structure and an I/R region with a digitally graded energy gap
structure and the nominal structure of a QC laser is described in
the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,025. Unlike a diode laser,
the layers of a multilayer semiconductor QC laser structure are
either undoped, or, if doped they are all of the same type, e.g.
comprising an n-type dopant such as Silicon.
[0130] Moreover, an operating voltage is provided across the
multilayer semiconductor structure of the QC laser. Further, this
in turn causes substantial energy relaxation of charge carriers
(e.g., electrons) in the I/R regions, some of which are introduced
into the I/R region from an adjacent active-region. These injection
carriers undergo a radiative transition, leading to lasing.
[0131] In addition, prior art further teaches many improvements to
the QC semiconductor laser since its initial inception. For more
details, please see--U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,709; and by J. Faist et
al., "High Power Mid-infrared (.lamda.0 about 5-.mu.m) Quantum
Cascade Lasers Operating Above Room Temperature," published in
Appl. Phys. Lett., vol. 68, pp. 3680-3682, (1996); and also see C.
Sirtori et al., Appl. Phys. Lett., vol. 68, p. 1745, (1996).
Moreover, for several types of applications, especially in the area
of optical sensors configured for atmospheric trace gases, it is
advantageous for the lasers to operate in a single transverse mode
at a single frequency.
[0132] Furthermore, the use of distributed feedback (DFB) QC lasers
for this purpose has been extensively explored, as described by J.
Faist et al., "Distributed Feedback Quantum Cascade Lasers,"
published in Appl. Phys. Lett., vol. 70, No. 20, pp. 2670-2672,
(1997); by C. Gmachl et al., published in IEEE Photonics Technol.
Lett., vol. 9, p. 1090, (1997); and by C. Gmachl et al., published
in Appl. Phys. Lett., vol. 72, p. 1430, (1998).
[0133] Moreover, unlike other semiconductor lasers, such as laser
diodes, the lasing wavelength of a QC semiconductor laser is
essentially determined by quantum confinement (i.e., determined by
the thickness of an active-region's layers), rather than by the
bandgap of the active-region material. The lasing wavelength thus,
can be tailored over a wider range than it can for a typical EEL
diode using the same semiconductor material. For example, QC
semiconductor lasers comprised with InA-lAs/InGaAs active-regions
have been tailored to operate at various mid-IR wavelengths ranging
from 3.5-.mu.m to 13-.mu.m.
[0134] In addition, prior art also teaches that the use of
diffraction gratings is one way to further control the operation
frequency of semiconductor lasers. Further, the QC semiconductor
laser can have its feedback provided by a DFB configuration, a DBR
configuration, or a "Grating Coupled Surface Emitting Lasers"
(GCSEL) configuration. For example, GCSELs are described in detail
by A. J. Lowery, "Performance Comparison of Gain-Coupled and
Index-Coupled DFB Semiconductor Lasers," published IEEE J. Quantum
Electronics, vol. 30, no. 9, pp. 2051-2063, (1994); by A. Kock,
"Single-mode and Single-beam Emission from Surface Emitting Laser
Diodes Based on Surface-mode Emission," published in Appl. Phys.
Lett., vol. 69 (24), pp. 3638-3640, (1996); by A. Rast et al., in
"New Complex-Coupled DFB-Laser with a Contacted Surface Grating for
.lamda.=1.55-.mu.m," published in IEEE Proceedings Optoelectronics,
vol. 142, no. 3, pp. 162-164, (1995).
[0135] Moreover, when using a diffraction grating, both the
thickness of the active-region layers and the diffraction-grating
determine the lasing wavelength, as follows. In a QC semiconductor
laser, the characteristics of the active-region (i.e., the number
and layer thicknesses of coupled quantum-wells) can be varied to
determine the laser-emission wavelength range. The diffraction
grating is used therein to precisely pick out a much narrower
wavelength range within the range previously determined by the
active-region layer thickness.
[0136] More succinctly, the grating controls the lasing wavelength
more precisely than the lasing wavelength range determined by the
layer thickness alone. However, the lasing wavelength selected by
the diffraction grating cannot exceed the available laser
wavelength range determined by the layer thickness and the whole
laser structure. Thus, a unipolar injection laser, such as a QC
laser, offers several advantages over bipolar semiconductor lasers.
Compared to bipolar semiconductor lasers, these QC lasers have a
frequency response not limited by electron/hole recombination, a
narrow emission linewidth because the linewidth enhancement factor
is theoretically zero, and a weaker temperature dependence of the
lasing threshold.
[0137] Additionally, as noted above, appropriately designed QC
semiconductor lasers can have an emission wavelength in the
spectral region from the mid-IR to the submillimeter region, which
is entirely determined by quantum confinement. An alternative
approach to fabricate a high-power, single-mode laser is to use a
so-called `curved grating`. In such a laser, with a mode made up of
counter-propagating diverging beams, the rulings of the diffraction
gratings are curved to reflect one traveling wave into the other.
See, e.g., Lang, R. J., "Design of Aberration-Corrected Curved
Mirror and Curved-Grating Unstable-Resonator Diode Lasers," IEEE J.
Quantum Electron., vol. 30, p. 31 (1994). A method for fabricating
the grating for a DFB semiconductor laser is disclosed in
"Surface-Emitting Distributed Feedback Semiconductor Laser," by S.
Macomber et al., published in Appl. Phys. Lett. 51(7), pp. 472-474,
(August 1987).
[0138] Moreover, this paper as prior art describes a technique in
which a gold coating is deposited on a grating etched into the
p-side of a semiconductor laser. The gold coating also serves as
the p-contact for the laser. However, this approach employs an
edge-emitting laser structure and has a large beam divergence angle
(i.e., sometimes referred to as the diffraction angle) along the
direction that is perpendicular to the laser surface, as well as a
much higher optical power density at the laser facet that it is
susceptible to catastrophic mirror damage. An edge-emitting
semiconductor laser also typically has an elliptical, as opposed to
circular, laser beam cross-section. This can require correction and
collimating, which can be expensive or otherwise impracticable or
undesirable.
[0139] In addition, prior art also teaches that due to the nature
of the curved grating, the laser-emission-output beam has a spatial
phase-difference distribution, which reduces optical beam quality.
Many applications also require lasers that can operate in the
mid-IR spectral range, (e.g., between 3-.mu.m and 13-.mu.m). Such
applications might include:
[0140] Remote chemical sensing,
[0141] Pollution monitoring,
[0142] "Laser Infrared Detection and Ranging" (LIDAR),
[0143] Infrared counter-measure, and
[0144] Molecular spectroscopy.
[0145] Unfortunately, few convenient laser sources operate in the
mid-IR spectral region. As noted above, for example, bipolar
semiconductor laser diodes, including quantum-well laser diodes,
have too large a bandgap, making it difficult, if not impossible,
to obtain laser operation at mid-IR wavelengths. Some semiconductor
laser diodes can operate in this wavelength range, but they require
special cooling to a very low-temperature, which can be costly. QC
lasers, however, as noted above, do not suffer these drawbacks, and
can be designed to emit radiation at substantially any desired
wavelength in a rather wide spectral region, including laser
emissions in the mid-IR range.
[0146] Therefore, prior art further teaches that QC lasers are
desirable for mid-IR range application. For example, QC lasers may
be employed advantageously as radiation sources for the absorption
spectroscopy of gases and pollutants, because at least some QC
lasers can operate in the relevant wavelength region at or near
room temperature, and with relatively high output power. For more
details, please see--J. Faist et al., Applied Physics Lett., Vol.
68, pp. 3680-3682, (1996); and C. Sirtori et al., "Mid-infrared
(8.5-.mu.m) Semiconductor Lasers Operating at Room Temperature,"
IEEE Photonic Technol. Lett., vol. 9 (3), pp. 294-296; (1997), both
incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
[0147] Moreover, prior art further shows that some applications
require high-power laser-emission-output into a single fundamental
transverse cavity mode. For example, for LIDAR, "Differential
Absorption LIDAR" (DIAL), and other remote chemical sensing
systems, a spatially coherent, single-mode, high-power
laser-emission-output beam having the appropriate wavelength range
can greatly increase the sensing range. Single-mode emissions from
QC lasers can be achieved by incorporating a "Distributed
Feed-Back" (DFB) or "Distributed Bragg Reflection" (DBR) reflection
grating to form their respective resonating laser diode cavity
structure.
[0148] It is difficult, however, to achieve a spatially coherent,
single-mode, high-power laser-emission-output using conventional
edge-emitting QC laser structures as the source of mid-IR
radiation. To obtain high output power with an edge-emitting QC
laser, one has to either use a very high injection current density
into a narrow stripe laser configuration or use a broad area laser
to increase the lasing area. A high injection current density will
cause severe device heating, thus significantly limit the maximum
laser-emission-output power, and therein, reduce the laser's
lifetime.
[0149] Moreover, prior art further teaches that for any BALD
device, regardless what type of semiconductor gain-region it might
use, it is very difficult to maintain single mode operation under
high-current injection operation because of the carrier induced
refractive index change that causes the filamentation problem,
which, as previously stated, hastens the onset of multi-moded
lasing. For more details, please see--G. P. Agrawal & N. K.
Dutta, "Semiconductor Lasers" (2nd edition; New York: Van Nostrand
Reinhold, 1993).
[0150] Moreover, the self-induced filamentation effect produces a
multi-spatial cavity mode laser-emission-output, which diminishes
the laser's power and performance. The multi-mode laser emission is
very difficult to focus, which is especially problematic when a
long propagation distance or a very small focus beam size is
required. Consequently, the multi-mode laser emission is less
coherent and therefore, very difficult to use in several high-value
applications such as Telecommunications.
[0151] In addition, prior art teaches that the output beam of an
EEL diode has a very large divergence angle in a direction
perpendicular to the laser diode's top surface. Surface emitting QC
lasers, by contrast, show great promise for applications requiring
stable higher-power laser-emission-output. A surface-emitting DFB
based semiconductor laser diode has more potential to produce
higher power laser-emission-output than does an EEL diode, because
a larger lasing area can be used and the internal losses of the
laser structure can be reduced.
[0152] Moreover, under current technology, the
laser-emission-output from SELs can be spatially coherent if the
width or the lateral dimension of the lasing region is limited to
about 5-.mu.m. To obtain higher laser-emission-output power,
however, it is advantageous to provide a lasing gain-region with a
width of 50-.mu.m or more. Unfortunately, increasing the width of
the gain-region typically leads to spatially incoherent operation
at high current injection levels. Thus, there is a need for
techniques for fabricating a surface emitting QC laser with both a
wide lasing region and a spatially coherent laser-emission-output
beam.
[0153] Prior art teaches several of these approaches, which have
been proposed as a means to prevent the filamentation problem from
occurring in a broad-area QC semiconductor lasers. Further, a
typical solution is to create a so-called unstable resonance cavity
(i.e., also referred to as an unstable resonant cavity or unstable
resonator) within the laser diode device. There are several ways to
create this kind of cavity for a high-power laser diode
configuration.
[0154] Furthermore, a semiconductor laser diode with a continuous
unstable resonator has been described by S. Guel-Sandoval et al.,
in a document entitled "Novel High-Power and Coherent Semiconductor
Laser with a Unstable Resonator," published in Appl. Phys. Lett.,
vol. 66, (1995), pp. 2048-2050, which is incorporated herein by
reference in its entirety. Further, this paper fully describes a
means for inducing a quadratically varying index of refraction
across the lateral dimension of a wide-stripe semiconductor laser
diode, in order to introduce some control over beam divergence and
the coherent operation of the laser diode device.
[0155] In addition, prior art also teaches an approach, which uses
the curved grating described in the Lang reference above. Further,
a new way to fabricate a grating-coupled surface-emitting laser
diodes with an unstable resonance cavity is disclosed in
aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,016. This patent describes the
use of a variable index refraction layer, having an approximately
parabolic-trough, therein. The refraction layer is positioned
adjacent to the active lasing region. A straight-toothed,
second-order diffraction grating contacts the refraction layer to
produce a broad, spatially coherent output beam. For more details,
please see--A. Kastalsky, "Infrared Intraband Laser Induced in a
Multiple-Quantum-Well Interband Laser," IEEE J. Quantum
Electronics, vol. 29, no. 4, pp. 1112-1115, (1993).
[0156] Therefore, prior art teaches that there is a need for
improved surface-emitting QC lasers, which produce high-power,
spatially coherent, single-mode output beams, having a small
divergence angle. Such devices especially would be useful, for
example, for remote chemical sensing and LIDAR applications. A
compact, low-cost, and reliable high-power, spatially coherent,
single-mode, mid-IR semiconductor laser can greatly reduce the
system cost and reliability for these applications.
[0157] Moreover, as prior art has proposed, a QC laser that
incorporates grating-coupled, surface-emitting, and unstable
resonance cavity structures would find application in technologies
needing a mid-IR coherent light source. The grating-coupled,
surface-emitting structure of the present invention provides the
advantage of a narrow spectral width laser output with a small
divergence angle, and the unstable resonance cavity structure
provides the advantage of preventing the filamentation effect that
causes multimode lasing under high injection current. The
combination of these two structures allows the laser to maintain
narrow spectral, single mode, and small diffraction output at high
injection current. This combination in a unipolar QC laser also
allows lasing emissions to be achieved over a wide spectral region,
including wavelengths in the mid-IR range.
[0158] In addition, prior art also teaches that because it is
surface emitting, the GCSEL exhibits a circular
laser-emission-output beam and a smaller divergence angle, and can
therefore, be more attractive than EEL diodes in some applications.
A typical QC laser is of unipolar semiconductor laser design having
a multilayer stacked structure epitaxially grown upon a
semiconductor substrate, typically Indium-Phosphide, which forms an
optical waveguide structure therein. The optical waveguide
structure includes a core or active-region of relatively large
effective refractive index (e.g., an index of 3.3) between
cladding-regions of relatively small effective refractive index
(e.g., an index of 3.1). Further, a cladding-region will also be
referred to herein, as a `confinement region`.
[0159] Moreover, prior art further teaches that the core-region
comprises a plurality of repeat units, each unit having essentially
an identical active-region (i.e., sometimes called the gain-region
or gain-medium), and a carrier injection/relaxation (I/R) region,
as described above. The core-region generates lasing when
electrical power is applied to the structure through electrodes.
The lasing light propagates within the optical waveguide, which
includes the core-region, in the longitudinal direction of the
cavity, where it is amplified by the lasing action.
[0160] Moreover, prior art further teaches that the nominal
structure of this aspect of the QC laser is similar to that
described by the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,025. As noted
above, diffraction gratings may be used to control the operational
frequency of semiconductor laser diodes by helping to select a
narrower lasing frequency range within the frequency range set by
the laser diode structure itself. Grating coupled DFB structures,
for example, have been applied to the basic QC laser structure to
produce single-mode lasers having a pre-selected wavelength. In
addition, a QC laser structure that uses a DFB configuration will
only utilize a first order grating.
[0161] For example, prior art teaches that a first order grating
may be used to couple light in the longitudinal direction of the
laser cavity (i.e., edge emitting). Gratings can also be made for
the use of higher coupling orders, as will be appreciated by those
skilled in the art. To fabricate a SEL QC laser, for example, one
would need to incorporate a second order grating into a laser
structure to produce a grating coupled SEL. Further, laser diodes
with grating coupled surface emitting structures are well known.
See, for instance, the aforementioned Kock reference, which
discloses a surface-emitting bipolar laser diode with a
second-order grating in the top-cladding layer, the grating
facilitated coupling of the laser cavity mode into a surface mode.
A second order grating causes vertical coupling, instead of in the
cavity longitudinal direction.
[0162] Regardless, prior art further teaches that the main
advantage of a surface coupled laser is that the
laser-emission-output beam has a much smaller divergence angle than
a conventional EEL diode, and can be circular in cross section
rather than elliptical, as is the case for EEL diodes. A
laser-emission-output beam having a smaller divergence angle and
circular cross section is easier to focus into a smaller spot size
or collimate into a laser beam that can maintain a smaller spot
size after the beam has traveled a long distance, and easier to
couple into a fiber or other light-receiving device.
[0163] Moreover, the QC laser of the present invention employs a
grating-coupled, surface-emitting structure, to provide a narrow
spectral linewidth (e.g., MHz) laser output having a small
divergence angle (e.g., 1.degree.). In conclusion, while prior art
shows conclusively that QC semiconductor lasers can made somewhat
stable, they still suffer from the same phase perturbation problem
contributed by spontaneous emission that all other semiconductor
lasers suffer from regardless any improvement.
[0164] In addition, prior art also teaches how and why conventional
resonators control transverse spatial cavity modes, both for
macroscopic and microscopic optical systems. Further, at scales
associated with microscopic optical systems, which include single
mode optical fiber, semiconductor gain-media, and
"Micro-Opto-Electro-Mechanical-System" (MOEMS) devices, transverse
spatial cavity mode control can dictate many system design
variables.
[0165] Typically, the low-order fundamental transverse mode
operation is desired in laser diode devices, this is due to the
optical beam spatial profile requirements for long distance beam
propagation, the focusing of laser-emission-output beams into small
spots, and laser-emission-output beam coupling into single mode
transmission fibers.
[0166] In addition, prior art also teaches that the different
transverse spatial cavity modes of an optical resonator will
typically have different resonant optical frequencies, which is
characteristically detrimental for both active and passive cavity
applications requiring spectral purity. A typical application
requiring spectral purity of resonator operation is the application
of spectral monitoring of the optical communications signals being
manipulated by "Wavelength-Division-Multiplexed" (WDM) optical
transmission equipment, using tunable Fabry-Perot filters.
[0167] Moreover, prior art teaches that for active cavity devices,
such as EEL semiconductor laser diodes, the transverse spatial
cavity mode problem is addressed by the judicious design of the
laser waveguide to ensure that it supports only a single
fundamental transverse cavity mode.
[0168] In addition, prior art teaches that for VCSELs, oxide
confining layers, and other aperturing techniques are used to
achieve single transverse cavity mode operation in small aperture
devices. Problems begin to arise, however, when we try to design
high-powered laser-emission-output capable VCSELs; wherein, a
contradictory contention arises between the desire to increase
modal volume and beam diameter size, and the desire to suppress
oscillation of the higher-order transverse cavity modes.
[0169] Typically, an oxymoron for designers and engineers alike.
Further, prior art teaches that for passive cavity devices, the
transverse spatial mode problem is more intractable, since the
high-degree of freedom associated with the design of the
gain-medium is not present. One solution is to incorporate a single
mode optical fiber into the design. The inclusion of optical fiber,
however, tends to complicate device integration, creates
fiber-coupling requirements, and does not resolve all of the
spatial cavity mode problems present.
[0170] In addition, prior art also teaches a related solution to
controlling the transverse "Side Mode Suppression Ratio" (SMSR),
which contemplates the use of intracavity apertures or spatial
filters. Further, higher-order spatial cavity modes generally have
larger mode field diameters than do the lower-order fundamental
transverse modes such as TEM.sub.00. Wherein, apertures in an
optical train can induce loss for the higher-order transverse
cavity modes, and may be used to improve the laser diode's
side-mode suppression. These spatial filters, however, can also
introduce loss for the fundamental transverse spatial modes as
well, and therefore require precise alignment.
[0171] In addition, prior art teaches another solution concerning
cavity design. Whereby, in a confocal Fabry-Perot cavity, where
cavity length is equal to the mirror radius of curvature, all
transverse modes are degenerate, i.e. all the transverse spatial
modes coexist on the same frequencies, or wavelengths, as the
longitudinal mode frequencies, or the longitudinal mode frequencies
shifted by a half spectral period.
[0172] Furthermore, MOEMS comprise micro-optical cavities that
typically have large free spectral ranges, or spectral periods,
corresponding to small cavity lengths of only tens of micrometers.
Therefore, as prior art suggests, a confocal MOEMS micro-cavity
configuration would require mirrors with correspondingly small
radii of curvature (i.e., tens of micrometers), which are difficult
to fabricate and have small cavity mode sizes, which are also
difficult to align. Further, a more typical, and probably a more
feasible configuration used by MOEMS would be a tunable-filter
based Fabry-Perot cavity that utilizes a hemispherical cavity
configuration.
[0173] Moreover, in such cavities, one of two reflectors is near
planar and the other reflector is a spherical in shape. The
advantage here is reduced alignment criticalities; this is because
of the general radial homogeneity contributed by the near planar
reflector. Further, in such configurations, spatial mode spectral
degeneracy is not present, and any higher-order transverse cavity
modes present themselves as only a few spurious peaks, which are
observed in the filter transmission spectrum.
[0174] Moreover, prior art further teaches that these problems have
led to solutions that focus on minimizing the excitation of
higher-order modes by precise control of how light is launched into
the laser diode's cavity. For example, please see--U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 09/666,194, filed on 21.sup.st Sep., (2000),
by Jeffrey A. Korn, and U.S. patent application Ser. No.
09/747,580, filed 22.sup.nd Dec., (2000), by Walid A. Atia et al.,
which are disclosures that concern, in part, an alignment of a
tunable filter relative to the surrounding optical train.
[0175] For more details, please see--U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 09/809,667, filed on the 15 Mar., (2001), by Jeffrey A. Korn,
which disclosures, in part, a mode field matching between the
launch light mode and the lowest-order spatial transverse cavity
mode of the filter. Further, such design approaches minimize
excitation of higher-order transverse spatial cavity modes and
thus, yield systems with better side-mode suppression ratios.
[0176] In conclusion, prior art clearly shows that the SEL based
semiconductor laser diodes as described above, as described in the
included materials, and mentions, while in some cases might provide
for low-order fundamental transverse spatial cavity mode
laser-emission-output, they all typically suffer from three major
performance issues:
[0177] Because they do not neutralize the phase perturbations
contributed by spontaneous emission to resonance, the
laser-emission-output remains unstable manifesting multiple
instabilities (e.g., spatial mode hopping, spectral mode hopping,
polarity switching, high threshold currents, filamentation,
multi-transverse operation at threshold, multi-longitudinal
operation at threshold, spatial hole burning, spectral hole
burning, low-power laser-emission-output, overall degradation of
laser diode performance, and single low-order fundamental
transverse spatial cavity mode being virtually un-attainable over a
wide range of power levels;
[0178] Because the solutions described above and in the included
references focus on introducing loss for high-order transverse
spatial cavity modes, the overall power performance of the laser
diode is seriously degraded to the point where these laser diodes
only produce around 2-mW to 3-mW of laser-emission-output power and
therefore, not applicable for most current high-valued application;
e.g., applications such as optical Telecommunication and Data
transmission; and
[0179] Because these devices (mostly EELs) suffer from intra-cavity
pulse-broadened dispersion (i.e., chirp) they have reached their
internal limits for data modulation and therefore, can not transmit
data any faster than just a few Gigabits/ps. Consequently, this
limits them to low-valued applications; e.g., such as multimode
fiber optic LANs, fiber channel interconnects, and other
non-proprietary Datacom and Enterprise based application.
[0180] Consequently, my OPCLD invention, by using an optical "Phase
Conjugation Mirror" (PCM) in place of the more conventional
"Cleaved Facet" (CF), "Distributed Bragg Reflection" (DBR), and
"Distributed Feed-Back" (DFB) mirror designs typically used by
VCSELs, VECSELs, EELs, and BAID devices, it successfully
neutralizes phase perturbations that being the root cause of
performance degradation and the laser-emission-output instabilities
that regularly manifest themselves in all current semiconductor
laser diodes as higher threshold currents, low-power
laser-emission-output, unstable spatial cavity modes, unstable
spectral cavity modes, instability of polarity for
laser-emission-output, filamentation, and COD.
OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES
[0181] Accordingly, besides the objects and advantages of the
Optical Phase Conjugation Laser Diode as described above, several
objects, and advantages of my OPCLD invention are:
[0182] To achieve the forgoing objects, and in accordance with one
aspect of my OPCLD invention as embodied and broadly described
herein, a laser system for generating a laser beam from a
semiconductor laser diode is provided, which improves or enhances
the overall beam quality of broad-area gain semiconductor laser
diodes, more specifically to provide for a system and method for
generating high-power laser-emission-output that is free from
spatial mode instability, spectral mode instability, filamentation,
and COD;
[0183] Another object of my OPCLD invention is to provide for a
monolithically manufactured semiconductor laser diode system, which
decreases the expense and the difficulties associated with the
manufacturing and assembly of various conventional external cavity
mirrors and lenses used to provide optical feedback for current
"Vertical Extended Cavity Surface Emitting Laser" (VECSEL)
diodes;
[0184] Another object of my OPCLD invention is to provide for an
optical phase conjugating resonate cavity, which provides for a
high-power laser-emission output into a single fundamental
transverse spatial cavity mode;
[0185] Another object of my OPCLD invention is to provide for a
laser-emission-output mirror having a curved Gaussian profile
promoting geometry, such as a confocal, a convex, or a spherical
shape, which is monolithically formed at a predetermined distance
from the gain-region. Further, because the invention utilizes a PCM
as its primary reflector, the curved Gaussian profile promoting
output mirror can be monolithically formed into any partial
Gaussian, near-Gaussian, or super-Gaussian geometry, designed to
select from an infinite number of cavity modes possible, any one
particular transverse cavity mode for lasing. Consequently, for PCM
based resonators there is no such thing as an unstable cavity mode,
regardless the cavity length, the laser-emission-output mirror's
radii of curvature, shape, or diameter, a particular transverse
cavity mode's phase sufficiently replicates itself at the
laser-emission-output mirror's reflective surface each and every
round trip through my OPCLD invention's resonator;
[0186] Another object of my OPCLD invention is to provide for a
confocal Fabry-Perot cavity, where cavity length does not have to
equal the mirror radius of curvature for all transverse spatial
cavity modes to become degenerate. More succinctly, for the OPCLD,
all transverse spatial cavity modes will coexist on the same
frequencies, or wavelengths, as the longitudinal spectral cavity
mode frequencies, or the longitudinal mode frequencies shifted by a
half spectral period, regardless any cavity length chosen for the
OPCLD;
[0187] Another object of my OPCLD invention is to provide for a
Gaussian profile promoting laser-emission output mirror, which is a
monolithically integrated into my OPCLD invention as a digital
Fresnel mirror and/or Fresnel lens having an etched location
adjacent to and centered upon my OPCLD invention's semiconductor
gain-region. Wherein, the digital Fresnel minor and/or Fresnel lens
has a Gaussian profile promoting surface-relief area that lays
contiguous with the laser diode's gain-region, such that
laser-emission-output passing there through has an intensity
profile that is substantially Gaussian shaped. Moreover, the
Gaussian profile promoting surface-relief area is formed using
grey-scale masking and chemical lithography (e.g., two versions of
grey-scale mask making and lithographic etching are described in
U.S. Pat. No. 5,480,764, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,071,652) to etch out
the desired surface relief areas from either and/or an epilayer of
deposited material or from the semiconductor material that
comprises my OPCLD invention's substrate wafer;
[0188] Another object of my OPCLD invention is to provide for an
optical phase conjugation laser diode resonating cavity, which is
capable of neutralizing the phase perturbating contribution of
intracavity spontaneous emission. This optical phase conjugating
cavity will include a semiconductor laser diode structure having at
least one active gain-region, a total retro-reflecting
phase-reversing PCM, a partial reflecting DBR, and a partial
transmitting Gaussian profile promoting laser-emission-output
mirror. Wherein, a retro-reflected phase conjugate pulse of an
incoming fundamental intra-cavity laser-emission is directed at a
laser-emission-output reflector, resulting in a filament free
laser-emission-output having a substantially Gaussian shaped
low-order fundamental transverse cavity mode (i.e., preferably
TEM.sub.00) intensity profile;
[0189] Another object of my OPCLD invention is to provide for a
method of intracavity optical phase conjugation that neutralizes
the arbitrary intracavity phase perturbations that cause
filamentation to form within the laser-emission-output, which in
turn provides for a stable high-power laser emission with output
levels ranging between 20-mW to 2-W;
[0190] Another object of my OPCLD invention is to provide for a
method of intracavity optical phase conjugation that neutralizes
the arbitrary intracavity phase perturbations that cause COD, which
in turn provides for a stable high-power laser-emission-output into
a single low-order fundamental transverse cavity mode;
[0191] Another object of my OPCLD invention is to provide for a
method of intracavity optical phase conjugation that neutralizes
the arbitrary intracavity phase perturbations that cause spectral
mode instabilities to form within the laser-emission-output, which
in turn provides for a homogeneously broadened gain and a very
narrow linewidth for the laser-emission-output;
[0192] Another object of my OPCLD invention is to provide for a
method of intracavity optical phase conjugation that neutralizes
the arbitrary intracavity phase perturbations that cause spatial
mode instabilities to form within the laser-emission-output, which
in turn provides for a stable high-power laser-emission-output into
a single fundamental transverse spatial cavity mode;
[0193] Another object of my OPCLD invention is to provide for a
method of intracavity optical phase conjugation that neutralizes
the arbitrary intracavity perturbations that cause instabilities in
polarity to form within the laser-emission-output, which in turn
provides for a stable linearly polarized high-power
laser-emission-output;
[0194] Another object of my OPCLD invention is to provide for a
method of intracavity optical phase conjugation that reverses the
effects that chirp (i.e., sometimes called pulse broadening
dispersion) has on resonance, which in turn provides for a chirp
reversing resonator design solution capable of at least
20-Gigabits/ps of bandwidth (i.e., double what current VCSELs
provide) for internally modulated data transmission over
fiber-optic cable;
[0195] Another object of my OPCLD invention is to provide for a
semiconductor laser diode that eliminates expensive epitaxial
deposition associated with the manufacturing of a primary total
reflection quarterwave DBR mirror-stack, which typically comprises
of hundreds of alternating quarterwave plates that are constructed
from lattice-matched refractive contrasting semiconductor material,
and replacing it with a retro-reflecting phase-reversing array of
polyhedral shaped prisms, which are simultaneously constructed,
using grey-scale lithography, from either a single epilayer of
deposited semiconductor material, or constructed from the
semiconductor material used to comprise the OPCLD invention's
substrate wafer;
[0196] Another object of my OPCLD invention is to provide for a
semiconductor laser diode that uses gradiently doped spacer-layers
to provide for confinement of both injected carriers and excited
emission photons to the invention's active-region, which in turn
increases laser-emission-output that exhibits a much narrower
linewidth;
[0197] Another object of my OPCLD invention is to provide for a
semiconductor laser diode that produces more effective output gain
by using two gradiently doped spacer-layers to lower the heat
produced by series electrical resistance at the material interface
that typically lays between Ohmic contacts, Ohmic contact-layers,
and the N or P doped spacer-layers that typically sandwich a
gain-region;
[0198] Another object of my OPCLD invention is to provide for a
semiconductor laser diode that can be configured and utilized as an
independently addressable laser device;
[0199] Another object of my OPCLD invention is to provide for a
semiconductor laser diode that can be configured and utilized in a
array of laser diodes, which is comprised as having a multitude of
individual laser diodes that are each individually addressable, or
altogether, addressable as a group (laser diode array), e.g. such
as in an phased locked array of OPCLD devices, which are altogether
capable of high-power laser-emission-output into a single
fundamental transverse cavity mode;
[0200] Another object of my OPCLD invention is to provide for a
semi-conductor laser diode and/or laser diode array and integrated
circuit package, which is manufactured from the same semiconductor
material used to construct laser transmission, internal
data-modulation, signal processing and amplifying, and
photo-detection, data-receiving driver circuitry, all of which
would be integrated into single circuit device packages;
[0201] Another object of my OPCLD invention is to provide for a
semiconductor laser diode that uses an optical material, such as
"Lithium-Fluoride" (LiF) to construct a total internal reflection
optical-cladding barrier that also gives added support and
protection for every individual prism element that comprises my
OPCLD invention's retro-reflecting phase-reversing PCM;
[0202] Another object of my OPCLD invention is to provide for a
semiconductor laser diode that can increase its modal
discrimination by extending its optical-cavity length, using a
polyhedral shaped prism waveguide array (i.e., the PCM) to
transversely redirect intra-cavity produced laser emission into
areas of the gain-region previously unstimulated;
[0203] Another object of my OPCLD invention is to provide for a
semiconductor laser diode that can increase its modal
discrimination, using a process of total internal-reflection to
redirect intra-cavity produced light out of its normal longitudinal
propagation into a first transverse propagation, then next into a
second transverse propagation, then next into a third transverse
propagation, and then finally into a longitudinal, but reversed
propagation, which will effectively increase diffraction loss for
higher-orders of transverse modes light, while sufficiently
increasing gain to preferably a single fundamental transverse
cavity mode, causing it to undergo amplification as the
laser-emission-output;
[0204] Another object of my OPCLD invention is to provide for a
semiconductor laser diode that can produce filament free high-power
laser-emission-output (i.e., determined by gain-region volume size
l.times.h.times.N.sub.th of quantum-wells between 20-mW and
2-Watts) into a single low-order fundamental transverse cavity
mode;
[0205] Another object of my OPCLD invention is to provide for an
improved phased array semiconductor laser diode that provides for
the desired fundamental supermode operation, while utilizing a more
stream-line structural configuration that is much simpler to
fabricate, using only a three-step grey-scale lithography based
monolithic etch;
[0206] Another object of my OPCLD invention is to provide for an
broad area surface emitting laser diode apparatus that can utilize
many different kinds semiconductor laser-active materials in its
gain-region to provide for laser-emission wavelengths yet
unrealized by the VCSEL diode and other similar laser diodes.
[0207] Further objects and advantages will provide for an OPCLD
technology, wherein the selection of one semiconductor and/or
optical material over another for use in the construction of the
OPCLD's gain-region, a retro-reflecting corner-cube prism array
based PCM, a multilayered quarter-wave minor-stack assembly, and a
Gaussian mode providing curved shaped laser-emission-output minor
is determined by any particular application's need for a wavelength
specific laser-emission-output and is not determined by cavity
geometrics or any other structural criteria.
[0208] Therefore, the choice to use one semiconductor and/or
optical material over another for the construction of my OPCLD
invention was presented only as an example. Because, my OPCLD
invention has replaced the primary DBR normally used in the VCSEL
with an array of retro-reflecting corner-cube prisms comprised as
PCM, it can utilize any semiconductor regime of material made
available for epilayered deposition.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0209] According to my OPCLD invention, there is provided a
semiconductor laser diode apparatus that comprises a PCM based
first reflector means formed from an array of retro-reflecting
hexagon apertured hexagonal shaped corner-cube prisms, a first
hetero junction configured gain-region means formed from a
multitude of quantum-well and barrier layers, a DBR based second
reflector means formed from a multitude of quarter-wave
minor-pairs, a Gaussian mode based third reflector means formed
from a single layer of semiconductor or optical material into a
hemispherical curved shaped laser-emission-output end mirror. My
OPCLD invention comprises a PCR that utilizes a PCM to provide for
optical phase conjugation, which neutralizes the phase
perturbations contributed by spontaneous-emission, acoustic
phonons, quantum-noise, gain-saturation, diffraction, and other
intracavity aberrations and distortions that altogether destabilize
the stimulated-emission that is undergoing amplifying oscillation
within the PCR. Resulting in a laser diode apparatus capable of
stable high-power laser-emission-output into a single low-order
fundamental transverse spatial cavity mode, and reversal of
intra-cavity chirp resulting in high-speed internal modulation that
produces a data signal of around 20-Gigabits/ps, which is double
the bandwidth that current single-mode VCSELs can provide.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0210] Still further objects and advantages will become more
apparent from a consideration of the ensuing Figure descriptions
and drawings. In the drawings, closely related Figures have the
same number but different alphabetic suffixes:
[0211] FIG. 1 is a Section A-A side-view illustration of the first
design configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown as
comprising an undoped substrate member, a Gaussian mode providing
curved shaped laser-emission-output mirror, an undoped epilayered
quarter-wave based DBR minor-stack assembly, a doped epilayered
gain-region, a first doughnut shaped metal contact, a second
doughnut shaped metal contact, and a corner-cube array based
PCM.
[0212] FIG. 2 is a top plan-view illustration of the first design
configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown as comprising
two metal contact runs, and a corner-cube array based PCM.
[0213] FIG. 2A is an auxiliary top plan-view illustration of the
first design configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown as
comprising an overall square shaped structure, two metal contact
runs plus two metal contact pads, and a corner-cube array based
PCM.
[0214] FIG. 3 is a bottom plan-view illustration of the first
design configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown as
comprising a substrate member, and a Gaussian mode providing curved
shaped laser-emission-output mirror.
[0215] FIG. 3A is an auxiliary bottom plan-view illustration of the
first design configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown as
comprising substrate member etched using grey-scale lithography to
have a Gaussian mode providing curved shaped laser-emission-output
mirror.
[0216] FIG. 4 is a Section A-A side-view illustration of the second
design configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown as
comprising a doped hemispherical shaped substrate member that has a
corner-cube array based PCM etched, using grey-scale lithography,
right out of the member's bottom surface, an epilayered
gain-region, an epilayered partial reflection quarter-wave based
DBR mirror-stack assembly, an highly doped current guiding member,
a doughnut shaped trenched metal contact, a peripheral surrounding
metal contact ring, and a Gaussian mode providing curved shaped
laser-emission-output mirror.
[0217] FIG. 5 is a top plan-view illustration of the second design
configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown as comprising
one doughnut shaped metal contact, and a Gaussian mode providing
curved shaped laser-emission-output mirror.
[0218] FIG. 5A is an auxiliary top plan-view illustration of the
second design configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown
as comprising a round shaped structure, a doughnut shaped metal
contact, and a Gaussian mode providing curved shaped
laser-emission-output mirror.
[0219] FIG. 6 is a bottom plan-view illustration of the second
design configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown as
comprising a corner-cube array based PCM.
[0220] FIG. 6A is an auxiliary bottom plan-view illustration of the
second design configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown
as comprising a round shaped structure, a peripheral surrounding
metal contact, and a hemispherical shaped corner-cube array based
PCM.
[0221] FIG. 7 is a Section A-A side-view illustration of the third
design configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown as
comprising an undoped substrate member, an undoped Fresnel shaped
laser-emission-output mirror, an undoped epilayered quarter-wave
based DBR minor-stack assembly, a doped epilayered gain-region, a
first doughnut shaped metal contact, a second doughnut shaped metal
contact, and an undoped corner-cube array based PCM.
[0222] FIG. 8 is a top plan-view illustration of the third design
configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown as comprising
two metal contact runs, and an undoped corner-cube array based
PCM.
[0223] FIG. 8A is an auxiliary top plan-view illustration of the
third design configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown as
comprising an overall square shaped structure, two metal contact
runs plus two metal contact pads, and an undoped corner-cube array
based PCM.
[0224] FIG. 9 is a bottom plan-view illustration of the third
design configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown as
comprising an undoped substrate member, an undoped substrate
member, and a Fresnel shaped laser-emission-output mirror.
[0225] FIG. 9A is an auxiliary bottom plan-view illustration of the
third design configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown as
comprising an overall square shaped structure, and an undoped
substrate member, and a Fresnel shaped laser-emission-output
mirror.
[0226] FIG. 10 is a Section A-A side-view illustration of a fourth
design configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown as
comprising a doped substrate member, an undoped corner-cube array
based PCM, a doped epilayered gain-region, an undoped epilayered
partial-reflection quarter-wave based DBR mirror-stack assembly, a
highly ++ doped current guiding member, a highly ++ doped current
guiding doughnut member, a collimating lens, a trench deposited
doughnut shaped metal contact, a peripheral surrounding metal ring
contact, and a Fresnel shaped laser-emission-output mirror.
[0227] FIG. 11 is a top plan-view illustration of the fourth design
configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown as comprising a
doughnut shaped metal contact, and a Gaussian mode providing
Fresnel based laser-emission-output mirror.
[0228] FIG. 11A is an auxiliary top plan-view illustration of the
fourth design configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown
as comprising an overall round shaped structure, a trench deposited
doughnut shaped metal contact, and an undoped Gaussian mode
providing Fresnel based laser-emission-output mirror.
[0229] FIG. 12 is a bottom plan-view illustration of the fourth
design configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown as
comprising a peripheral surrounding metal ring contact, and an
undoped corner-cube array based PCM.
[0230] FIG. 12A is an auxiliary bottom plan-view illustration of
the fourth design configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is
shown as comprising an overall round shaped structure, a doped
substrate member, and an undoped corner-cube array based PCM.
[0231] FIG. 13 is a Section A-A a side-view illustration of a fifth
design configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown as
comprising a doped substrate member, a doped Gaussian mode
providing Fresnel based laser-emission output mirror, a doped
epilayered active-region, a doped epilayered quarter-wave based DBR
mirror-stack assembly, a doughnut shaped metal contact, a
peripheral surrounding metal contact ring, and an undoped
corner-cube array based PCM.
[0232] FIG. 14 is a top plan-view illustration of the fifth design
configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown as comprising a
doughnut shaped metal contact, and an undoped corner-cube array
based PCM.
[0233] FIG. 14A is an auxiliary top plan-view of the fifth design
configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown as comprising
an overall round shaped structure, a doughnut shaped metal contact,
a peripheral surrounding metal contact ring, and an undoped
corner-cube array based PCM.
[0234] FIG. 15 is a bottom plan-view illustration of the fifth
design configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown as
comprising a doped substrate member, a peripheral surrounding metal
contact ring, and a doped Gaussian mode-providing Fresnel based
laser-emission-output mirror.
[0235] FIG. 15A is an auxiliary bottom plan-view illustration of
the fifth design configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is
shown as comprising an overall round shaped structure, a peripheral
surrounding metal contact ring, a doped Gaussian mode providing
Fresnel based laser-emission-output mirror and one metal
contact.
[0236] FIG. 16 is a Section A-A side-view illustration of a sixth
design configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown as
comprising a doped substrate member, an undoped corner-cube array
based PCM, a doped epilayered gain-region, an undoped Gaussian mode
providing convex shaped DBR based laser-emission-output mirror, a
highly ++ doped current guiding member, a highly ++ doped current
guiding doughnut member, a collimating lens, a trench deposited
doughnut shaped metal contact, a peripheral surrounding metal
contact ring.
[0237] FIG. 17 is a top plan-view illustration of the sixth design
configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown as comprising a
doughnut shaped metal contact, and an undoped Gaussian mode
providing convex shaped DBR based laser-emission-output mirror.
[0238] FIG. 17A is an auxiliary top plan-view illustration of the
sixth design configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown as
comprising a doughnut shaped metal contact, a parameter surrounding
metal contact ring, and an undoped Gaussian mode providing convex
shaped DBR based laser-emission-output mirror.
[0239] FIG. 18 is a bottom plan-view illustration of the sixth
design configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown as
comprising a corner-cube array based PCM.
[0240] FIG. 18A is a bottom plan-view illustration of the sixth
design configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown as
comprising the corner-cube array based PCM, and a parameter
surrounding metal contact ring.
[0241] FIG. 19 is a Section A-A side-view illustration of a seventh
and preferred design configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is
shown as comprising a doped substrate member, an undoped
corner-cube array based PCM, a doped epilayered gain-region, an
undoped epilayered partial-reflection quarter-wave based DBR
mirror-stack assembly, a highly ++ doped hemispheric shaped current
guiding member, a highly ++ doped, current guiding doughnut shaped
member, a undoped collimating lens, a trench deposited doughnut
shaped metal contact, a peripheral surrounding metal contact ring,
and a Gaussian mode providing curved shaped laser-emission-output
mirror.
[0242] FIG. 20 is a top plan-view illustration of the seventh and
preferred design configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is
shown as comprising a doughnut shaped metal contact, and a Gaussian
mode providing curved laser-emission-output mirror.
[0243] FIG. 20A is an auxiliary top plan-view illustration of the
seventh and preferred design configuration of my OPCLD invention,
which is shown as comprising a overall circular shape, a doughnut
shaped metal contact, a peripheral surrounding metal contact ring,
and a Gaussian mode providing curved laser-emission
output-minor.
[0244] FIG. 21 is a bottom plan-view illustration of the seventh
and preferred design configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is
shown as comprising a corner-cube array based PCM.
[0245] FIG. 21A is a bottom plan-view illustration of the seventh
and preferred design configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is
shown as comprising a doped substrate member, an undoped
corner-cube array based PCM, a doped epilayered gain-region, a
first undoped DBR based mirror-stack assembly, a second undoped DBR
based minor-stack assembly configured to have a convex shaped
profile, a highly ++ doped hemispheric shaped current guiding
member, a highly ++ doped current guiding doughnut shaped member, a
undoped collimating lens, a trench deposited doughnut shaped metal
contact, a peripheral surrounding metal contact ring, and a
Gaussian mode providing curved shaped laser-emission-output
minor.
[0246] FIG. 22 is a Section A-A side-view illustration of an eighth
design configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown as
comprising a doped substrate member, an undoped corner-cube array
based PCM, a doped epilayered gain-region, an undoped epilayered
planar shaped DBR minor-stack assembly, a Fresnel shaped light
diverging concave lens member, a Fresnel shaped light collimating
convex lens member, a trench deposited doughnut shaped metal
contact, a peripheral surrounding metal contact ring, and a
Gaussian mode providing curved shaped laser-emission-output
mirror.
[0247] FIG. 23 is a top plan-view illustration of the eighth design
configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown as comprising a
doughnut shaped metal contact, and a Gaussian shaped-mode providing
curved laser-emission output-mirror.
[0248] FIG. 23A is an auxiliary top plan-view illustration of the
eighth design configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown
as comprising a doughnut shaped metal contact, a peripheral
surrounding metal contact ring, and a Gaussian mode providing
curved shaped laser-emission-output mirror.
[0249] FIG. 24 is a bottom plan-view illustration of the eighth
design configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown as
comprising a corner-cube array based PCM.
[0250] FIG. 24A is an auxiliary bottom plan-view illustration of
the eighth design configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is
shown as comprising a peripheral surrounding metal contact ring,
and a corner-cube array based PCM.
[0251] FIG. 25 is a side-view illustration of a ninth design
configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown as comprising a
gain-guided DFB EEL diode configuration, a doped substrate member,
a doped epi-layered gain-region, a distribution feedback providing
grating member, two metal contact layers, a corner-cube array based
PCM, two proton implant areas, and a partial-reflection
edge-emitting cleave facet laser-emission-output minor.
[0252] FIG. 25A is a left side-view illustration of the ninth
design configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown as
comprising a gain-guided DFB EEL diode configuration, a doped
substrate member, two metal contact layers, a corner-cube array
based PCM.
[0253] FIG. 25B is a right side-view illustration of the ninth
design configuration of my OPCLD invention, which is shown as
comprising a doped epilayered gain-region, a distribution feedback
providing grating member, two metal contact layers, two proton
implant areas, and a partial-reflection edge-emitting cleaved facet
laser-emission-output mirror.
[0254] FIG. 26 is a Section A-A side-view illustration of a single
hexagon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prism, which is shown
along with the mathematical symbols used to describe its solid
geometry.
[0255] FIG. 26A is a three dimensional illustration of a single
hexagon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prism, which is shown
along with the relative high and the relative low locations of the
vertices that define its angled surface geometry.
[0256] FIG. 26B is a plan-view illustration of a single hexagon
shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prism, which is shown along
with the relative high and the relative low locations of the
vertices that define its angled surface geometry.
[0257] FIG. 27 is a plan-view illustration of a corner-cube array
shown as comprising seven hexagon shaped corner-cube
retro-reflecting prisms.
[0258] FIG. 27A is a section side-view illustration of the
longitudinal geometry of eight hexagon shaped corner-cube
retro-reflecting prisms, which is shown along with a Gaussian
shaped envelope of an incoming wavefront.
[0259] FIG. 27B is a section side-view illustration of the
longitudinal geometry of eight hexagon shaped corner-cube
retro-reflecting prisms, which is shown along with a Gaussian
shaped envelope of an incoming wavefront and its outgoing
phase-reversed pseudo-conjugate.
[0260] FIG. 28 is a plan-view illustration of a high-density array
of hexagon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prisms altogether
used to comprise the OPCLD's PCM, which is shown along with an
on-axis laser-beam intensity waistband distribution profile and
location.
[0261] FIG. 29 is a section side-view illustration of the
longitudinal geometry of eight hexagon shaped corner-cube
retro-reflecting prisms, which are shown along with the relative
locations of a concave thermal lens and a convex thermal lens,
which are made to form within the OPCLD's cavity in order to
expand, flatten, collimate, and distribute intracavity wave-fronts
planar-flat across the OPCLD's PCM.
[0262] FIG. 30 is a Section A-A side-view illustration of a single
dome shaped retro-reflecting mirror, which is shown along with the
mathematical symbols used to describe its solid geometry.
[0263] FIG. 30A is a three dimensional illustration of a single
dome shaped retro-reflecting structure.
[0264] FIG. 30B is a plan-view illustration of a single dome shaped
retro-reflecting mirror.
[0265] FIG. 31 is a plan-view illustration of an array of dome
shaped reflectors shown as comprising seven dome shaped
retro-reflecting mirrors.
[0266] FIG. 31A is a section side-view illustration of the
longitudinal geometry of eight dome shaped retro-reflecting
mirrors, which is shown along with a Gaussian shaped envelope of an
incoming wavefront.
[0267] FIG. 31B is a section side-view illustration of the
longitudinal geometry of eight dome shaped retro-reflecting
mirrors, which is shown along with a Gaussian shaped envelope of an
incoming wavefront and its outgoing phase-reversed
pseudo-conjugate.
[0268] FIG. 32 is a top plan-view illustration of a combination PIN
Photo Detector, HEMT, and OPCLD transceiver module; altogether
monolithically constructed from the same epitaxially deposited
material and lithographically etched to form a final integrated
circuit package for use in the package illustrated in FIG. 70 FIG.
33 is a plan-view illustration of a high-density array of dome
shaped retro-reflecting mirrors altogether used to comprise an
alternate version of the OPCLD's PCM, which is shown along with an
on-axis laser-beam intensity waistband distribution profile and
location.
[0269] FIG. 34 is a section side-view illustration of the
longitudinal geometry of eight dome shaped retro-reflecting
mirrors, which is shown along with the relative locations of a
concave shaped thermal lens and a convex shaped thermal lens, which
are made to form within the OPCLD's cavity and used to expand,
flatten, collimate, and distribute intracavity wave-fronts
planar-flat across the OPCLD's PCM.
[0270] FIG. 35 is a Section A-A side-view illustration of a single
roof shaped retro-reflecting prism, which is shown along with the
mathematical symbols used to describe its geometry.
[0271] FIG. 35A is a three dimensional illustration of a single
roof shaped retro-reflecting prism.
[0272] FIG. 35B is a plan-view illustration of a single roof shaped
retro-reflecting mirror.
[0273] FIG. 36 is a plan-view illustration of a roof shaped
retro-reflecting array, which comprises of fifteen roof shaped
retro-reflecting prisms.
[0274] FIG. 36A is a section side-view used to illustrate the
longitudinal geometry of an array of six roof shaped
retro-reflecting prisms, which is shown along with a Gaussian
shaped envelope of an incoming wavefront.
[0275] FIG. 36B is a section side-view used to illustrate the
longitudinal geometry of an array of six roof shaped
retro-reflecting prisms, which is shown along with a Gaussian
shaped envelope of an incoming wavefront and its outgoing
phase-reversed pseudo-conjugate.
[0276] FIG. 37 is a plan-view illustration of a high-density array
of roof shaped retro-reflecting prisms used to comprise an
alternate version of the OPCLD's PCM, which is shown along with an
on-axis laser-beam intensity waistband distribution profile and
location.
[0277] FIG. 38 is a section side-view illustration of the
longitudinal geometry of an eight dome shaped retro-reflecting
array, which is shown along with the relative locations of a
concave shaped thermal lens and a convex shaped thermal lens, which
are made to form within the OPCLD's cavity and used to expand,
flatten, collimate, and distribute intracavity wave-fronts
planar-flat across the OPCLD's PCM.
[0278] FIG. 39 is a Section A-A side-view illustration of a single
tetragon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prism, which is shown
along with the mathematical symbols used to describe its solid
geometry.
[0279] FIG. 39A is a three dimensional illustration of a single
tetragon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prism.
[0280] FIG. 39B is a plan-view illustration of a small array of six
tetragon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prisms.
[0281] FIG. 40 is a plan-view illustration of an array of forty-two
tetragon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prisms.
[0282] FIG. 40A is a section side-view that illustrates the
longitudinal geometry of an array of eight tetragon shaped
corner-cube retro-reflecting prisms, which is shown along with a
Gaussian shaped envelope of an incoming wavefront.
[0283] FIG. 40B is a section side-view that illustrates the
longitudinal geometry of an array of eight tetragon shaped
corner-cube retro-reflecting prisms, which is shown along with a
Gaussian shaped envelope of an incoming wavefront and its outgoing
phase-reversed pseudo-conjugate.
[0284] FIG. 41 is a plan-view illustration of a high-density array
of tetragon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prisms used to
comprise an alternate version of the OPCLD's PCM, which is shown
along with an on-axis laser-beam intensity waistband distribution
profile and location.
[0285] FIG. 42 is a section side-view illustration of the
longitudinal geometry of eight tetragon shaped corner-cube
retro-reflecting prisms, which is shown along with the relative
locations of a concave shaped thermal lens and a convex shaped
thermal lens, which are made to form within the OPCLD's cavity and
used to expand, flatten, collimate, and distribute intracavity
wave-fronts planar-flat across the OPCLD's PCM.
[0286] FIG. 43 is a Section A-A side-view illustration of a single
cone shaped retro-reflecting prism, which is shown along with the
mathematical symbols used to describe its solid geometry.
[0287] FIG. 43A is a three dimensional illustration of a single
cone shaped retro-reflecting prism.
[0288] FIG. 43B is a plan-view illustration of a single cone shaped
retro-reflecting prism.
[0289] FIG. 44 is a plan-view illustration of an array of seven
cone shaped retro-reflecting prisms.
[0290] FIG. 44A is a section side-view that illustrates the
longitudinal geometry of an array of eight cone shaped
retro-reflecting prisms, which is shown along with a Gaussian
shaped envelope of an incoming wavefront.
[0291] FIG. 44B is a section side-view that illustrates the
longitudinal geometry of an array of eight cone shaped
retro-reflecting prisms, which is shown along with a Gaussian
shaped envelope of an incoming wavefront and its outgoing
phase-reversed pseudo-conjugate.
[0292] FIG. 45 is a plan-view illustration of a high-density array
of the cone shaped retro-reflecting prisms used to comprise an
alternate version of the OPCLD's PCM, which is shown along with an
on-axis laser-beam intensity waistband distribution profile and
location.
[0293] FIG. 46 is a section side-view illustration of the
longitudinal geometry of six cone shaped retro-reflecting prisms,
which is shown along with the relative locations of a concave
shaped thermal lens and a convex shaped thermal lens, which are
made to form within the OPCLD's cavity and used to expand, flatten,
collimate, and distribute intracavity wavefronts planar-flat across
the OPCLD's PCM.
[0294] FIG. 47 is a Section A-A side-view illustration of a single
tetragon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prism, which is shown
along with the mathematical symbols used to describe its solid
geometry.
[0295] FIG. 47A is a three dimensional illustration of a single
tetragon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prism.
[0296] FIG. 48 is a Section B-B side-view illustration of a single
hexagon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prism, which is shown
along with mathematical symbols used to describe its solid
geometry.
[0297] FIG. 48A is a three dimensional illustration of a single
hexagon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prism.
[0298] FIG. 49 is a plan-view illustration of a combined array of
twelve tetragon shaped and seven hexagon shaped corner-cube
retro-reflecting prisms.
[0299] FIG. 49A is a plan-view illustration of a single hexagon
shaped corner-cube and six tetragon shaped corner-cube
retro-reflecting prisms.
[0300] FIG. 49B is a sectional side-view illustration of ten
tetragon corner-cube retro-reflecting prisms.
[0301] FIG. 50 is a plan-view illustration of a combined array of
tetragon shaped corner-cube and hexagon shaped corner-cube
retro-reflecting prisms, which are altogether used to comprise a
phase-locking alternate version of the OPCLD's PCM, which is shown
along with an on-axis laser-beam intensity waistband distribution
profile and location.
[0302] FIG. 51 is a Section A-A side-view illustration of a single
tetragon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prism, which is shown
along with the mathematical symbols used to describe its solid
geometry.
[0303] FIG. 51A is a three dimensional illustration of a single
tetragon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prism.
[0304] FIG. 52 is a Section B-B side-view illustration of a single
hexagon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prism, which is shown
along with the mathematical symbols used to describe its solid
geometry.
[0305] FIG. 52A is a three dimensional illustration of a single
hexagon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prism.
[0306] FIG. 53 is a plan-view illustration of a combined array of
thirty-six tetragon shaped corner-cube and one hexagon shaped
corner-cube retro-reflecting prisms.
[0307] FIG. 53A is a plan-view illustration of eighteen tetragon
shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prisms, which are shown as
surrounding one hexagon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting
prism.
[0308] FIG. 53B is a sectional side-view illustration of sixteen
tetragon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prisms.
[0309] FIG. 54 is a plan-view illustration of a combined array of
tetragon shaped corner-cube and hexagon shaped corner-cube
retro-reflecting prisms, which are altogether used to comprise a
phase-locking alternate version of the OPCLD's PCM, which is shown
along with an on-axis laser-beam intensity waistband distribution
location profile.
[0310] FIG. 55 is a Section A-A side-view illustration of a single
hexagon apertured pyramid shaped retro-reflecting prism, which is
shown along with the mathematical symbols used to describe its
solid geometry.
[0311] FIG. 55A is a three dimensional illustration of a single
hexagon apertured pyramid shaped retro-reflecting prism.
[0312] FIG. 56 is a Section B-B side-view illustration of a single
hexagon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prism, which is shown
along with the mathematical symbols used to describe its solid
geometry.
[0313] FIG. 56A is a three dimensional illustration of a single
hexagon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prism.
[0314] FIG. 57 is a plan-view illustration of a combined array of
four hexagon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prisms, and
three-hexagon apertured pyramid shaped retro-reflecting prisms.
[0315] FIG. 57A is a plan-view illustration of one hexagon shaped
corner-cube retro-reflecting prism and two-hexagon apertured
pyramid shaped retro-reflecting prisms.
[0316] FIG. 57B is a sectional side-view illustration of ten
hexagon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prisms.
[0317] FIG. 58 is a plan-view illustration of a combined hexagon
apertured pyramid shaped retro-reflecting prisms and hexagon shaped
corner-cube retro-reflecting prisms that are altogether used to
comprise a phase-locking alternate version of the OPCLD's PCM,
which is shown along with an on-axis laser-beam intensity waistband
distribution profile and location.
[0318] FIG. 59 is a Section A-A side-view illustration of a single
tetragon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prism, which is shown
along with the mathematical symbols used to describe its solid
geometry.
[0319] FIG. 59A is a three dimensional illustration of a single
tetragon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prism.
[0320] FIG. 60 is a Section B-B side-view illustration of a single
hexagon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prism, which is shown
along with the mathematical symbols used to describe its solid
geometry.
[0321] FIG. 60A is a three dimensional illustration of a single
hexagon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prism.
[0322] FIG. 61 is a plan-view illustration of a combined array of
three hexagon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prisms and
twenty-four tetragon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting
prisms.
[0323] FIG. 61A is a plan-view illustration of a hexagon shaped
corner-cube retro-reflecting prism and twelve tetragon shaped
corner-cube retro-reflecting prisms.
[0324] FIG. 61B is a sectional side-view illustration of ten
hexagon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prisms.
[0325] FIG. 62 is a plan-view illustration of a combined very-large
array of tetragon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prisms and
hexagon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prisms that are
altogether used to comprise a phase-locking alternate version of
the OPCLD's PCM, which is shown along with an on-axis laser-beam
intensity waistband distribution profile and location.
[0326] FIG. 63 is a Section A-A side-view illustration of a single
hexagon apertured pyramid shaped retro-reflecting prism, which is
shown along with the mathematical symbols used to describe its
solid geometry.
[0327] FIG. 63A is a three dimensional illustration of a single
hexagon apertured pyramid shaped retro-reflecting prism.
[0328] FIG. 64 is a Section B-B side-view illustration of a single
tetragon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prism, which is shown
along with the mathematical symbols used to describe its solid
geometry.
[0329] FIG. 64A is a three dimensional illustration of a single
tetragon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prism.
[0330] FIG. 65 is a plan-view illustration of a combined array of
three hexagon apertured pyramid shaped retro-reflecting prisms and
twenty-four tetragon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting
prisms.
[0331] FIG. 65A is a plan-view illustration of a single hexagon
apertured pyramid shaped retro-reflecting prism and twelve tetragon
shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prisms.
[0332] FIG. 65B is a sectional side-view illustration of ten
tetragon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prisms.
[0333] FIG. 66 is a plan-view illustration of a combined very-large
array of tetragon shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prisms and
hexagon aperturing pyramid shaped retro-reflecting six sided
prisms, which are altogether used to comprise a phase-locking
alternate version of the OPCLD's PCM.
[0334] FIG. 66A is a plan-view illustration of patterned
phase-grating or diffraction-grating.
[0335] FIG. 66B is a combined illustration of a block diagram and
mathematical formula for a Fresnel waveguide source.
[0336] FIG. 66C is a side-view illustration of a patterned phase
grating or diffraction grating.
[0337] FIG. 67 is a block diagram that illustrates a first step
used to create both the OPCLD's PCM and Gaussian mode providing
curved shaped laser-emission-output mirror using grey-scale masking
and photolithographically to chemically etch both the OPCLD's PCM
and laser-emission-output mirror.
[0338] FIG. 68 is a block diagram that illustrates a second step
used to create both the OPCLD's PCM and Gaussian mode providing
curved shaped laser-emission-output mirror; moreover, this second
step involves the use of an "Ultra Violet" (UV) light source, which
is used to expose the unmasked areas of photo-resist material
present on the surface of an OPCLD's substrate wafer.
[0339] FIG. 69 is a block diagram that illustrates a third step
used to create both the OPCLD's PCM and Gaussian mode providing
curved shaped laser-emission-output mirror; moreover, this third
step involves the use of chemical etching, which is used to form
the complex three dimensional corner-cube and curved, shaped
geometries that comprise the OPCLD's PCM and Gaussian providing
laser-emission-output mirror.
[0340] FIG. 70 is a sectional side-view illustration of a
combination "Photo Diode" (PD) and "Optical Phase Conjugation Laser
Diode" (OPCLD) transceiver package, which comprises an outer
housing, a inner housing for suspending and positioning optics,
transceiver module, collimating lens, coupling light to fiber lens,
coupling light photo-detector lens, diffraction lens, circuit
posts, and connected fiber pigtail.
[0341] FIG. 71 is a sectional side-view illustration of a
combination PIN Photo Detector and OPCLD transceiver module that is
altogether monolithically constructed from the same epitaxially
deposited material.
[0342] FIG. 72 is a sectional side-view illustration of a
combination Field Effect Transistor and OPCLD transceiver module
that is altogether monolithically constructed from the same
epitaxially deposited material.
[0343] FIG. 73 is a top plan-view illustration of a combination PIN
Photo Detector and OPCLD transceiver module that is altogether
monolithically constructed from the same epitaxially deposited
material.
[0344] FIG. 74 is a top plan-view illustration of a combination
Field Effect Transistor and OPCLD transceiver module; altogether
monolithically constructed from the same epitaxially deposited
material.
[0345] FIG. 75 is a sectional side-view illustration of a
combination PIN Photo Detector, "High Electron Mobile Transistor"
(HEMT), and OPCLD transceiver module; altogether monolithically
constructed from the same epitaxially deposited material and
lithographically etched to form a final integrated circuit package
for use in the package illustrated in FIG. 70.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Preferred Embodiments--FIGS. 19, 20, & 21,
[0346] The "Optical Phase Conjugating Laser Diode" (OPCLD), as
illustrated in FIGS. 19, 20, 20A, 21, and 21A, represents the
preferred embodiment of my invention. The OPCLD begins its
construction as a commercially obtained semiconductor substrate
wafer, which is utilized as a growth medium during the epitaxial
growth of the OPCLD's multilayered structure. For the preferred
version of my OPCLD invention grey-scale masking and lithography is
utilized to prepare the wafer for the epitaxial deposition of the
various layers that will comprise the OPCLD.
[0347] Depending upon the material regime chosen as the material
used to construct the OPCLD's gain-region, the method used to grow
the OPCLD will more likely be one of two well known epitaxial
growth methods, e.g. "Molecular Beam Epitaxy" (MBE) is typically
used to grow GaN based epi-structures upon commercially obtained
Silicon-Carbide or Al.sub.2O.sub.3 substrate wafers, while
"Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition" (MOCVD) is typically used
to grow InP based epi-structures upon commercially obtained
Indium-Phosphide or Gallium-Phosphide substrate wafers.
[0348] Please note that spacer-layers 160 and 162 (FIG. 19) are
gradiently filled as a means to illustrate how they are gradiently
doped. For these spacer-layers, doping is heaviest in the dark
colored areas, while doping is lightest in the light colored areas.
FIG. 19 is a Section A-A side-view illustration of a single OPCLD,
which is described below as universally comprised as having
multiple epilayered structures that are deposited and shaped in the
following order, including:
[0349] A choice of either commercially obtaining a p-doped or an
n-doped semiconductor substrate-layer 159 (FIG. 19).
[0350] The wafer needs to be etched first using grey-scale masking
and lithography to form an Nth number of hemispherical recessions
170A (FIGS. 19, 20, and 21) in the up-turned surface of the wafer.
While a second group of half-doughnut shaped recessions 170B (FIGS.
19, 20A, and 21A) need to be formed using grey-scale masking and
lithography into the down-turned surface of the wafer.
[0351] Next, both previously etched recessions 170A, 170B are to be
filled using MOCVD with the same semiconductor material used to
comprise the wafer itself except it most be highly ++ doped.
[0352] After which, any bulges, bumps, or other irregularities can
be smoothed down flat using either etching and/or polishing.
[0353] Next, is an epitaxial deposition of a few highly doped
surface-smoothing buffer-layers (not illustrated) upon the
up-turned second face surface of the previously processed substrate
wafer. After deposition, the buffer-layers, will altogether have a
total thickness equaling one-hundred Angstroms.
[0354] Next, a epitaxial deposition of a first spacer-layer 160
(FIG. 19), which is made to occur upon the upturned surface of the
previously deposited buffer-layers and will be comprised as having
either a gradiently or non-gradiently doped deposited structure,
using either a P or N dopant material, e.g. for an N spacer-layer
use an electron donating material like Silicon or Carbon, while for
an P spacer-layer use an electron accepting material like Boron or
Zinc.
[0355] Upon the up-turned second face of the previously formed
spacer-layer 160 is epitaxially deposited a gain-region 161 (FIG.
19), which is comprised as having either a single layered
lattice-matched P-doped, N-doped, or un-doped bulk semiconductor
layer based gain-region 161, a single or multilayered strained or
unstrained quantum-dot based gain-region 161, a single or
multilayered strained or unstrained quantum super-lattice based
gain-region 161, a single or multilayered strained or unstrained
quantum-cascade based gain-region 161, a single or multilayered
"Organic-Light-Emitting-Diode" (OLED) based gain-region 161, being
comprised, for example, from the deposition of a 30-nm layer of TAD
(TAD is conventional for triphenyl/diamine), a 15-nm layer of
NAPOXA (NAPOXA is conventional for
2-naphtyl-4,5-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)-1,3-oxazole), a 15-nm layer of
Alq (Alq is conventional for 8-hydroxyquinolinato aluminum), for
synthesis information, please see, U.S. patent application Ser. No.
08/673,864, filed Sep. 13, (1995), by A. Dodabalapur et al., or a
single or multilayered strained or unstrained quantum-well based
gain-region 161.
[0356] Upon an up-turned second face of the previously formed
gain-region 161 is epitaxially deposited a second lattice-matched
semiconductor spacer-layer 162 (FIG. 19), which is comprised as
having either a gradiently or a non-gradiently doped structure
using either P or N dopant material.
[0357] Upon an up-turned second face of the previously formed
second spacer-layer 162 is an epitaxially deposited second
reflector 165 (FIGS. 19 and 20), which is comprised as having an
undoped multilayered DBR based mirror-stack assembly that provides
for a partial reflection.
[0358] Upon an up-turned second face of the previously deposited
DBR based mirror-stack assembly 165 is an epitaxially deposited
emitter layer 163 (FIGS. 19, 20, and 20A), which is later
lithographically (i.e., using grey-scale masking and lithography)
formed 166 into a hemispherical shaped 164 (FIGS. 19, 20, and 20A)
Gaussian mode providing third reflector 164.
[0359] Using a first face of the commercially provided substrate
159, a first reflector 168 (FIGS. 19, 21, and 21A) is formed (i.e.,
using grey-scale masking and lithography) into an array of
retro-reflecting polyhedral prisms (FIGS. 19, 21, and 21A) 168,
which provides for the OPCLD's optical phase-conjugation capable
PCM.
[0360] A first N or P Ohmic contact 167 (FIGS. 19, 20, and 20A) is
formed, when the appropriate metal alloy is deposited into a
circular shaped trench that was previously etched all the way
through both reflector three's construction layer 164 and the DBR
based second reflector layer 165, where it will make electrical
contact with the top outer-most p++ doped surface of the OPCLD's
second spacer-layer 162. While a second N or P Ohmic contact 170
(FIGS. 19, 20, 20A, 21, and 21A) is formed, when the appropriate
metal alloy is deposited around the entire periphery of the bottom
outer-most n++ doped surface edge of the OPCLD's doped substrate
159.
[0361] Wherein, the third reflector's Gaussian mode 164 providing
shape 166 (FIGS. 19 and 20), and the first reflector's optical
phase-conjugation providing PCM 168 (FIG. 21A) define a
hemispherical laser cavity that provides for a low-order
fundamental transverse cavity mode 169 (FIG. 19) (i.e., preferably
the transverse mode TEM.sub.00) having a high-power
laser-emission-output (i.e., .gtoreq.100-mW of cw output for a
gain-region having a diameter .gtoreq.60-.mu.m) for my OPCLD
invention.
[0362] In addition, it is important to remember that the choice of
material constituents used to construct my OPCLD invention is not
determined by the inventions mirror structures or any other
structure, but is instead determined by any particular wavelength
specific to application. Below, I have listed in an ascending order
of epitaxial deposition all of the specific layers and the
structure forming processes that are necessary for creating a
long-wavelength version of my OPCLD invention, using an InGaAsP/InP
regime of material specifically tailored to provide for
1.310-.mu.m, 1.490-.mu.m, and 1.550-.mu.m
laser-emission-output.
[0363] Moreover, structure formation, being almost entirely
independent of material deposition, can sometimes exhibit a varied
non-sequential order of process. Regardless, I have listed below
the structure-forming processes that are required for constructing
the OPCLD using an order of process that best describes the
creation of the preferred embodiment of the invention. The steps
used to construct a Long-Wavelength version of my OPCLD invention
are specific, and will require the use of MOCVD to epitaxially
deposit a multitude of layers using InGaAsP, InP, GaP as
construction material, and additionally, will require the use of
grey-scale photo-masking and lithography to etch the previously
deposited InGaAsP, InP, GaP layers into a laser producing "Phase
Conjugation Resonator" based cavity structure. These steps are
listed below to include:
[0364] A commercially obtained doped InP substrate-wafer 159 (FIG.
19); providing for a binary semiconductor composition equaling InP,
a large lattice-matched surface growth area that promotes the
epitaxial growth of the various layers when combined form my OPCLD
invention, a surface-area that exhibits a crystallographic
orientation of <100>, an approximate wafer-diameter equaling
either 3.0-in, 5.0-in, or 8.0-in, an approximate wafer-thickness
equaling 625-.mu.m, an energy band-gap equaling 1.35 eV at 300K, an
emission .lamda.=ch/E.sub.g=0.92-.mu.m, a vacuum wavelength of
1.550-.mu.m, and a high-refractive index equaling 3.17.
[0365] If we want to provide the OPCLD invention with an injected
carrier induced thermal lens, then we will need to perform three
etchings on the N doped InP substrate-wafer 159 (FIG. 19). Further,
using grey-scale masking and lithography, a first etch is performed
on the up-turned surface of the N doped InP substrate-wafer 159
(FIG. 19) to provide for a first hemispherical shaped lens profile
170A (FIG. 19), a second etch is performed on the down-turned
surface of the N doped InP substrate-wafer 159 (FIG. 19) to provide
for a second hemispherical shaped lens profile 170C (FIG. 19), and
a third etch is again performed on the down-turned surface of the N
doped InP substrate-wafer 159 (FIG. 19) to provide for a doughnut
shaped lens profile 170B (FIG. 19).
[0366] If we want to provide the OPCLD with an injected carrier
induced thermal lens, we will need to epitaxially deposit a highly
n++ doped InP comprised material into the first hemispherical
shaped lens profile 170A (FIG. 19), and into the doughnut shaped
lens profile 170B (FIG. 19), until both previously etched profiles
are entirely filled with the highly n++ doped InP material.
Additionally, we will also need to epitaxially deposit an undoped
InP material into the previously etched second hemispherical shaped
lens profile 170C (FIG. 19), while, for all three profiles, removal
of any deposited material excess, can either be etched away or
polished away to form planar flat surfaces using methods know by
those well versed in the art.
[0367] However, if we want to provide the OPCLD invention with a
non-thermal lens solution, then we will need to perform two
etchings on the N doped InP substrate-wafer 171 (FIG. 22). Further,
using grey-scale masking and lithography, a first etch is performed
on the up-turned surface of the N doped InP substrate-wafer 171
(FIG. 22) to provide for a first Fresnel shaped lens profile 183
(FIG. 22), while a second etch is performed on the down-turned
surface of the N doped InP substrate-wafer 171 (FIG. 22) to provide
for a second Fresnel shaped lens profile 182 (FIG. 22).
[0368] However, if we want to continue providing the OPCLD with an
non-thermal lens solution, then we need to next epitaxially deposit
N doped InP material into the first previously etched Fresnel
shaped lens profile 183 (FIG. 22), and into the second previously
etched Fresnel shaped lens profile 182 (FIG. 22), until both
profiles are entirely filled-up with the N doped InP material,
while, for both profiles, removal of any deposited material excess,
can either be etched away or polished away to form planar flat
surfaces using methods know by those well versed in the art.
[0369] The epitaxial deposition of several N doped InP
buffer-layers (not shown), which will altogether comprise of a
single layer 100 Angstroms thick.
[0370] The epitaxial deposition of an first N doped InP
spacer-layer 160 (FIG. 19); providing for a binary semiconductor
composition equaling InP, a deposition thickness equaling 300-nm, a
Silicon dopant--linearly graded from (n+) 1-3E18 to (N) 1-3E16, an
energy band-gap equaling 1.35 eV at 300K, an emission
.lamda.=ch/E.sub.g=0.92-.mu.m, a vacuum wavelength of 1.550-.mu.m,
and a high refractive index equaling 3.17.
[0371] The epitaxial deposition of a first un-doped InGaP
barrier-layer; providing for a MQW comprised gain-region 161 (FIG.
19), a tensile strained ternary semiconductor composition equaling
In.sub.0.9Ga.sub.0.1P, and a deposition thickness equaling
7-nm.
[0372] The epitaxial deposition of an undoped
In.sub.rGa.sub.1-rAs.sub.1-sP quantum-well-layer; providing for a
first epilayer deposited in a MQW comprised gain-region 161 (FIG.
19), a quaternary semiconductor composition equaling
In.sub.0.76Ga.sub.0.24As.sub.0.82P.sub.0.18, a deposition thickness
equaling 7-nm, a 1% compressive strain; an energy band-gap equaling
1.1 eV at 300K, an emission .lamda.=ch/E.sub.g=1.548-.mu.m, a
vacuum wavelength of 1.550-.mu.m, and a refractive index equaling
3.23.
[0373] The epitaxial deposition of an undoped
In.sub.rGa.sub.1-rAs.sub.1-sP barrier-layer; providing for a second
epilayer deposited in a MQW comprised gain-region 161 (FIG. 19), an
unstrained quaternary semiconductor composition equaling
In.sub.0.80Ga.sub.0.20As.sub.0.43P.sub.0.57, a deposition thickness
equaling 7-nm, an energy band-gap equaling 1.1 eV at 300K, an
emission .lamda.=ch/E.sub.g=1.180-.mu.m, a vacuum wavelength of
1.550-.mu.m, and a refractive index equaling 3.23.
[0374] The epitaxial deposition of an undoped
In.sub.rGa.sub.1-rAs.sub.1-sP quantum-well-layer; providing for a
third epilayer deposited in a MQW comprised gain-region 161 (FIG.
19), a quaternary semiconductor composition equaling
In.sub.0.76Ga.sub.0.24As.sub.0.82P.sub.0.18, a deposition thickness
equaling 7-nm, a 1% compressive strain; an energy band-gap equaling
1.1 eV at 300K, an emission .lamda.=ch/E.sub.g=1.548-.mu.m, a
vacuum wavelength of 1.550-.mu.m, and a refractive index equaling
3.23.
[0375] The epitaxial deposition of an undoped
In.sub.rGa.sub.1-rAs.sub.1-sP barrier-layer; providing for a fourth
epilayer deposited in a MQW comprised gain-region 161 (FIG. 19), an
unstrained quaternary semiconductor composition equaling
In.sub.0.80Ga.sub.0.20As.sub.0.43P.sub.0.57, a deposition thickness
equaling 7-nm, an energy band-gap equaling 1.1 eV at 300K, an
emission .lamda.=ch/E.sub.g=1.180-.mu.m, a vacuum wavelength of
1.550-.mu.m, and a refractive index equaling 3.23.
[0376] The epitaxial deposition of an undoped
In.sub.rGa.sub.1-rAs.sub.1-sP quantum-well-layer; providing for a
fifth epilayer deposited in a MQW comprised gain-region 161 (FIG.
19), a quaternary semiconductor composition equaling
In.sub.0.76Ga.sub.0.24As.sub.0.82P.sub.0.18, a deposition thickness
equaling 7-nm, a 1% compressive strain, an energy band-gap equaling
1.1 eV at 300K, an emission .lamda.=ch/E.sub.g=1.548-.mu.m, and a
vacuum wavelength of 1.550-.mu.m, and a refractive index equaling
3.23.
[0377] The epitaxial deposition of an undoped
In.sub.rGa.sub.1-rAs.sub.1-sP barrier-layer; providing for a sixth
epilayer deposited in a MQW comprised gain-region 161 (FIG. 19), an
unstrained quaternary semiconductor composition equaling
In.sub.0.80Ga.sub.0.20As.sub.0.43P.sub.0.57, a deposition thickness
equaling 7-nm, an energy band-gap equaling 1.1 eV at 300K, an
emission .lamda.=ch/E.sub.g=1.180-.mu.m, a vacuum wavelength of
1.550-.mu.m, and a refractive index equaling 3.23.
[0378] The epitaxial deposition of an undoped
In.sub.rGa.sub.1-rAs.sub.1-sP quantum-well-layer; providing for a
seventh epilayer deposited in a MQW comprised gain-region 161 (FIG.
19), a quaternary semiconductor composition equaling
In.sub.0.76Ga.sub.0.24As.sub.0.82P.sub.0.18, a deposition thickness
equaling 7-nm, a 1% compressive strain, an energy band-gap equaling
1.1 eV at 300K, an emission .lamda.=ch/E.sub.g=1.548-.mu.m, a
vacuum wavelength of 1.550-.mu.m, and a refractive index equaling
3.23.
[0379] The epitaxial deposition of an undoped
In.sub.rGa.sub.1-rAs.sub.1-sP barrier-layer; providing for a eighth
epilayer deposited in a MQW comprised gain-region 161 (FIG. 19), an
unstrained quaternary semiconductor composition equaling
In.sub.0.80Ga.sub.0.20As.sub.0.43P.sub.0.57, a deposition thickness
equaling 7-nm, an energy band-gap equaling 1.1 eV at 300K, an
emission .lamda.=ch/E.sub.g=1.180-.mu.m, a vacuum wavelength of
1.550-.mu.m, and a refractive index equaling 3.23.
[0380] The epitaxial deposition of an undoped
In.sub.rGa.sub.1-rAs.sub.1-sP quantum-well-layer; providing for a
ninth epilayer deposited in a MQW comprised gain-region 161 (FIG.
19), a quaternary semiconductor composition equaling
In.sub.0.76Ga.sub.0.24As.sub.0.82P.sub.0.18, a deposition thickness
equaling 7-nm, a 1% compressive strain, an energy band-gap equaling
1.1 eV at 300K, an emission .lamda.=ch/E.sub.g=1.548-.mu.m, a
vacuum wavelength of 1.550-.mu.m, and a refractive index equaling
3.23.
[0381] The epitaxial deposition of an undoped
In.sub.rGa.sub.1-rAs.sub.1-sP barrier-layer; providing for a tenth
epilayer deposited in a MQW comprised gain-region 161 (FIG. 19), an
unstrained quaternary semiconductor composition equaling
In.sub.0.80Ga.sub.0.20As.sub.0.43P.sub.0.57, a deposition thickness
equaling 7-nm, an energy band-gap equaling 1.1 eV at 300K, an
emission .lamda.=ch/E.sub.g=1.180-.mu.m, a vacuum wavelength of
1.550-.mu.m, and a refractive index equaling 3.23.
[0382] The epitaxial deposition of an undoped
In.sub.rGa.sub.1-rAs.sub.1-sP quantum-well-layer; providing for an
eleventh epilayer deposited in a MQW comprised gain-region 161
(FIG. 19), a quaternary semiconductor composition equaling
In.sub.0.76Ga.sub.0.24As.sub.0.82P.sub.0.18, a deposition thickness
equaling 7-nm, a 1% compressive strain, an energy band-gap equaling
1.1 eV at 300K, an emission .lamda.=ch/E.sub.g=1.548-.mu.m, a
vacuum wavelength of 1.550-.mu.m, and a refractive index equaling
3.23.
[0383] The epitaxial deposition of an undoped barrier-layer;
providing for a twelfth epilayer deposited in a MQW comprised
gain-region 161 (FIG. 19), an unstrained quaternary semiconductor
composition equaling In.sub.0.80Ga.sub.0.20As.sub.0.43P.sub.0.57, a
deposition thickness equaling 7-nm, an energy band-gap equaling 1.1
eV at 300K, an emission .lamda.=ch/E.sub.g=1.180-.mu.m, a vacuum
wavelength of 1.550-.mu.m, and a refractive index equaling
3.23.
[0384] The epitaxial deposition of an undoped
In.sub.rGa.sub.1-rAs.sub.1-sP quantum-well-layer; providing for a
thirteenth epilayer deposited in a MQW comprised gain-region 161
(FIG. 19), a quaternary semiconductor composition equaling
In.sub.0.76Ga.sub.0.24As.sub.0.82P.sub.0.18, a deposition thickness
equaling 7-nm a 1% compressive strain, an energy band-gap equaling
1.1 eV at 300K, an emission .lamda.=ch/E.sub.g=1.548-.mu.m, a
vacuum wavelength of 1.550-.mu.m, and a refractive index equaling
3.23.
[0385] The epitaxial deposition of a second un-doped InGaP
barrier-layer; providing for a MQW comprised gain-region 161 (FIG.
19), a tensile strained ternary semiconductor composition equaling
In.sub.0.9Ga.sub.0.1P, and a deposition thickness equaling
7-nm.
[0386] The epitaxial deposition of a second doped InP spacer-layer
162 (FIG. 19); providing for a binary semiconductor composition
equaling InP, a deposition thickness equaling 300-nm, a Carbon
dopant--linearly graded from (P) 2-4E16 to (p+) 2-4E20, an energy
band-gap equaling 1.35 eV at 300K, an emission
.lamda.=ch/E.sub.g=0.92-.mu.m, a vacuum wavelength of 1.550-.mu.m,
and a high refractive index equaling 3.17.
[0387] The epitaxial deposition of an undoped
Al.sub.xGa.sub.yIn.sub.zAs mirror-stack-layer 165 (FIG. 19);
providing for a ternary semiconductor composition equaling
Al.sub.0.05Ga.sub.0.42In.sub.0.53As, a first epilayer deposited in
a DBR comprised second reflector, a deposition thickness equaling
.lamda./(4n).sub.S=102-nm, an energy band-gap equaling 1.35 eV at
300K, an emission .lamda.=ch/E.sub.g=0.92-.mu.m, a vacuum
wavelength of 1.550-.mu.m, and a low-refractive index equaling
1.68.
[0388] The epitaxial deposition of an undoped InP
mirror-stack-layer 165 (FIG. 19); providing for a second epilayer
deposited in a DBR comprised second reflector, a deposition
thickness equaling .lamda./(4n).sub.S=122-nm, an energy band-gap
equaling 1.35 eV at 300K, an emission
.lamda.=ch/E.sub.g=0.92-.mu.m, a vacuum wavelength of 1.550-.mu.m,
and a high-refractive index equaling 3.17.
[0389] The epitaxial deposition of an undoped
Al.sub.xGa.sub.yIn.sub.zAs mirror-stack-layer 165 (FIG. 19);
providing for a ternary semiconductor composition equaling
Al.sub.0.05Ga.sub.0.42In.sub.0.53As, a third epilayer deposited in
a DBR comprised second reflector, a deposition thickness equaling
.lamda./(4n).sub.S=102-nm, an energy band-gap equaling 1.35 eV at
300K, an emission .lamda.=ch/E.sub.g=0.92-.mu.m, a vacuum
wavelength of 1.550-.mu.m, and a low-refractive index equaling
1.68.
[0390] The epitaxial deposition of an undoped InP
mirror-stack-layer 165 (FIG. 19); providing for a fourth epilayer
deposited in a DBR comprised second reflector, a deposition
thickness equaling .lamda./(4n).sub.S=122-nm, an energy band-gap
equaling 1.35 eV at 300K, an emission
.lamda.=ch/E.sub.g=0.92-.mu.m, a vacuum wavelength of 1.550-.mu.m,
and a high-refractive index equaling 3.17.
[0391] The epitaxial deposition of an undoped
Al.sub.xGa.sub.yIn.sub.zAs mirror-stack-layer 165 (FIG. 19);
providing for a ternary semiconductor composition equaling
Al.sub.0.05Ga.sub.0.42In.sub.0.53As, a fifth epilayer deposited in
a DBR comprised second reflector, a deposition thickness equaling
.lamda./(4n).sub.S=102-nm, an energy band-gap equaling 1.35 eV at
300K, an emission .lamda.=ch/E.sub.g=0.92-.mu.m, a vacuum
wavelength of 1.550-.mu.m, and a low-refractive index equaling
1.68.
[0392] The epitaxial deposition of an undoped InP
mirror-stack-layer 165 (FIG. 19); providing for a sixth epilayer
deposited in a DBR comprised second reflector, a deposition
thickness equaling .lamda./(4n).sub.S=122-nm, an energy band-gap
equaling 1.35 eV at 300K, an emission
.lamda.=ch/E.sub.g=0.92-.mu.m, a vacuum wavelength of 1.550-.mu.m,
and a high-refractive index equaling 3.17.
[0393] The epitaxial deposition of an undoped
Al.sub.xGa.sub.yIn.sub.zAs minor-stack-layer 163 (FIG. 19);
providing for a ternary semiconductor composition equaling
Al.sub.0.05Ga.sub.0.42In.sub.0.53As, a seventh epilayer deposited
in a DBR comprised second reflector, a deposition thickness
equaling .lamda./(4n).sub.S=102-nm, an energy band-gap equaling
1.35 eV at 300K, an emission .lamda.=ch/E.sub.g=0.92-.mu.m, a
vacuum wavelength of 1.550-.mu.m, and a low-refractive index
equaling 1.68.
[0394] The epitaxial deposition of an undoped InP minor-stack-layer
163 (FIG. 19); providing for an eighth epilayer deposited in a DBR
comprised second reflector, a deposition thickness equaling
.lamda./(4n).sub.S=122-nm, an energy band-gap equaling 1.35 eV at
300K, an emission .lamda.=ch/E.sub.g=0.92-.mu.m, a vacuum
wavelength of 1.550-.mu.m, and a high-refractive index equaling
3.17.
[0395] The epitaxial deposition of an undoped
Al.sub.xGa.sub.yIn.sub.zAs mirror-stack-layer 165 (FIG. 19);
providing for a ternary semiconductor composition equaling
Al.sub.0.05Ga.sub.0.42In.sub.0.53As, a ninth epilayer deposited in
a DBR comprised second reflector, a deposition thickness equaling
.lamda./(4n).sub.S=102-nm, an energy band-gap equaling 1.35 eV at
300K, an emission .lamda.=ch/E.sub.g=0.92-.mu.m, a vacuum
wavelength of 1.550-.mu.m, and a low-refractive index equaling
1.68.
[0396] The epitaxial deposition of an undoped InP
mirror-stack-layer 165 (FIG. 19); providing for a tenth epilayer
deposited in a DBR comprised second reflector, a deposition
thickness equaling .lamda./(4n).sub.S=122-nm, an energy band-gap
equaling 1.35 eV at 300K, an emission
.lamda.=ch/E.sub.g=0.92-.mu.m, a vacuum wavelength of 1.550-.mu.m,
and a high-refractive index equaling 3.17.
[0397] The epitaxial deposition of an undoped
Al.sub.xGa.sub.yIn.sub.zAs mirror-stack-layer 165 (FIG. 19);
providing for a ternary semiconductor composition equaling
Al.sub.0.05Ga.sub.0.42In.sub.0.53As, an eleventh epilayer deposited
in a DBR comprised second reflector, a deposition thickness
equaling .lamda./(4n).sub.S=102-nm, an energy band-gap equaling
1.35 eV at 300K, an emission .lamda.=ch/E.sub.g=0.92-.mu.m, a
vacuum wavelength of 1.550-.mu.m, and a low-refractive index
equaling 1.68.
[0398] The epitaxial deposition of an undoped InP
mirror-stack-layer 165 (FIG. 19); providing for a twelfth epilayer
deposited in a DBR comprised second reflector, a deposition
thickness equaling .lamda./(4n).sub.S=122-nm, an energy band-gap
equaling 1.35 eV at 300K, an emission
.lamda.=ch/E.sub.g=0.92-.mu.m, a vacuum wavelength of 1.550-.mu.m,
and a high-refractive index equaling 3.17.
[0399] The epitaxial deposition of an undoped
Al.sub.xGa.sub.yIn.sub.zAs mirror-stack-layer 165 (FIG. 19);
providing for a ternary semiconductor composition equaling
Al.sub.0.05Ga.sub.0.42In.sub.0.53As, a thirteenth epilayer
deposited in a DBR comprised second reflector, a deposition
thickness equaling .lamda./(4n).sub.S=102-nm, an energy band-gap
equaling 1.35 eV at 300K, an emission
.lamda.=ch/E.sub.g=0.92-.mu.m, a vacuum wavelength of 1.550-.mu.m,
and a low-refractive index equaling 1.68.
[0400] The epitaxial deposition of an undoped InP minor-stack-layer
165 (FIG. 19); providing for a fourteenth epilayer deposited in a
DBR comprised second reflector, a deposition thickness equaling
.lamda./(4n).sub.S=122-nm, an energy band-gap equaling 1.35 eV at
300K, an emission .lamda.=ch/E.sub.g=0.92-.mu.m, a vacuum
wavelength of 1.550-.mu.m, and a high-refractive index equaling
3.17.
[0401] The epitaxial deposition of an undoped
Al.sub.xGa.sub.yIn.sub.zAs mirror-stack-layer 165 (FIG. 19);
providing for a ternary semiconductor composition equaling
Al.sub.0.05Ga.sub.0.42In.sub.0.53As, a fifteenth epilayer deposited
in a DBR comprised second reflector, a deposition thickness
equaling .lamda./(4n).sub.S=102-nm, an energy band-gap equaling
1.35 eV at 300K, an emission .lamda.=ch/E.sub.g=0.92-.mu.m, a
vacuum wavelength of 1.550-.mu.m, and a low-refractive index
equaling 1.68.
[0402] The epitaxial deposition of an undoped InP
mirror-stack-layer 165 (FIG. 19); providing for a sixteenth
epilayer deposited in a DBR comprised second reflector, a
deposition thickness equaling .lamda./(4n).sub.S=122-nm, an energy
band-gap equaling 1.35 eV at 300K, an emission
.lamda.=ch/E.sub.g=0.92-.mu.m, a vacuum wavelength of 1.550-.mu.m,
and a high-refractive index equaling 3.17.
[0403] The epitaxial deposition of an undoped
Al.sub.xGa.sub.yIn.sub.zAs mirror-stack-layer 163 (FIG. 19);
providing for a ternary semiconductor composition equaling
Al.sub.0.05Ga.sub.0.42In.sub.0.53As, a seventeenth epilayer
deposited in a DBR comprised second reflector, a deposition
thickness equaling .lamda./(4n).sub.S=102-nm, an energy band-gap
equaling 1.35 eV at 300K, an emission
.lamda.=ch/E.sub.g=0.92-.mu.m, a vacuum wavelength of 1.550-.mu.m,
and a low-refractive index equaling 1.68.
[0404] The epitaxial deposition of an undoped
Al.sub.xGa.sub.yIn.sub.zAs emission-mirror-layer 165 (FIG. 19);
providing for a ternary semiconductor composition equaling
Al.sub.0.05Ga.sub.0.42In.sub.0.53As, an epilayer deposited for use
as a Gaussian mode emission providing third reflector, a deposition
thickness equaling .lamda./(4n).sub.S=300-nm, an energy band-gap
equaling 1.35 eV at 300K, an emission
.lamda.=ch/E.sub.g=0.92-.mu.m, a vacuum wavelength of 1.550-.mu.m,
and a low-refractive index equaling 1.68.
[0405] Using grey-scale masking and lithography, we next form a
coherent array of hexagon apertured corner-cube shaped
retro-reflecting prism elements (e.g., preferably each prism
element has an aperture diameter dimension equal-to or
slightly-less-than a wavelength of desired laser emission minus the
refractive index of the material used to construct each element),
which is preferably called a "Phase Conjugation Mirror" (PCM) 168
(FIGS. 19, 21, and 21A) and will comprise several hundreds of
individual corner-cube prism elements 198 (FIGS. 26, 26A, 26B, and
27).
[0406] Using grey-scale masking and lithography, we will next form
an undoped Al.sub.xGa.sub.yIn.sub.zAs laser-emission-output
minor-layer 163 (FIGS. 19, 20, and 20A), which will be used to
provide for a hemispherical shaped Gaussian mode providing
laser-emission-output mirror 164 and 166 (FIGS. 19, 20, and
20A).
[0407] The E-Beam evaporated deposition of either Al/Pt/Ag/Au onto
the top outmost surface of the OPCLD's hemispherical shaped
Gaussian mode providing laser-emission-output mirror 164 and 166
(FIGS. 19, 20, and 20A), which will form a partially reflective
thin metal layer 164 (FIGS. 19, 20, and 20A) that provides for both
a partial reflection and a partial transmission of a low-order
fundamental transverse spatial cavity mode (i.e., TEM.sub.00)
high-power laser-emission output.
[0408] The E-Beam evaporated deposition of a Ti/Ni/Au
electrode-layer 167 and 170 (FIGS. 19, 20, 20A, 21, and 21A);
providing for a deposition thickness equaling 150-.ANG., a N Ohmic
contact layer 170 to be deposited around the entire bottom
peripheral surface area of the OPCLD's substrate layer 159 (FIG.
19), 171 (FIG. 22), and a P Ohmic contact layer 167 to be deposited
into a circular trench that was previously etched into and through
both the OPCLD's second and third mirror structures in order to
expose the top outermost surface of the P doped second spacer-layer
162 (FIG. 19) of the OPCLD; wherein, both the N and P Ohmic contact
layers 170, 167 will provide for the electrical pumping of the
OPCLD's gain-region 160, 161, 162 (FIG. 19) 172, 173, 174 (FIG.
22).
Preferred Embodiments--FIGS. 19, 20, 20A, 21, and 21A
[0409] The preferred embodiments described below generally include
a PCR based broad area semiconductor laser diode, which comprises a
PCM 168 (FIGS. 19, 21, and 21A) used for compensating or correcting
phase perturbations and wavefront distortion. Moreover, a
preferably reflective, and alternatively transmissive, optical
element 163 (FIGS. 19, 20, and 20A) of the PCR has a non-planar
surface contour that is preferably configured to provide for a
Gaussian mode for the incident beam. In the case of a tunable
version of my OPCLD invention, such element may be for adjusted in
order to reconfigure the bandwidth, for more details, please see
the `Additional Embodiments` section located below.
[0410] Further, the preferred embodiment describes the use of a
retro-reflecting coherent array of corner-cube elements, preferably
having a hexagon shaped apertures, the centers of which are
approximately separated by a dimensional distance that is equal-to
or slightly less than one wavelength of desired laser emission
minus the refractive index of the material used to construct each
element. Preferably, each corner-cube retro-reflecting prism
element has a hexagon aperture diameter dimension that is equal-to
or slightly less than one wavelength of desired laser emission
minus the refractive index of the material used to construct each
corner-cube element.
[0411] Moreover, the retro-reflecting corner-cube array may have a
uniform curvature 110, 110A (FIGS. 4 and 6A), or more preferably
may have an otherwise planar shape 168 (FIG. 19). In this case, a
beam expander 170A (FIG. 19), 183 (FIG. 22) is preferably used to
reduce the wavefront curvature before the retroreflecting
corner-cube array 168. Further, the retroreflecting corner-cube
array may be used in connection with an adaptable MOEMS based
Gaussian mode providing laser-emission-output mirror 164 (FIG. 19)
to correct transient wavefront distortions. Wherein, a feedback
loop including a processor and a detector, and preferably a
spectrometer, are used for controlling the wavefront distortion
correction of the adaptable optical element 164 (FIG. 19), such as
by controlling the surface contour or curvature of the element 164
using a MEMS or MOEMS technique.
[0412] Furthermore, it is noted here that although these preferred
embodiments are contemplated for advantageous use with
semiconductor broad area vertical cavity surface emitting laser
diodes, other semiconductor laser diode adapters may benefit by
using any of these preferred embodiments. Moreover, there are three
general ways for providing wavefront corrections according to
preferred embodiments herein, and these are illustrated by the
three reflective components shown at FIGS. 19, 20, 20A, 21, and
21B. They are: (a) using an adaptive optical element such as a
MOEMS enabled deformable mirror 164 (i.e., used in concert with
either (b) or (c) of the two remaining reflector configurations),
166.
[0413] In addition, a MOEMS enabled deformable mirror 164 is
fabricated by shaping the ends of a solid material with the desired
mirror curvatures and then HR coating the ends. In such case, the
net mirror curvature can be distributed between both mirrors. The
optical distance between the ends is adjusted mechanically or
thermally, for example. Further, the flat first mirror structure
and/or the inflection mirror structure 164 is deflectable or
movable in a Z-axis direction using MOEMS technology, for example,
to thereby provide for a tunable filter with a tunable pass
band.
[0414] Generally, the mode field diameter for the lowest order mode
as defined by the intensity 1/e.sub.2 diameter of the mode,
generally fits within the central portion of the mirror. Typically,
the ratio of the mode field 1/e.sub.2 diameter to the diameter w of
the mirror FWHM is slightly greater than about 0.5, usually greater
than 0.7. Further, for single mode resonators, the ratio is
typically greater than about 0.9 to greater than 1.2, or more.
[0415] In contrast, the mode field diameter of a higher order mode,
when stable, extends into the negative curvature portion, and
possibly the flat portions surrounding the regions with the optical
curvature. This eventually makes the cavity unstable for that mode.
In this way, the invention utilizes phase profiling or a phase
aperture. Further, a variation in phase is introduced across
transverse plane to preferentially preserve the lowest order mode
while making the higher order modes unstable.
[0416] Generally, in the FP filter, a spacer device would separate
the mirror device from the membrane device; thus, to thereby define
the Fabry-Perot (FP) filtered optical cavity. Further, the optical
membrane device would comprise a handle material that functions as
a support. Further, an optical membrane or device layer would need
to be added to the previously mentioned support material. While,
the previously mentioned membrane structure would need to be formed
within the previously mentioned optical membrane layer. Moreover,
an insulating layer would need to separate the optical membrane
layer from the support material.
[0417] Moreover, during manufacture, the previously mentioned
insulating layer would also function as a sacrificial/release
layer, which is partially removed to release the previously
mentioned membrane structure from the previously mentioned support
material. Further, the insulating layer would define the
electrostatic cavity between the previously mentioned membrane
structure and the handle wafer. Moreover, when an electrical field
is established across this cavity it will provide for the force
necessary to deflect the light reflecting membrane out-of-plane and
therefore, tune the (FP) filter via a modulation of the size of the
optical cavity.
[0418] Moreover, as illustrated in FIGS. 19, 20, and 20A, a
retro-reflector configuration (b) uses a planar fixed
retro-reflecting corner-cube array based PCM 168, 181 such as those
illustrated in FIGS. 19, 21, 21A, 22, 24 and 24A. While,
retro-reflector configuration (c) uses a curved non-planar fixed
retro-reflecting corner-cube array based PCM 110, 110A such as the
one illustrated in FIG. 22.
[0419] In addition, the effects that reflection has on incident
wavefronts when reflected by either a conventional mirror, a
phase-conjugate mirror, or a pseudo phase-conjugate
retro-reflecting array based PCM, is described in detail by H. H.
Barrett and S. F. Jacobs, Opt. Lett. 4, (1979), 190. Further, if a
retro-reflecting array is used, then it may have a uniform
curvature 110, 110A (FIG. 4), or it may have an otherwise planar
shape 168 (FIGS. 19, 21, and 21A). In this case, a beam expander
170A (FIG. 19), 183 (FIG. 22) is preferably used to reduce the
incident wavefront curvature before the retro-reflecting array, as
the retro-reflecting array is to be used to correct transient
wavefront distortions. Further, a feedback loop, including a
processor and a detector, can be used for controlling the wavefront
distortion correction of the adaptable optical element 163, 164
(FIG. 19), such as by controlling the surface contour or curvature
of the element 164.
[0420] Furthermore, as illustrated in FIGS. 27A and 27B, for the
pseudo phase-conjugate retro-reflecting array based PCM, the base
of the wavefront leads the crest of the wavefront in the reflected
wavefront by a same phase as the crest was leading the base in the
incident wavefront 202, i.e., prior to reflection from the pseudo
phase-conjugate mirror 200. Further, FIG. 27B further describes a
wavefront incident 202 at a retro-reflective array 200 (indicated
by arrow 201 pointing towards the retro-reflective array 200), and
the wavefront after reflection 205 from the retro-reflective array
200 (indicated by arrow 206 point away from the retro-reflective
array 200).
[0421] Moreover, as illustrated in FIG. 27A, segments 204 of the
wavefront are phase-conjugated due to a triple-reflection that
occurs from corresponding hexagon apertured corner-cubes 198 (FIGS.
26, 26A, and 26B) of the retro-reflecting array 200, while the
segments 204 of the reflected wavefront themselves generally
relationally conform to the shape of the wavefront if reflected
from a conventional mirror, as illustrated by the curve 205, which
shown connecting the wavefront segments 204. Further, as such, the
base of the wavefront leads the crest of the wavefront in the
reflected wavefront 205 by an approximately same phase the
wavefront base was leading the wavefront crest in the incident
wavefront 207, i.e., prior to reflection from the retro-reflective
array 200.
[0422] More specifically, for a pseudo phase-conjugate
retro-reflecting corner-cube array, each adjacent 208 (FIG. 27B)
corner-cube segment 168 (FIG. 19), 181 (FIG. 22) is arranged along
a substantially planar substrate 159 (FIG. 19), 171 (FIG. 22).
Wherein, FIGS. 27A and 27B, both illustrate an incident wavefront
202, 207 (indicated by the arrow 201 pointing to the right toward
the mirror 200) and a reflected wavefront 205 (indicated by the
arrow 206 pointing to the left away from the mirror 200),
respectively. Further, as illustrated in FIG. 27B, the relative
phases 204 of points 208 (i.e., the relative optical boundary 208
of each finite corner-cube prism 203) along the incident 207 and
reflected 205 wavefronts are not disturbed equally by reflection
from the PCM 200. Moreover, to explain further lets first examine
true optical phase conjugation, which can be described simply as
k.sub.out=-k.sub.in, which is demonstrated when the crest of an
incident wavefront 202 leads the base of an incident wavefront 202,
while the base of a reflected wavefront 207 leads the crest of a
reflected wavefront 207 upon reflection from a true phase-conjugate
minor. While wavefront reflection from a conventional mirror can be
described as k.sub.in=k.sub.z{circumflex over
(x)}+k.sub.yy+k.sub.z{circumflex over (z)} and
k.sub.out=k.sub.z{circumflex over (x)}+k.sub.yy-k.sub.z{circumflex
over (z)}
[0423] Alternatively, the contour of the non-planar minor 164 (FIG.
19) may be adjustable using MEMS and/or MOEMS, wherein the selected
contour of the non-planar mirror 164 is based upon optical
detection and feedback control techniques such as those described
by Tyson, Principles of Adaptive Optics, cited and incorporated
herein by reference. Further, a wavefront made incident at a
non-planar retro-reflective array 110A (FIG. 4) and the wavefront
after reflection from the non-planar retro-reflective array 110 is
phase-conjugated due to three totally internal reflections
happening for each corresponding corner-cube 198 (FIGS. 26, 26A,
and 26B) of the non-planar retro-reflective array 110, while the
segments 204 of the reflected wavefront themselves relationally
conform to the shape of the wavefront reflected from the PCM 110.
As such, the base of a wavefront leads the crest in the reflected
wavefront by a far smaller phase as compared with the phase
difference between the base of a wavefront and the crest of an
incident wavefront.
[0424] In addition, as illustrated in FIGS. 4, 6, 6A, 19, 21, and
21A, the use of approximate phase-conjugation via a
retro-reflecting corner-cube array 200. Such approximate
phase-conjugation is described by H. H. Barrett and S. F. Jacobs,
Opt. Lett. 4, (1979), 190, which is cited and incorporated herein
by reference. Further, the preferred retro-reflecting corner-cube
array 200 includes many hundreds of adjacently formed hexagon
apertured hexagonal shaped corner-cubes, as illustrated in FIGS. 4,
6, 6A, 19, 21, 21A, and 28. Additionally, the hemispherical shaped
retro-reflecting corner-cube array 110, 110A is illustrated in FIG.
4 as being first formed (i.e., using grey-scale masking and
lithography) into a hemispherical shaped curvature; wherein, the
retro-reflecting corner-cube array 110, 110A cuts the wavefront in
many segments 203 (FIG. 27B); wherein, each segment 204 fits the
original wavefront in a good approximation, parallel to the
original phase front piecewise.
[0425] According to Barrett et al., previously cited above, a
wavefront retro-reflected from a corner-cube array 200 and a
wavefront retro-reflected from a `true` active PCM (e.g., such as a
PCM formed during the process of DFWM) will be equal if the
incident wavefront 202 can be approximated by a plane wave that is
distributed over the entire corner-cube array's normal plane
entrance. Further, by using the retro-reflecting corner-cube array,
as illustrated at FIGS. 19, 21, and 21A, has some advantages over a
non-planar hemispherical minor and a non-planar active
phase-conjugate mirror. Further, the retro-reflecting hexagon
apertured hexagonal shaped corner-cube array based PCM may be
effectively used as a passive optical element to correct wavefront
distortion without any time delay, such as would occur when a
detection and a control system were used to adjust the contour of
any of the reflectors, this would of course limit my OPCLD
invention to only low-bandwidth internal modulation
applications.
[0426] Moreover, as previously mentioned, for a plane incident
wave, the retro-reflected wavefront from a corner-cube array is
exactly phase-conjugated. This means that the wavefront curvature
of the incident wave determines the quality of the `approximate`
phase-conjugation. It is therefore much desired to minimize the
phase deviation .DELTA..phi. of the retro-reflected wavefront
relative to an exact phase-conjugated phase-front. Further, the
main contribution to this deviation is given by the second order
term in the Taylor expansion (see Barrett et al., above, which
neglects to include this term). Where, for a spherical incident
wavefront with a radius of curvature R this phase deviation can be
estimated as
.DELTA..phi..apprxeq.(1/2)(2.pi./.lamda.)(d.sup.2/R) (4)
[0427] where d is the `diameter` dimension 199 (FIG. 27) of each
corner-cube element present within the array 168 (FIG. 19).
Further, the phase-deviation is zero for a plane wave
(R.fwdarw..infin.), which is in agreement with the above.
Therefore, if we set .DELTA..phi..quadrature.2.pi., then
(1/2)(d.sup.2/R.lamda.).quadrature.1;
(1/2)(d.sup.2/R.lamda.)=0.01(1% deviation) (5)
[0428] In order to increase the radius of curvature to achieve the
desired value, the beam may be advantageously expanded according to
the preferred embodiment herein using, e.g. one or more beam
expanding thermal or Fresnel lens being disposed before the
retro-reflecting corner-cube array 168 (FIG. 19) to expand the beam
by a factor of about M=12 or more. Further, to obtain a good
approximation of the retro-reflected wavefront to the
phase-conjugated wavefront over a dimension represented herein by
D, where an n.sup.th number of individual retro-reflecting
corner-cube elements of the array are altogether illuminated 198
(FIGS. 26, 26A, 26B, and 27); whereby, the equation may be modified
as follows
(1/2)(D.sup.2/R.lamda.).quadrature.1 with D=nd (6)
[0429] To achieve a system in conformance with equation (4) and
(R.fwdarw..infin.), a laser diode system according to the preferred
embodiment may be modified according to one or more of the
following:
[0430] Reduction of d, wherein for high-quality corner-cube arrays,
d should be generally .ltoreq..lamda./n.sub.2 of the material used
to construct the array,
[0431] Increase the magnification M, wherein an upper limit would
be determined by the overall dimension of the corner-cube array
itself, e.g. Barrett et al. predicts 150-.mu.m to 1-mm in diameter,
but the preferred embodiment predicts 2-.mu.m to 80-.mu.m in
diameter, and
[0432] Approximately fitting the surface of the corner-cube array
to the incident wavefront by first spreading the incident wavefront
using either an injected carrier induced thermal lens structure
(i.e., a thermal lens would comprise a highly n++ or p++ doped
hemispherical shaped structure 170A used to provide for a concave
wavefront spreading thermal lens, and a highly n++ or p++ doped
doughnut shaped structure 170B used in concert with an un-doped
convex shaped structure 170C altogether used to provide for a
collimating wavefront flattening thermal lens).
[0433] As illustrated in FIG. 22, an alternative to the injected
carrier induced thermal lens, is to provide a purely optical
solution, wherein a first Fresnel lens profile 183 is formed along
the second face of the substrate by etching out, then filling in, a
Fresnel profile 183 with the appropriate lattice-matched
semiconductor material to provide for a wave-front spreading
Fresnel lens 183, while a second Fresnel lens profile 182 is formed
along the first face of the substrate by etching out, then filling
in, a Fresnel profile with the appropriate lattice-matched
semiconductor material to provide for a wavefront collimating
Fresnel lens, which are altogether used to provide for a lens
system in conformance with equation (4) that is capable of
providing for an incident wave front's planar flat distribution
across the entire normal-entrance of the entire corner-cube array,
which will typically comprise of several hundred corner-cube
elements 200 (FIG. 28), as illustrated in FIGS. 19, 21, and
21A.
[0434] In accordance with the preferred embodiment, as illustrated
in FIGS. 19, 21, 21A, 22, 24, and 24A, the following procedure is
for providing wavefront correction using a retro-reflecting
corner-cube array, which may be advantageously followed by
expanding the incident wavefront by a factor M to increase the
radius of curvature by including a beam expander 170A, 170B, and
170C (FIG. 19) before the retro-reflecting corner-cube array 168
(FIG. 19), 184 (FIG. 22). Further, additional time dependent
wavefront distortions (deviations from the averaged wavefront) can
be corrected using approximate phase conjugation.
[0435] As illustrated in FIGS. 19, 20, 20A, 21, 21A, 22, 23, 23A,
24, and 24A, a PCR based broad area laser diode could preferably
contain an adaptive optical reflector 168 and a retro-reflecting
corner-cube array based PCM 168 for making wavefront corrections
according to a preferred embodiment. Further, the laser diode
resonator illustrated in FIGS. 19 and 22, which includes a
wavefront correcting optic such as a retro-reflecting corner-cube
array based PCM 168, 181, a non-planar fixed or deformable mirror
164, 166, 177, 179, and a beam expander 170A, 183 for expanding the
incident wavefront, and a beam collimator 170B, 170C, 182 for
flattening the incident wavefront planar flat across the entire
normal entrance of the retro-reflecting corner-cube array 168,
181.
[0436] Moreover, as illustrated in FIGS. 19, 20, 20A, 22, 23, and
23A, a laser-emission-output coupling mirror 163, 164, 166 is shown
for out-coupling a laser-emission-output beam. The use of a
non-planar mirror having either a fixed contour or an adjustable
contour (i.e., the mirror's contour may be adjusted via a feedback
loop that includes a detector and a processor to provide the
appropriate detection and control system). The use of a
retro-reflecting corner-cube array 168, 181 requires the use of an
appropriate beam expander 170A, 170B, 170C, 183, and 182 to provide
for a reduction of the wavefront curvature for light waves made
incident across the retro-reflecting corner-cube array 168, 181
(FIGS. 19 and 22).
[0437] Furthermore, the elements comprising the appropriate beam
expander 170A, 170B, 170C, 183, and 182 are created using epitaxial
deposition, grey-scale masking and lithography, and wafer
polishing, and therefore are monolithically formed into locations
specifically fixed to fit the averaged wavefront of the incident
laser beam. Wherein, the retro-reflecting corner-cube array based
PCM 168, 181 (FIGS. 19 and 22) is used to correct transient
wavefront distortions, such as those produced by a laser diode
operating in burst mode and/or having long and/or short burst
pauses occurring between bursts (i.e., PONs is a Telecomm
application that uses time domain multiplexing to send and receive
data across a shared optical fiber on a time shared bases, and uses
a burst-mode laser diode driver circuit to internally modulate
either a Fabry-Perot or a DFB based EEL diode in order to transmit
data across an optical fiber at a maximum of 2.3-Gigabit/ps).
[0438] Moreover, the use of a retroreflecting corner-cube array
(i.e., pseudo phase-conjugator) in order to gain some of same
advantages exhibited by a true phase-conjugator (e.g., such as a
degenerate four wave mixing optical phase conjugation mirror) in
their ability to remove perturbations that occur in macro based
optical systems was originated by Jacobs and O'Meara. However, the
prior art does not teach, discuss, speculate, or disclose any
information regarding the use of retro-reflecting corner-cube
arrays as PCMs for use in PCR configured laser apparatus or
systems. Further, retro-reflecting corner-cube arrays, as passive
pseudo phase-conjugators, are efficient for wavefront correction in
various applications.
[0439] Moreover, Section II of T. R. O'Meara's document entitled
"Wavefront Compensation with Pseudoconjugation," Opt. Eng. 21, 271,
(1982), makes a general introduction to retro-reflecting
corner-cube arrays and pseudo phase-conjugation. Moreover, the
behavior exhibited by an ideal retro-reflecting corner-cube array
is compared to the behavior exhibited by a conventional mirror, and
to the behavior exhibited by an ideal active phase-conjugator, for
more details, please see Sec. III of T. R. O'Meara's abstract
document entitled "Wavefront Compensation with Pseudoconjugation,"
Opt. Eng. 21, 271, (1982).
[0440] Wherein, it is described how by inserting a convex shaped
collimating lens in front of a retro-reflecting pseudo
phase-conjugating system the quality of an image is significantly
improved. While, section IV of this same document describes the
characteristics of corner-cube arrays employed in various
experimental work. Further, a series of pseudo phase-conjugation
imaging experiments is also described in Sec. V of the same
document. Wherein, the experiments, as described by T. R. O'Meara
in his "Wavefront Compensation with Pseudoconjugation," Opt. Eng.
21, 271, (1982), also confirm the theoretical predictions, and
demonstrate ways of obtaining wavefront correction in double-pass
transmission through distorting media.
[0441] As illustrated in FIGS. 39, 39A, 39B, 40, T. R. O'Meara
generally describes in his paper that each retro-reflecting
corner-cube element 223 used in a retro-reflection corner-cube
array based PCM have a tetragon apertured tetrahedral shaped
geometry 233, which comprises of at least three photon reflecting
surfaces that are assembled at adjacent right-angle locations
relative to each other. Further, the tetragon apertured tetrahedral
shaped corner-cube elements 233 (FIGS. 39, 39A, 39B, and 40) may be
hollow external reflectors with at least three external
photon-reflecting surfaces, or the tetragon apertured tetrahedral
shaped corner-cube elements 233 (FIGS. 39, 39A, 39B, and 40) may be
instead solid internal reflectors with at least three internal
photon reflection surfaces.
[0442] Furthermore, when the relative index of refraction
n.sub.2/n.sub.1=n is greater than unity the reflection is described
as being external. Contrariwise, when the relative index of
refraction n.sub.2/n.sub.1=n is less than unity the reflection is
described as being internal. Moreover, for external reflection the
incident light wave approaches the boundary from the side of the
transmitting media having the smaller index of refraction, whereas
in internal reflection the incident light wave approaches the
boundary from the side of the transmitting media having the larger
index of refraction. Further, light waves made incident upon the
non-reflecting front-face surface normal of a solid corner-cube is
subject to a process commonly referred to as "Total Internal
Reflection" (TIR), wherein light waves are made to undergo three
total internal reflections before exiting back out of the
front-face surface normal. Using Snell's Law, shown below as
sin .theta. i = 1 n sin .theta. i ( 7 ) ##EQU00003##
[0443] we can formulate equations in order to solve the amplitudes
of both the reflected and the refracted light waves that occur
within any particular optical system. Moreover, the experiments
used to determine the optical properties exhibited by individual
retro-reflection corner-cube structures and the optical properties
exhibited by the multitude of retro-reflection corner-cube
structures 226 (FIG. 41) used to comprise a retro-reflecting
corner-cube array based PCM were thoroughly performed and the
results widely published.
[0444] Where upon with further analysis, data resulting from these
experiments are in agreement with presented theory. However, the
researchers mentioned two other critical areas, which they could
only speculate upon having no tangible recorded data to support
their assumptions, the two critical areas mentioned by the
researchers, include:
[0445] Diffraction loss--more specifically, the amount of
diffraction loss that might be introduced into the PCR if the
individual corner-cube elements were made to small in an attempt to
increase the perturbation capturing resolution of the PCM. Wherein,
the degree of which, as speculated by the researches, would be too
high, and consequently would disallow any lasing for the resonator.
However, as evidenced by the research, development, production, and
use of `Blazed Diffraction Grating` mirrors in External Vertical
Cavity Surface Emitting Laser, such as the ones described in a
paper written by A. Lohmann and R. R. A. Syns, Member, IEEE, the
amount of diffraction loss, and how it would contribute to
non-lasing, was overstated by T. R. O'Meara's, "Wavefront
Compensation with Pseudoconjugation," Opt. Eng. 21, 271, (1982),
and in fact is quit probably irrelevant. Irrelevant, simply because
the conjugate reflection provided for by the PCM reverses all
diffraction loss suffered by incoming incident wavefronts, and
[0446] Very small element size--more specifically, T. R. O'Meara et
al. states in his paper entitled "Wavefront Compensation with
Pseudoconjugation," Opt. Eng. 21, 271, (1982), that it would be to
problematic to produce coherent retro-reflecting corner-cube arrays
226 (FIG. 41) if the desired aperture size for each corner-cube
element 223 (FIGS. 39, 39A, 39B, and 40) comprising the array 226
(FIG. 41) were made one millimeter in diameter aperture size.
However, using grey-scale masking, lithography, and etching,
outsourced manufacturers I hired to provide for prototypes can
effectively reproduced coherent hexagon apertured hexahedral shaped
corner-cube 198 (FIGS. 26, 26A, 26B and 27) arrays 200 (FIG. 28),
which are comprised as having a multitude of individual corner-cube
elements 200 (FIGS. 27 and 28) comprised as having an aperture
diameter dimension size 199 equaling 2.0-.mu.m, but more preferably
.ltoreq..lamda.n.sub.2 of the material used to construct the array
200 (FIG. 28).
[0447] Furthermore, the experiments sited in the paper written by
T. R. O'Meara's, "Wavefront Compensation with Pseudoconjugation,"
Opt. Eng. 21, 271, (1982), were performed using both hollow and
solid tetragon apertured tetrahedral shaped corner-cube elements
233 (FIGS. 39, 39A, 39B, and 40). All the corner-cube structures
used in the experiments were tetragon apertured tetrahedral shaped
corner-cube elements 233 (FIGS. 39, 39A, 39B, and 40) having three
adjacently connected triangular shaped front faces 223. Wherein,
the front face of all the corner-cubes used in all the arrays were
in alignment--parallel along a single plane. Further, if the
corner-cubes 225, 226 being used in the array 226 (FIGS. 40 and 41)
tetragon apertured tetrahedral shaped corner-cube geometry, not all
the light made to enter the front face 226 of these tetragon shaped
corner-cubes 225 will become part of the retro-reflected beam.
[0448] Depending on where the light enters the corner-cube 223,
some of the light makes only one or two reflections and exits the
front face before completing the third reflection, and it does not
become part of the retroreflected beam. The spatial extent of the
retroreflected beam as it exits the front face is smaller than the
front face. The reason for this is that the tetragon apertured
tetrahedral shaped corner-cube structure used in the sited
experiments has an aperture size that equals only about 30% of the
tetrahedral shaped corner-cube's entire surface normal area.
[0449] While, the preferred embodiment of my OPCLD invention
departs from what is described by T. R. O'Meara's, "Wavefront
Compensation with Pseudoconjugation," Opt. Eng. 21, 271, (1982),
with the preferred use of hexagon apertured hexahedral shaped
corner-cube prism elements 198 (FIGS. 26, 26A, 26B and 27) to
comprise the inventions PCM 168 (FIG. 19). The reason for the
change is quit simply, because hexagon apertured hexahedral shaped
corner-cube prism elements 198 (FIGS. 26, 26A, 26B and 27) provide
for an aperturing size that equals more than 99% of the hexahedral
shaped corner-cube's entire normal surface area, which in turn
results in the capture and retro-reflection of 70% more light than
what can be captured and retro-reflected by the tetragon apertured
tetrahedral shaped corner-cube structure 223, 225 (FIGS. 39, 39A,
and 39B) sited in T. R. O'Meara's experiments. This greatly
improves the overall gain of my OPCLD invention, but also greatly
improves the performance of the pseudo phase-conjugated reflection
exhibited by the invention's PCM 200 (FIG. 28).
[0450] In addition, the spatial extent exhibited by the
retroreflected beam may be considered as the exit pupil of the
corner-cube 198 (FIGS. 26, 26A, and 26B) and can be described by an
aperture function a.sub.CC(x,y), which defines the transmitted
amplitude of the light in the retroreflected beam 205 (FIG. 27B).
The ideal aperture function, however, is a one-zero function,
assuming that the values of one are within the exit pupil and the
values of zero is outside the exit pupil. In practice, the value of
a.sub.CC(x,y) within the exit pupil is less than one due to
reflection losses and is complex-valued due to wavefront
aberrations.
[0451] In addition, polarization effects, due to reflection or
total internal reflection, may couple a significant fraction of the
incident light into the orthogonal polarization state. These
polarization effects affect the operation of corner-cubes 200 (FIG.
27) in imaging and interferometric applications. Further, a more
precise mathematical characterization of the corner-cube itself
would address these polarization effects. Consequently, this can be
accomplished by generalizing the scalar amplitude transmission
a.sub.CC(x,y) to a spatially varying Jones polarization matrix
(i.e., a polarization aberration function) J.sub.CC(x,y) to include
the polarization coupling.
[0452] Moreover, for light near normal incidence onto the array 200
(FIG. 28), the shape of the exit pupil for each corner-cube
structure [the non-zero portion of a.sub.CC(x,y)] is an irregular
hexagon shaped with parallel opposite sides. The shape of the exit
pupil depends on the detailed shape of the corner-cube and the
direction of the incident light. For more details, please see--1
Aug. 1988/Vol. 27, No. 15/APPLIED OPTICS 3203. Further, the
polarization effects as described above is negligible, and
therefore, consequently does not affect the operation of the
hexagon apertured hexahedral shaped corner-cube prism elements 198
(FIGS. 26, 26A, 26B and 27) or the retro-reflecting corner-cube
array based PCM 200 (FIG. 28) for that matter.
[0453] In addition, if the tetragon apertured tetrahedral shaped
corner-cube structure 223, 225 (FIGS. 39, 39A, and 39B) is used,
then, consequently for any incoming light waves exhibiting large
angles of incidence, the shape of the exit pupil becomes a
parallelogram or a triangle. Therefore, the area of the exit pupil
relative to the area of the triangular front face comprises a
geometrical efficiency factor, which places an upper limit on the
fraction of incident energy returned in the retro-reflected
beam.
[0454] Furthermore, so if a triangular front face, such as one
inherent in the tetragon apertured tetrahedral shaped corner-cube
structure 223, 225 (FIGS. 39, 39A, and 39B), is used, then the
geometrical efficiency is always going to less than two thirds. The
spatial transformation performed by a single corner-cube reflector
upon an incident wavefront is an inversion about the center of the
exit pupil. Therefore, let us next consider a wavefront made
incident upon the corner-cube CC array, where
E.sub.i(x,y,z)=f.sub.i(x,y)exp(-ikz) (8)
[0455] while the retro-reflected field will have the form
E.sub.CC(x,y,z)=f.sub.i(-x,-y)exp(+ikz)a.sub.CC(x,y) (9)
[0456] For comparison, a wavefront reflected at normal incidence in
a conventional plane mirror m has the form
E.sub.m(x,y,z)=f.sub.i(x,y)exp(+ikz)a.sub.m(x,y) (10)
[0457] where a.sub.m(x,y) is an aperture function that defines the
spatial extent of the mirror. Further, the complex amplitude of the
incident light f.sub.i(x, y) will be decomposed into its amplitude
and phase,
f.sub.i(x,y)=A(x,y)exp[i.phi.(x,y)] (11)
[0458] to express the effects of a phase-conjugate mirror pc in
generating a retro-reflected beam. The phase-conjugated reflection
field becomes
E.sub.pc(x,y,z)=A(x,y)exp[-i.phi.(x,y)]exp(+ikz)a.sub.pc(x,y)
(12)
[0459] where a.sub.pc(x, y) is an aperture function that describes
the area, the efficiency, and the wavefront aberrations for this
system. Further, these three retroreflected beams E.sub.CC(x, y,
z), E.sub.m(x, y, z), and E.sub.pc(x, y, z) are in general
completely different from each other. For more details, please
see--T. R. O'Meara, "wavefront Compensation with
Pseudoconjugation," Opt. Eng. 21, 271, (1982). Further, as
illustrated in FIGS. 27A and 27B, for a propagating wavefront of
light (i.e., shown as a two dimensional Gaussian shaped dotted line
type) 202 when following retro-reflection from a corner-cube array
200, each section 203 of its wavefront 204 will approximate the
wavefront sections of a phase-conjugated counterpart 207.
[0460] Moreover, as illustrated in FIG. 27B, a wavefront 205 (i.e.,
shown as a two dimensional Gaussian shaped single-dash
double-dotted line type) being retro-reflected from a corner-cube
array 200 is shown as having been cut into segments 208 and shifted
along the direction of propagation 206, similar to wavefront
sectioning in Fresnel lenses or Diffraction gratings. Further, as
illustrated in FIG. 27B, the wavefront 205 retro-reflected from a
corner-cube array 200 and from a phase-conjugate mirror will be
equal if each section 204 of the wavefront 205 has uniform
amplitude and an odd phase function.
[0461] Furthermore, the only practical case where a retro-reflected
wavefront propagating from a corner-cube array 207, while
neglecting gaps in the wavefront due to areas where, a.sub.CC(x,
y)=0 will have the same shape 207 (FIG. 27B) as a wavefront 207
propagating from a true phase-conjugate mirror, is when the
propagating wavefront 201, 202 being made incident 202 upon the
normal of the corner-cube array 200 has an plane-wave distribution
and shape. Further, a retro-reflecting corner-cube array 200 based
PCM functions as a good pseudo phase-conjugator if the incident
wavefronts 202 are made planar-flat across each retro-reflecting
corner-cube element used in comprising the array 200 (FIG. 28).
[0462] Typically, a retro-reflecting corner-cube array 200 (FIG.
28) acts as a pseudo phase-conjugator by reversing the paths of all
the segments of an incident wavefront, where each light-ray is
directed backwards toward its point of origin. Pseudo
phase-conjugators differ from true phase-conjugators in that the
optical path lengths from different corner-cube structures are not
equal and therefore, exhibit large differences from structure to
structure. Consider the optical path length difference .DELTA. for
two light rays originating from the same object point to different
structures in the corner-cube array 200 (FIG. 28).
[0463] Consequently, the path length difference for the complete
retroreflected path, starting from the point object to the
retro-reflection corner-cube array 200 (FIG. 28), then back to the
vicinity of the point object will be 2.DELTA.. In contradiction to
a pseudo phase-conjugator, the path length difference .DELTA. for
true phase conjugation is effectively zero. In pseudo
phase-conjugation, the light is returned to the correct image
location but exhibits significant phase differences for the
wavefront segments. The purpose of the collimating lens used in the
experiments conducted by T. R. O'Meara was to minimize the path
length differences .DELTA. from the object to the retro-reflecting
corner-cube array, thus minimizing the phase errors at the
image.
[0464] Moreover, consider a wavefront made incident 201, 202 (FIG.
27A) on a corner-cube array 200 (FIG. 28) with a radius of
curvature R. For any illuminating incident wavelength .lamda., the
quadratic phase-shift .delta. across any corner-cube structure
having a diameter h is resolved using
.delta. = 2 .pi. h 2 2 R .lamda. ( 13 ) ##EQU00004##
[0465] in the paraxial approximation. Further, for the corner-cube
structures 226 (FIG. 40) used in this study, the value h is of the
order of 300.lamda.,.delta..quadrature.2.pi..
[0466] Consequently, very little unevenness was introduced to the
phase of any incident wavefront 202 (i.e.; the discontinuities
between wavefront segments 203) (FIG. 27B) by the individual
corner-cubes 198 (FIGS. 26, 26A, 26B, and 27) phase-conjugation
criterion was met. Any small phase discontinuity occurring between
wavefront segments 203 will guarantee non-cooperative reflection
from the entire array 200. Further, final image resolution depends
upon what the total optical path length variation is across the
entire corner-cube array 200 used to comprise the invention's PCM
200, but is an quantity that lies somewhere between the point
spread function of a single corner-cube 198 and the point spread
function of a coherent (phased) group of corner-cubes 200 (FIG. 27)
used to form the invention's PCM 200 (FIG. 28).
[0467] Moreover, to obtain cooperative (coherent) imaging from all
the corner-cube structures present in the PCM 200 will require that
only very small phase shifts occur between the wavefronts 204 being
reflected by all corner-cube structures 200. For a linear array of
N structures illuminated by a spherical wavefront with radius R,
the relation
.DELTA. = 2 .pi. ( Nh ) 2 2 R .lamda. .quadrature. 2 .pi. ( 14 )
##EQU00005##
[0468] should be satisfied for cooperative diffraction image
formation near the diffraction limit. One way to satisfy this
relation is to transform the wavefront 201, 202 (FIG. 27A) into a
plane-wave at the entrance to the array with a collimating lens
170B, 170C (FIG. 19), 183, 182 (FIG. 22). However, any quadratic
phase variation across the wavefront originating from a single
object point accumulated during free-space propagation may not
satisfy the condition of Equation (14) and hence, may have a
wavefront disrupting effect following retroreflection 205. The
performance of a pseudo phase-conjugating system may be improved by
correcting for any deterministic (quadratic) phase, which can be
predetermined. Further, this is done by inserting a collimating
lens 170B, 170C (FIG. 19), 183, 182 (FIG. 22) chosen to collimate
the wavefront onto the array 200, which is explained in detail in a
latter section below:
[0469] Moreover, suffice it to say, the purpose of a concave lens
170A (FIG. 19), i.e. a wavefront spreading thermal lens; and 183
(FIG. 22), i.e. a wavefront spreading Fresnel lens, are used to
spread incoming wavefronts 202, both transversely and laterally,
until they are made sufficiently enlarged as to be made incident
upon the entire normal surface area of the OPCLD's PCM 168, 181.
While the purpose of a convex lens 170B, 170C (FIG. 19), i.e.
wavefront collimating thermal lens; and 182 (FIG. 22), i.e.
wavefront collimating Fresnel lens, are to collimate incoming
wavefronts 202, both transversely, and laterally until they are
made sufficiently planar-flat across the normal dimension of the
OPCLD's PCM 200. Wherein, both lens are used in combination to
affect a zero length path difference .DELTA.=0 from the object to
the corner-cube array 200, thus eliminating the phase errors at the
image.
[0470] Moreover, it appears that the pseudo phase-conjugation
characteristics of the retro-reflecting corner-cube arrays 200
(FIG. 28) improved with the reduction of corner-cube size. The
smaller the structures, the more closely the retroreflected rays
will retrace their original paths. Dividing the wavefront into
smaller segments also reduces the wavefront discontinuities at the
edges of the wavefront patches. Different size corner-cubes are
optimum for different applications. For example, the wavefront
transmitted through a phase distorting medium will be substantially
restored as long as the inner scale of the distortions is much
larger than the aperture size of each retroreflecting structure. If
this condition is satisfied, however, there may be no reason for
decreasing the structure size further.
[0471] For my OPCLD invention, being a semiconductor broad area
laser diode the phase perturbations caused by spontaneous emissions
are small, therefore, the hexagon aperture size for each hexagonal
shaped corner-cube element needs to be small as well (e.g., the
aperture preferably having a diameter size .ltoreq..lamda./n.sub.2
of the material used to construct the corner-cube array) a criteria
necessary in order to keep my OPCLD invention from forming multiple
filaments during electrical pumping.
[0472] In addition, some variation of fringe visibility across the
pupil of individual structures due to polarization coupling.
Polarization coupling effects were measured for the corner-cube
arrays by illuminating them with linearly polarized light and
observing the array through a crossed polarizer. Each of the six
sub-apertures of a cube has different angles of incidence and
orientations of the plane of incidence. The polarization state of
the light in the exit-pupil has six different states in each of the
six sub-apertures, and these states depend strongly on the incident
polarization state.
[0473] Moreover, for future applications, thin film sputtered
coatings (e.g., LiF) can be used to reduce the polarization
coupling effects. Optimizing the cube design (i.e., utilization of
Hexagon shaped corner-cubes in place of Tetragon shaped
corner-cubes) has reduced the relatively large fraction of energy,
which does not become part of the retroreflected beam. The main
contribution to this lost energy arises from the area of the
entrance pupil, which only covers about two-thirds of the total
area of the triangular front face of each corner-cube structure.
However, this all seems rather academic, because the polarization
of returned conjugate beams is reciprocal.
[0474] In addition, regarding the basic properties of transverse
eigenmodes, where the modal properties of an optical resonator,
whether conventional or phase conjugate, can almost always be
separated into transverse eigenmodes, which describes the amplitude
and phase variations of the field across planes perpendicular to
the resonator axis, and axial or longitudinal eigenmodes and
resonant frequencies, which describes the essentially independent
variation of the field amplitude and phase along the resonator
axis. This separation applies in the present discussion, with
unique properties appearing in both the transverse and the
longitudinal behavior of phase-conjugator based resonators.
[0475] Moreover, the transverse eigenmodes of an optical resonator
are conventionally defined as those transverse field patterns
(i.e., transverse amplitude and phase distributions) that exactly
reproduce themselves in transverse form after one round trip around
the resonator, including aperturing and diffraction effects. The
overall wave amplitude after one round-trip around the resonator is
usually multiplied, however, by a complex eigenvalue with magnitude
less than unity that represents the round-trip phase shift and
diffraction losses. We wish to find both the eigenmodes and the
eigenvalue for PCM resonators.
[0476] Mirror reflection coefficients are usually assumed to have
unity magnitude in transverse-mode analyses. Phase-conjugate
reflectors produced by four-wave mixing with sufficiently intense
pump fields may, of course, have a reflection coefficient greater
than unity. However, for simplicity, we will treat both the
conventional and phase-conjugate mirrors in the invention's
resonator as having unity magnitude for their reflection
coefficients, while neglecting any gain or loss mechanisms that may
be present inside the cavity so long as these are transversely
uniform and thus do not change the mode shape.
[0477] Furthermore, just as in conventional laser resonators, the
net round-trip amplitude gain or loss produced by the combination
of lossy or finite-reflectivity optical elements, diffraction
losses, laser gain-media, ad the amplitude reflectivity of the
phase-conjugate mirror will determine the oscillation threshold
level, or the net growth or decay with time of the resonate fields
in the cavity. However, only the diffraction losses associated with
hard or soft apertures located inside the cavity need to be
included in the loss calculations for the transverse
eigenmodes.
[0478] In addition, regarding reflection properties of a general
phase-conjugate mirror that will provide for retro-reflection of
incident light. We should first establish some useful results for
the reflection from an ideal phase-conjugate reflector when it is
viewed through various combinations of apertures, arbitrary wave
front perturbing screens, and general paraxial optical systems.
Suppose for example, an arbitrary field distribution
.sub.1(x).sub.1 traveling to the right at a reference plane, which
could be second face of the substrate layer 159 (FIG. 19), and
passes first through a general phase- or amplitude-perturbing
screen with a complex amplitude transmission {circumflex over
(.rho.)}(x), and then through an arbitrary series of cascaded
paraxial optical elements (e.g., lenses, interfaces, ducts, etc.),
before reaching the Ideal phase-conjugator and being reflected back
through the same system.
[0479] Furthermore, simple formulas for the overall propagation
through this series of optical components. The set of cascaded
conventional paraxial optical elements can be described by an
overall ray matrix or ABCD matrix. The elements of this matrix may
in general be complex if Gaussian transverse gain or loss
variations are present, but will otherwise be real. Huygens'
integral for the propagation of a wave front through such a
paraxial system by itself can then be written within the Fresnel or
paraxial approximation in the general form (Collins, 1970).
( x ) = - j kL j k 2 .pi. B .intg. w o - w 0 0 ( x 0 ) exp [ - j k
2 B ( Ax 0 2 - 2 xx 0 + Dx 2 ) ] x 0 ( 15 ) ##EQU00006##
[0480] Wherein, 2w.sub.0 is the width of the aperture (if any) at
the input plane, and .sub.0 (x.sub.0) is the input wave. We assume
the form exp[j(.omega.t-kz)] for the underlying variation of all
fields in this section. In most practical optical resonators, field
variations in the x and y transverse coordinates can be separated,
assuming that the optical system may have astigmatism but not image
rotation. Further, for the sake of simplicity, I have written
Equation (15) in one transverse dimension only; and because we are
primarily interested in the transverse wave-front variations only,
we will also ignore the on-axis or plane-wave phase-shift term
exp(-jkL) from now on. However, we should now consider the overall
reflection from .sub.1 to .sub.2.
[0481] In addition, regarding the general case, typically, most PCM
devices are based upon and utilize an active non-linear
wave-scattering or wave-mixing process; wherein, a non-linear
process such as `Brillion Scattering` or `Four Wave Mixing` is used
in conjunction with material that exhibit a non-linear third-order
susceptibility to produce back-scattering conjugate providing
gratings when the material is optically pumped. The present OPCLD
invention utilizes a passive broadband PCM, and therefore does not
require the use of external laser sources to provide for pump
beams.
[0482] However, I will on occasion present general explanation
using the active PCM as the model, as long as the model is
degenerate, it should work fine for degenerate passive devices as
well. For example, an active degenerate PCR would typically provide
for a phase-conjugator (using a non-linear four wave mixing
technique) optically pumped at a degenerate frequency
.omega..sub.0, while an incident field .sub.1(x.sub.1) (i.e.,
sometimes called the probe beam) would exhibit a frequency of
.omega..sub.1=.omega..sub.0+.DELTA..omega., and a reflected signal
(i.e., sometimes called the conjugate or returned beam) from the
phase-conjugate mirror that exhibited a frequency of
.omega..sub.2=.omega..sub.0-.DELTA..omega..
[0483] Furthermore, let A.sub.1,B.sub.1,C.sub.1,D.sub.1 be the
paraxial ABCD matrix elements for a signal at frequency
.omega..sub.1 traveling to the right from just beyond the
perturbing screen to the PCM. We will use capital letters to refer
to conventional paraxial ABCD matrices, real or complex, for a wave
traveling to the right through a conventional optical system, with
the subscript indicating the frequency at which the matrix elements
are evaluated; moreover, the symbol will be used later to refer to
a special kind of ABCD matrix arising in phase-conjugate
systems.
[0484] Moreover, the paraxial matrix for a wave traveling from the
PCM back to the reference plane, which could be the second face
surface of the substrate layer 159 (FIG. 19), through the same
elements at frequency .omega..sub.2 will then become
D.sub.2,C.sub.2,B.sub.2,A.sub.2. Further, any small differences
between A.sub.1,B.sub.1,C.sub.1,D.sub.1 and
D.sub.2,C.sub.2,B.sub.2,A.sub.2 will consequently arise only from
the small frequency difference between .omega..sub.1 and
.omega..sub.2. In particular, the two matrices become identical for
the degenerate case .omega..sub.1=.omega..sub.2. Additionally, the
reflected field .sub.2 (x.sub.2) coming out of the reference plane
after traveling through the perturbing screen and into the PCM,
reflecting off the PCM, and traveling back out through the screen
again will be given by the double integral
2 ( x 2 ) = p ^ ( x 2 ) k 1 k 1 4 .pi. 2 B 1 * B 2 .intg. w pcm - w
pcm x pc .intg. w cm - w cm x 1 p ^ * ( x 1 ) 1 ( x 1 ) .times. exp
[ j k 1 2 B 1 * ( A 1 * x 1 * - 2 x pc x 1 + D 1 * x pc 2 ) - j k 2
2 B 2 ( D 2 x pc 2 - 2 x 2 x pc + A 2 x 2 2 ] ( 16 )
##EQU00007##
[0485] where, 2w.sub.cm is the width of any aperture at the
conventional minor or reference plane, 2w.sub.pcm is the width of
any aperture at the phase-conjugate mirror end, and the wave front
.sub.2 (x.sub.2)
[0486] is now at frequency .omega..sub.2. The aperture at the
conventional mirror end can of course be absorbed into the screen
function {circumflex over (.rho.)}(x) by setting {circumflex over
(.rho.)}(x)=0 for |x|>w.sub.cm, after which the corresponding
limits of integration can be extended to infinity.
[0487] In addition, with regards to an unbounded phase-conjugate
mirror, the ideal case being, an unbounded "Phase-Conjugating
Mirror" (PCM), wherein (w.sub.pcm.fwdarw..infin.). Additionally, by
reversing the order of integration and evaluating the integral over
dx.sub.pc, we can reduce Equation (16) to get
2 ( x 2 ) = p ^ ( x 2 ) j k 2 2 .pi. ~ .intg. .infin. - .infin. x 1
p ^ * ( x 1 ) 1 ( x 1 ) .times. exp [ - j k 2 2 .pi. ~ ( ~ x 1 2 -
2 x 1 x 2 + ~ x 2 2 ] ( 17 ) ##EQU00008##
[0488] Furthermore, the complex quantities appearing in this
integral are the elements of an "equivalent phase-conjugate ray
matrix," or an equivalent ABCD matrix for the double-passed system,
given by
[ ~ ~ ~ ~ ] = [ D 2 B 2 C 2 A 2 ] [ A 1 * - ( k 2 / k 1 ) B 1 * - (
k 1 / k 2 ) C 1 * D 1 * ] = [ A 1 * D 2 - ( k 1 / k 2 ) B 2 C 1 * B
2 D 1 * - ( k 2 / k 1 ) B 1 * D 2 A 1 * C 2 - ( k 1 / k 2 ) A 2 C 1
* A 2 D 1 * - ( k 2 / k 1 ) B 1 * C 2 ] ( 18 ) ##EQU00009##
[0489] Please note for the degenerate case where, k.sub.1=k.sub.2
the off-diagonal elements and of this matrix becomes purely
imaginary and =. Further, the two-way trip into the PCM and back
out is evidently equivalent to taking the complex conjugate of the
input field .sub.1(x.sub.1), and then propagating this conjugated
field at frequency .omega..sub.2 by applying the usual Huygens
integral of Equation (15), but using the phase-conjugate equivalent
matrix given by Equation (18).
[0490] In addition, lets suppose the paraxial optical elements
remain degenerate (.omega..sub.1=.omega..sub.2=.omega..sub.0) and
also purely real (i.e., no transverse loss or gain variations), but
the phase-conjugator has only a finite width extending from
-.omega..sub.pcm to .omega..sub.pcm. Then the finite integral of
Equation (16) over dx.sub.pc can still be carried out, leading to
the equation originally given by Lam and Brown et al. (1980),
2 ( x 2 ) = p ^ ( x 2 ) .intg. - .infin. .infin. p ^ * ( x 1 ) 1 (
x 1 ) exp [ - j kA 2 B ( x 2 2 - x 1 2 ) ] .times. sin ( kw pcm / B
) ( x 2 - x 1 ) .pi. ( x 2 - x 1 ) x 1 ( 19 ) ##EQU00010##
[0491] Moreover, the kernel of the above equation differs in an
interesting way from the usual Huygens kernel. The equation says in
effect that the diffraction effects of a sharp aperture immediately
in front of a phase conjugator appear as a kind of filtering of the
usual Huygens kernel with a filter of the form sin
c[(kw.sub.pcm/B)(x.sub.2-x.sub.1)], where sin c x.ident.(sin
x)/x.
[0492] In addition, for an unbounded phase-conjugate mirror that is
experiencing phase perturbations only the width of the phase
conjugator becomes very large and w.sub.pcm.fwdarw..infin. the sin
c function becomes effectively a Dirac .delta. function, and
Equation (19) will as a result, reduce to being
.sub.2(x)=|{circumflex over (p)}(x)|.sup.2.sub.1(x). (20)
[0493] Furthermore, suppose the perturbing screen contains only
phase and not amplitude perturbations, so that |{circumflex over
(.rho.)}(x)|.sup.2.ident.1. Consequently, then this result becomes
simply .sub.2(x)=*.sub.2(x). Moreover, this verifies mathematically
the semi obvious conclusion that an ideal phase-conjugate mirror
seen through any optical system containing only arbitrary phase
perturbations is still an ideal phase-conjugate mirror. Further,
any transverse amplitude variations, however, whether they occur in
the ABCD elements or in the perturbing screen {circumflex over
(.rho.)}(x), will reduce or destroy the ideal phase
conjugation.
[0494] In addition, regarding unbounded phase-conjugate resonators,
suppose for the moment that an unbounded 100% reflecting
conventional mirror with an arbitrary surface contour is set up
facing an unbounded phase-conjugate system as just described. The
arbitrary distorted end mirror can be replaced with an ideal plane
mirror plus a suitable phase-perturbing screen with a phase
perturbation proportional to the surface deviation of the
conventional mirror. The field variation (x) across the plane
mirror will then correspond to the field profile on the surface of
the distorted end mirror. Any phase distortion in the end mirror
can thus be absorbed into the total perturbing element {circumflex
over (.rho.)}(x).
[0495] However, for the limiting case of degenerate signals, real
optical elements, and pure phase perturbations only, the resonator
eigenvalue equation then becomes simply
.sub.2(x)=.sub.1(x)=.gamma..sub.1(x). (21)
[0496] where .gamma. is the resonator eigenvalue and .sub.1(x) is
the field on the surface of the conventional end mirror. Further,
Equation (20) is evidently satisfied by any field distribution that
has constant phase, but arbitrary amplitude variations; i.e.
.sub.1(x)=|.sub.1(x)|exp(j.theta..sub.1) with .theta..sub.1=cont.
Additionally, the associated eigenvalue is
.gamma.=exp(-2j.theta..sub.1), so that |.gamma.|=1.
[0497] Therefore, we can conclude that for an ideal degenerate
phase-conjugate resonator (i.e., one with an unbounded
phase-conjugator, arbitrary phase perturbations, but no transverse
amplitude variations) any wave front with a phase surface matching
the conventional mirror surface, but with any arbitrary amplitude
profile, is self-reproducing after one round trip through the
resonator. Further, such an ideal PCM resonator thus has, depending
on one's particular .sub.2(x)=.sub.1(x)=.gamma..sub.1(x) viewpoint,
either an infinite variety of transverse modes or no unique
eigenmodes at all.
[0498] Additionally, a second conclusion that can be drawn is that
the distinction between geometrically stable and unstable periodic
focusing systems, so fundamental to conventional optical
resonators, completely disappears in phase-conjugate resonators.
For example, a phase-conjugate mirror can reflect the diverging
beam from a divergent conventional mirror back to the same mirror
surface again, with no net magnification per round trip. If both
the conventional mirror and the PCM are unbounded transversely,
then any field distribution whose phase front matches the
conventional minor surface, with any arbitrary transverse amplitude
variation, will be self-reproducing after a single round trip
through the resonator.
[0499] Therefore, if a lasing cavity comprises a phase-conjugate
resonator, even if it uses a strongly divergent conventional end
minor, the diverging wave front of a resonant mode will simply be
focused back onto the mirror, rather than being diverged and
magnified on successive round trips as would be the case in a
conventional unstable resonator. Consequently, there is essentially
no such thing as an "unstable" phase-conjugate resonator. This
property is how my OPCLD invention can obtain a large-mode-volume
for high-power fundamental transverse spatial cavity mode
laser-emission-output, but still maintains simply monolithic
construction, while providing for a mode stable `High-Q Cavity`
monochromic laser diode that is also free of filamentation.
[0500] In addition, a third conclusion can be derived at by
cascading Equation (20) through two complete round trips to obtain
.sub.3(x)=|{circumflex over (p)}(x)|.sup.4.sub.1(x), wherein .sub.3
is the output after two round trips. Further, if {circumflex over
(.rho.)} has only phase variations, we can say that in an ideal
phase-conjugate resonator (i.e., having no apertures present) any
amplitude and phase pattern, whether phase fronts match the
laser-emission-output mirror 164 (FIG. 19) surface or not, is
self-reproducing after two complete round trips. This behavior
maybe likened to resonator that comprises a folded cavity
configuration, wherein the second round trip could be described as
being folded over onto an opposite side of the conjugate mirror.
Please, make note that this result does not mean that the
double-passed wave front is therefore a transverse spatial mode.
Rather, this situation should be viewed as a mixture of transverse
modes beating with each other on alternate round trips through the
resonator.
[0501] Furthermore, the general properties and behaviors of ideal
phase-conjugate resonators have the following implications for
active PCM based resonators, whether they employ intracavity laser
gain or a phase-conjugate mirror with net gain, i.e., having a
reflection coefficient greater than unity. Most optical resonators
suffer from some optical phase aberration or another, either in the
intracavity elements or in the conventional laser-emission-output
end mirror. If the intracavity distortions are purely phase
distortions, no matter how "thick" these distortions may be, and
then an ideal phase-conjugate mirror will produce a uniphase wave
front on the conventional laser-emission-output mirror's
surface.
[0502] Moreover, this means an essentially diffraction-limited
laser-emission-output beam emerging from the left-hand or
conventional mirror end of this resonator (given that the
diffraction spreading of a laser beam is much more sensitive to its
phase profile than its amplitude profile). Consequently, severe
phase distortions in the optical elements can be effectively
canceled. The cavity will not experience either the severe
reduction in the laser-emission-output beam quality or the severe
power losses that intracavity phase perturbations commonly produce
(Siegman, 1977).
[0503] Furthermore, if the conventional laser-emission-output
mirror 164 (FIG. 19) itself has a badly wrinkled surface, the
resonator will still oscillate with low losses; but the output beam
through the conventional laser-emission-output mirror will
reproduce the mirror's wrinkles exactly, and thus have poor beam
quality. Moreover, it should be clear at this point why and how a
PCM based broad area laser diode is provided with a great deal of
flexibility regarding the choice over one transverse spatial cavity
mode vs. another for lasing. This kind of flexibility over
transverse laser emission is unprecedented and does not currently
exist for any known conventional (i.e., conventional semiconductor
laser diodes without a PCM) semiconductor laser diode.
[0504] In addition, regarding phase-conjugate resonators with
finite apertures, the infinite variety of transverse amplitude
patterns possible in an unbounded phase-conjugate resonator is
destroyed as soon as any finite aperture, or any other transverse
gain or loss variation, is added to the resonator. Transverse gain
variations or apertures produce diffraction effects for the optical
waves oscillating inside the phase-conjugate resonator. These
diffraction effects cannot be fully canceled by the phase-conjugate
minor, because the conjugator cannot in general intercept all the
light. Further, sharp-edged apertures in particular will introduce
losses and edge diffraction effects that cannot be compensated for
by the PCM.
[0505] However, we cannot say that adding either soft (i.e.,
Gaussian) or hard apertures to the phase conjugate resonator
converts to continuous distribution of possible transverse
amplitude patterns into a discrete set of lowest-order and
higher-order transverse eigenmodes. These modes generally continue
to have phase fronts that match closely, but no longer exactly, the
surface of the conventional laser-emission-output end mirror. They
also have amplitude patterns that generally minimize the
diffraction losses produced by the aperture on the transverse
eigenmodes. Optical resonators in general have a marvelous ability
to adapt their mode patterns to minimize their diffraction losses,
while remaining within the constraints of the wave equation.
Phase-conjugate resonators with finite apertures largely take
advantage of the properties of phase-conjugation to do an even more
effective job of this.
[0506] In addition, the Hermite-Gaussian transverse eigenmodes of a
conventional optical resonator or lens waveguide can be closely
approximated by Hermite-Gaussian functions so long as:
[0507] (i) The resonator is geometrically stable, and [0508] (ii)
No optical elements with transverse gain or phase-shift variations
of order higher than quadratic are present (Kogelnik and Li, 1966;
Siegman, 1971).
[0509] Furthermore, the transverse eigenmodes for phase-conjugate
resonators will similarly turn out to be of Hermite-Gaussian form
if:
[0510] (i) Hard-edged diffraction effects are small, and [0511]
(ii) The resonator contains only conventional (though possibly
complex) quadratic paraxial elements in addition to the
phase-conjugate mirror.
[0512] Geometrically stability, in the conventional resonator
sense, is not, however required, or even meaningful in the PCM
case. Further, the Hermite-Gaussian solutions do not tell us about
the behavior of PCM based resonators in the presence of
aberrations, but they will give us the fundamental mode shapes in
simple paraxial PCM resonators.
[0513] In addition, regarding Hermite-Gaussian mode propagation, we
will first examine the propagation properties of the most general
complex Hermite-Gaussian modes. Further, using a reference plane
located directly on the surface of the conventional
laser-emission-output mirror, as done by Au Yeung et al., (1979), a
general Hermite-Gaussian trans-verse mode at frequency .omega. with
complex radius of curvature {circumflex over (q)} and with a
"complex spot size" u, may be written as
( x ) = .alpha. m .upsilon. ^ m H m ( 2 x .upsilon. ^ ) exp ( - j
kx 2 2 q ^ ) ( 22 ) ##EQU00011##
[0514] where .alpha..sub.m is a complex amplitude coefficient and
H.sub.m the Hermite polynomial of order m. The complex radius of
curvature {circumflex over (q)} is defined as used by
1 q ^ .degree. 1 R - j .lamda. .pi. w 2 ( 23 ) ##EQU00012##
[0515] with R being the real radius of curvature and w the real
Gaussian spot size, so the fields have a transverse amplitude
variation like exp(-x.sup.2/w.sup.2). The parameter {circumflex
over (.upsilon.)}, which appears only in the highest-order Hermite
functions, is a complex generalization of the end spot size w. This
parameter is normally real and equal to w in elementary Gaussian
beam theory. However, it can become an independent complex quantity
in general, and especially so when complex ABCD matrices are
involved.
[0516] Moreover, let a Hermite-Gaussian mode in the general form of
Equation (22) with parameters .alpha..sub.m1,{circumflex over
(.upsilon.)}.sub.1,k.sub.1, and {circumflex over (q)}.sub.1 be
substituted into the round-trip propagation integral of Equation
(17). In other words, this mode will be the input wave propagating
to the right, just inside the planar mirror surface. The reflected
field at this same plane at frequency .omega..sub.2 after one round
trip will then be another Hermite-Gaussian function of the same
order and the same form as Equation (22), but with transformed
values .alpha..sub.m2,{circumflex over (.upsilon.)}.sub.2, and
{circumflex over (q)}.sub.2 that are given in terms of the
phase-conjugate matrix elements of Equation (18) by
.alpha. m 2 = .alpha. m 1 * [ ~ - ( k 1 / k 2 ) ~ / q 2 ] m + 1 / 2
.upsilon. 2 2 = [ - ( k 1 / k 2 ) ~ / q ^ 11 * ] 2 .upsilon. 1 * 2
+ 4 j ~ k 2 [ ~ - ( k 1 / k 2 ) ~ / q ^ 1 * ] 1 q ^ 2 = ~ / q 1 * -
( k 2 / k 1 ) ~ ~ / q 1 * - ( k 2 / k 1 ) ~ ( 24 ) ##EQU00013##
[0517] The formulas presented above summarize what happens to a
Hermite-Gaussian beam in one round trip through a PCR. Further, the
transformation rule for .alpha..sub.m ignores the round-trip axial
phase-shift due to reflection at the PCM. Coincidentally, Equations
(24) are very similar to the propagation rules stated for Gaussian
beams in conventional optical systems, but, however, differ in the
minus signs, in the complex conjugation of {circumflex over (q)},
and in the special phase-conjugate matrix.
[0518] In addition, with regards to Hermit-Gaussian resonator
eigenmodes, the self-consistent Hermite-Gaussian eigenmodes for a
PCR are those values of {circumflex over (q)}.sub.1={circumflex
over (q)}.sub.2={circumflex over (q)}.sub.cm and
u.sub.1=u.sub.2=u.sub.cm at the conventional mirror, which obey
Equations (24), and which are self-reproducing after one round trip
for the degenerate case .omega..sub.1=.omega..sub.2, or after two
round trips for the non-degenerate case. Further, we will examine
these Hermite-Gaussian eigenmodes for typical PCM based resonators
shortly. Wherein, the resulting self-consistent {circumflex over
(q)} values can be conveniently represented as points or loci in a
complex 1/{circumflex over (q)} plane (actually the 1/{circumflex
over (q)}* plane) with x and y axes defined by
1 q ^ .degree. x - j y = 1 R - j .lamda. .pi. w 2 . ( 25 )
##EQU00014##
[0519] Moreover, the points in the upper half plane (y>0) then
correspond to confined Hermite-Gaussian modes, i.e. modes for which
the transverse field variation exp(-x.sup.2/w.sup.2) decays rather
than grows at infinite radius. To be physically significant,
Hermite-Gaussian resonator eigenmodes most be not only confined
(w.sub.cm.sup.2>0) but also perturbation stable (Casperson et
al., 1974). Perturbation stability requires that small
perturbations .delta.{circumflex over (q)} or .delta.{circumflex
over (.upsilon.)} about the self-consistent eigenmodes {circumflex
over (q)}.sub.cm and {circumflex over (.upsilon.)}.sub.cm should
decay rather than grow exponentially on successive round trips.
Further, for complex ABCD matrices, not all confined eigensolutions
are necessarily perturbation stable, and vice versa.
[0520] In addition, the Hermite-Gaussian eigensolutions for real
paraxial elements present within a PCM based resonator,
specifically for the degenerate case
.omega..sub.1=.omega..sub.2=.omega..sub.0, are found as follows.
The matrix elements for the PCM cavity as given in Equation (18)
may be written in general in the convenient forms
~ = m - j.theta. m - 1 - j 2 , ~ = j m , ~ = j m , = * ( 26 )
##EQU00015##
[0521] Where -=1. Further, I will use , etc, for the magnitudes of
these complex matrix elements, and and for the real and imaginary
parts of Consequently, the transformation of the 1/{circumflex over
(q)} value in one round trip is then given by
1 q ^ 2 = m j.theta. m / q ^ 1 * + j m j m / q 2 * - m - j.theta. m
( 27 ) ##EQU00016##
[0522] where {circumflex over (q)}.sub.1 is the value before and
{circumflex over (q)}.sub.2 the value after one round trip. With
purely real ABCD elements, which means =1 and .theta..sub.m=++0,
this becomes 1/{circumflex over (q)}.sub.2=-1/{circumflex over
(q)}*.sub.1, which has the self-consistent eigensolutions
Re 1 q ^ cm .ident. 1 R cm = 0 Im 1 q ^ cm .ident. - j.lamda. .pi.
w cm 2 = arbitary ( 28 ) ##EQU00017##
[0523] Moreover, this family of solutions for real ABCD elements
maps into a locus of self-reproducing solutions located anywhere on
the y axis in the complex 1/{circumflex over (q)} plane. These
solutions correspond physically to a uniphase wave front on the end
mirror (i.e., R.sub.cm=.infin.) and an arbitrary Gaussian spot size
w.sub.cm. This simply reiterates our earlier conclusion that in an
ideal PCM resonator any field pattern with phase front matching the
laser-emission-output end mirror profile and with any amplitude
profile will be self-reproducing.
[0524] Equation (27) also tells us that a Gaussian beam launched
from any initial point 1/{circumflex over (q)}.sub.1 in such a
system, with finite initial curvature R.sub.1 and any spot size
w.sub.1, is simply reflected in the imaginary axis in the
1/{circumflex over (q)} plane after each round trip. The beam
returns to the mirror after one round trip with the same spot size
w.sub.1 and reversed curvature R.sub.2=-R.sub.1.
[0525] Therefore, I conclude that a Gaussian beam in a real-matrix
PCM resonator is perturbation stable, and movement is automatically
self-consistent after two round-trips. The self-consistent locus
for 1/{circumflex over (q)}.sub.cm as measured at the conventional
laser-emission-output end minor of the resonator can be transformed
to any other plane within the PCR by using the appropriate ABCD
matrix and the rules for Gaussian beam propagation. For example, an
equivalent locus location at the phase-conjugate mirror end is
given by
{circumflex over (q)}.sub.pcm=(A{circumflex over
(q)}.sub.cm+B)/(C{circumflex over (q)}.sub.cm+D). (29)
[0526] Moreover, this represents a conformal transformation in the
1/{circumflex over (q)} plane. For purely real ABCD elements,
Equation (29) transforms the straight-line y-axis locus at the
conventional laser-emission-output end mirror into a circle at the
PCM end, please see (Belanger et al.) for more details on this
subject. Even for complex paraxial systems with transversely
varying losses, the imaginary parts of the ABCD elements are
usually small, and the same interpretation remains approximately
correct.
[0527] In addition, regarding complex-valued ABCD paraxial elements
(i.e., systems with transversely varying loss or gain) the
self-consistent solutions to Equation (27) are given by the roots
of
1 q ^ q ^ * + j m ( ~ q ^ + ~ q ^ ) - m m = 0 ( 30 )
##EQU00018##
[0528] Moreover, this equation may be separated into two parts
1 q ^ 2 = m m and Re ( ~ q ^ ) = 0 ( 31 ) ##EQU00019##
[0529] Provided that and have the same sign, there are then two
unique self-consistent points in the 1/{circumflex over (q)} plane
given by
x cm .ident. 1 R cm = .+-. m m 2 m = .+-. m m sin .theta. m , y cm
.ident. .lamda. .pi. w cm 2 = .+-. m m 1 m = .+-. m m cos .theta. m
, ( 32 ) ##EQU00020##
[0530] or, in condensed form,
1 q ^ cm = 1 R cm - j .lamda. .pi. w cm 2 = .-+. j m / m exp (
j.theta. m ) . ( 33 ) ##EQU00021##
[0531] Moreover, of these two roots, of course, only the confined
solution with y.sub.cm>0, and hence with w.sub.cm.sup.2>0,
can be physically meaningful.
[0532] In addition, for purely real paraxial systems, the angle
.theta..sub.m will become vanishingly small, and the magnitude
ratio / will become indeterminate. Within this limit, Equations
(32) convert to the continuous y-axis locus of Equation (28).
Further, for complex systems with a transmission maximum on axis,
and with not too rapid transverse variation, which is the usual
situation, the angle .theta..sub.m will normally be too small. The
two discrete eigensolutions given by Equations (32) or (33) will
then lie close to the y-axis at equal distances above and below the
x-axis, as I will describe shortly. The point below the x-axis, of
course represents a nonphysical solution whose fields increase
rather than decrease with distance away from the resonator
axis.
[0533] In addition, regarding transverse mode stability, suppose
for a moment that a Gaussian beam is in some fashion launched into
a phase-conjugate resonator just inside the conventional
laser-emission-output mirror end with an initial Gaussian beam
parameter that differs from the exact self-consistent value
1/{circumflex over (q)}.sub.cm.ident.{circumflex over (z)}.sub.cm
by a small perturbation .delta.{circumflex over
(z)}.ident..delta.(1/{circumflex over (q)})1/{circumflex over (q)}.
Further, we can then write the Gaussian curvature parameter for
this beam one round trip later, which we will call {circumflex over
(z)}'.ident.1/{circumflex over (q)}, in the following form
z ^ ' .ident. z ^ cm .delta. z ^ ' = D ~ ( z ^ cm + .delta. z ^ ) *
- C ~ B ~ ( z ~ cm + .delta. z ^ ) * - A ~ * . ( 34 )
##EQU00022##
[0534] Expanding this to first order in the small perturbation
.delta.{circumflex over (z)} and making use of -=1 gives us the
growth ratio for the perturbation after one round trip through the
resonator described as being
.delta. z ^ ' * .delta. z ^ * = 1 m .+-. m m / m ) 2 . ( 35 )
##EQU00023##
[0535] where {circumflex over (q)} is one or the other of the
self-consistent solutions from Equations (32).
[0536] Furthermore, each of these self-consistent solutions will or
will not be perturbation stable depending on whether the small
perturbation .delta.{circumflex over
(z)}.ident..delta.(1/{circumflex over (q)}) decays or enlarges on
successive round trips. We must ask, therefore, whether
.delta.{circumflex over (z)}'.ident..delta.{circumflex over (z)}*
has magnitude greater or less than unity. Putting the degenerate
self-consistent results from Equations (33) into Equation (35),
while keeping proper track of the plus and minus signs yields
.delta. z ^ ' * .delta. z ^ * = 1 m .+-. m ( m - m / m ) 2 . ( 36 )
##EQU00024##
[0537] Further, noting that
m 2 - m m .ident. ( m + m / m ) ( m - m / m ) = 1 ##EQU00025##
leads us to define a magnification M given and described as
being
M .ident. m + m / m ( 37 ) ##EQU00026##
[0538] Moreover, this parameter is vaguely similar to the
magnification M commonly defined for conventional unstable
resonators. Evidently, M is greater than unity, at least for the
case when and have the same sign, and as they must if any
self-consistent solutions are to exist at all. Further, the growth
ratio for the perturbations next becomes one or the other of
.delta. .delta. z ^ * = 1 M 2 or .delta. .delta. z ^ * = M 2 ( 38 )
##EQU00027##
[0539] The first case applies if >0 and the upper sign in
Equations (32) and (33) is chosen, or if both of these conditions
are reversed.
[0540] Otherwise, the second case applies, in which case the
perturbations grow on successive round trips through the resonator.
However, to be physically useful, transverse eigenmodes most be
both confined (y>0) and perturbation-stable (|.delta.{circumflex
over (z)}'/.delta.{circumflex over (z)}*|=1/M.sup.2). Further, this
eventually can occur if either and [in the notation of Equation
(26)] are both >0, in which case the upper sign in Equations
(32) and (33) must be chosen, or if and are both <0, in which
case the lower sign must be chosen.
[0541] Moreover, a condensed version of expressing this is given
below and requires that
Im ( ~ ~ ) < 0. ( 39 ) ##EQU00028##
[0542] This happens to be formally the same as what was done in an
earlier analysis (Belanger et al., 1980a), but the definitions of
and as presented here are quite different. Further, for all cases
where this is not satisfied, the confined Gaussian solution will be
perturbation unstable, and the perturbation stable solution will
diverge radially and henceforth be unphysical.
[0543] In addition, regarding resonator eigenvalue mode losses,
wherein the complex amplitude coefficient for a degenerate
Hermite-Gaussian wave of order m and complex curvature {circumflex
over (q)}.sub.1 decreases after each round trip by the ratio
.alpha. m 2 .alpha. m 1 * = ( 1 ~ - ~ / q 1 * ) m + 1 / 2 ( 40 )
##EQU00029##
[0544] Further, if {circumflex over (q)}.sub.1 corresponds to the
confined and perturbation-stable eigensolution of Equations (32)
and (33), this ratio becomes
.alpha. m 2 .alpha. m 1 * = 1 M m + 1 / 2 j ( m + 1 / 2 ) .theta. m
( 41 ) ##EQU00030##
[0545] Moreover, the parameter M thus defines not only the
perturbation stability, but also the mode losses per-pass
experienced by the Hermite-Gaussian modes. These losses are of
course produced by the presence of the quadratic transverse loss
variations or "soft apertures" in a complex paraxial
phase-conjugate resonator.
[0546] Furthermore, an interesting observation is that the mode
discrimination between lowest-order and highest-order transverse
modes, for a PCR configured resonator, depends only on the
magnification M, and hence only on the loss-value of the
lowest-order mode, but is otherwise entirely independent of the
resonator parameters and of the mode diameter of the transverse
eigenmodes. This property is also true for conventional complex
paraxial resonators (For more details, please see--Casperson and
Lunnam, 1975; Ganiel and Hardy, 1976).
[0547] In addition, regarding the complex {circumflex over
(.upsilon.)} parameter of higher-order transverse cavity modes,
where the complex spot size {circumflex over (.upsilon.)} in a
degenerate phase-conjugate resonator transforms after one complete
round trip through the resonator, and is given and described as
being
.upsilon. ^ 2 2 = ( ~ - ~ / q 1 * ) 2 .upsilon. ^ * 2 2 + j 2 ~
.lamda. .pi. ( ~ - ~ / q ^ 1 * ) . ( 42 ) ##EQU00031##
[0548] Further, if we let {circumflex over (q)}={circumflex over
(q)}.sub.cm become the confined perturbation-stable eigensolution
at the conventional laser-emission-output mirror end, as a
consequence -{tilde over (B)}/q*.sub.cm=Me.sup.-j.theta..sup.m and
Equation (48) are henceforth transformed to become
.upsilon. cm 2 j.theta. m = M 2 .upsilon. 1 * 2 - j.theta. m - 2 M
m .lamda. .pi. . ( 43 ) ##EQU00032##
[0549] The self-reproducing value {circumflex over
(.upsilon.)}.sub.1={circumflex over (.upsilon.)}.sub.2={circumflex
over (.upsilon.)}.sub.cm for the complex spot size at the
conventional laser-emission-output mirror end is herein given as
being
.upsilon. cm 2 = 2 M M 2 - 1 m .lamda. .pi. - j.theta. m . ( 44 )
##EQU00033##
[0550] In addition, for complex paraxial systems the {circumflex
over (.upsilon.)} parameter will evidently exhibit a complex value
at the conventional laser-emission-output mirror end. Further, this
indicates a complex argument in the Hermite polynomials. Moreover,
and among other things, this will produce slightly nonspherical
phase fronts at the conventional laser-emission-output mirror end
for all the Hermite-Gaussian modes of order m.gtoreq.2.
[0551] Consequently, by using the relation
M = A m + m m , ##EQU00034##
Equation (44) can also be converted into
1 .upsilon. ^ cm 2 = 1 w cm 2 + j .pi. .lamda. R cm ( 45 )
##EQU00035##
[0552] wherein, w.sub.cm and R.sub.cm are the Gaussian
eigensolutions given earlier. Further, the complex spot size
{circumflex over (.upsilon.)}.sub.cm at the conventional
laser-emission-output mirror end will consequently differ from the
real spot size w.sub.cm at the same minor end; essentially to the
same (small) extent that I/R.sub.cm will consequently differ from
zero, or to the same extent that the phase-front curvature at the
conventional laser-emission-output end mirror differs from an exact
coincidence with the mirror end itself.
[0553] Furthermore, it is also possible to show that the complex
spot size {circumflex over (.upsilon.)}.sub.cm, when transformed to
the phase-conjugate mirror end of the resonator, becomes real and
identically equal to the real spot size w.sub.pcm at that same
mirror end; i.e., {circumflex over (.upsilon.)}.sub.pcm=w.sub.pcm.
Moreover, this agrees with an earlier analysis of the {circumflex
over (.upsilon.)} parameter carried out at the PCM end of a PCR
configured resonator by Belanger et al., 1980b.
[0554] In addition, regarding a PCR configured with a total
internal reflecting phase-conjugate mirror and a partial-reflecting
conventional laser-emission-output Gaussian mode providing curved
shaped end minor; wherein, the conventional laser-emission-output
end mirror with an arbitrary radius of curvature R.sub.0 being
spaced a distance L from a phase-conjugate mirror (comprised as a
very large array of corner-cube prism elements) having a "Gaussian
aperture" (GA) located just in front of the PCM; i.e., a spreading
concave shaped lens and a collimating convex shaped lens. Please
note that for any case the actual location of the PCM will be
effectively transformed forward to take up position immediately
behind the Gaussian aperture (i.e., a soft aperturing lens
system).
[0555] Moreover, in practical cases this Gaussian aperture may be
an inherent characteristic of the phase conjugator itself; for
example produced by a finite-width corner-cube array process of
passive broadband optical phase-conjugation or by the two
finite-width Gaussian pump-beams used in the well-known nonlinear
four-wave mixing process of active optical phase-conjugation
(Trebino and Siegman, 1980).
[0556] In addition, a second example has its curved end mirror with
radius of curvature R.sub.0, replaced with a plane mirror plus a
thin lens with focal length f.ident.1/R.sub.0 for reflection from a
curved mirror. Note that we use sign conventions in which R>0
referring to a wave indicates a diverging spherical wave front,
whereas R>0 referring to a mirror indicates a concave or
converging type mirror. Further, the single-pass voltage
transmission of the Gaussian aperture may be written as
r(x).ident.(x)/.sub.0=exp(-x.sup.2/w.sub..alpha..sup.2) (46)
[0557] so that w.sub..alpha. is the 1/e radius for the amplitude
transmission through the aperture. It is then convenient to define
a Fresnel number using
N.sub..alpha..ident.=w.sub..alpha..sup.2/2L.lamda., (47)
[0558] which characterizes the Gaussian aperture size relative to
the length of the PCM cavity. It is also convenient to define a g
parameter
g.ident.1-L/R.sub.0, (48)
[0559] which is the same as the usual g parameter used for
conventional optical resonators. Further, the conventional one-way
ABCD elements for this cavity are then given by and describe as
being
[ A B C D ] = [ 1 0 - j.alpha. 1 ] [ 1 L 0 1 ] [ 1 0 - 1 / R 0 1 ]
, ( 49 ) ##EQU00036##
[0560] which, results in .alpha..ident.1/2.pi.N.sub..alpha.L.
Additionally, please note that the individual matrices are cascaded
in reverse order so they are encountered by the beam, whereby the
Gaussian aperture is represented by a matrix with a complex C
element.
[0561] Moreover, the phase-conjugate matrix defined by Equation
(18) then has the elements
~ = 1 - 2 j .alpha. L ( 1 - L / R 0 ) = 1 - 2 j g .alpha. L 2 , ~ =
2 J .alpha. L 2 , ~ = - 2 j .alpha. ( 1 - L / R 0 ) 2 = - 2 j g 2
.alpha. , ~ = ~ * ( 50 ) ##EQU00037##
[0562] The self-consistent solutions for the {circumflex over (q)}
parameter on the conventional laser-emission-output mirror surface
are given and described as being
1 q ^ m = .-+. j [ g ] L exp ( j.theta. m ) ( 51 ) 1 q ^ cm = m j g
L exp ( j.theta. m ) , where .theta. m = tan - 1 ( g / .pi. N
.alpha. ) . ( 52 ) ##EQU00038##
[0563] Moreover, perhaps we should emphasize once again that this
is the Gaussian {circumflex over (q)} parameter for the wave-fronts
converging upon the conventional laser-emission-output mirror
surface, traveling inward toward the right. Further, please note
that only the upper sign in Equation (51) corresponds to a
physically meaningful confined and perturbation-stable
solution.
[0564] Meanwhile, the self-consistent radius and spot size on the
mirror end surface at the conventional laser-emission-output mirror
end are given and described as being
R cm = L g sin .theta. m .apprxeq. .pi. N .alpha. L g g ( 53 ) and
w cm 2 = L .lamda. .pi. 1 g cos .theta. m .apprxeq. L .lamda. .pi.
1 g ( 54 ) ##EQU00039##
[0565] whereby, the approximations are valid for
N.sub..alpha.1-L/R.sub.0|. Consequently, this approximation
basically means that the Gaussian aperture is large compared with
the spot size of the cavity mode at the aperture. Further, the
Gaussian mode-loss factor--that is, the reduction in cavity mode
amplitude after one round trip through the PCR--contains
essentially the same ratio, and are given and described as
being
.alpha. 2 .alpha. 1 = 1 1 + g / .pi. N .alpha. ( 55 )
##EQU00040##
[0566] whereby, .alpha..sub.1 and .alpha..sub.2 are the mode
amplification before and after one round trip through the PCR.
Further, please note that the wave-front radius R.sub.cm at the
conventional laser-emission-output minor end surface is nearly
always ?L; wherein, the wave front very nearly matches the mirror
end surface, except for cases where very highly divergent or
convergent end minors are used, which would comprise a
|R.sub.0|.fwdarw.0 value.
[0567] Furthermore, for a typical pair of values of g and
N.sub..alpha., a Gaussian beam launched with an arbitrary initial
{circumflex over (q)}.sub.0 value will converge toward the
appropriate self-consistent locus point location upon subsequent
round trips through the PCR. Further, for a finite-width soft
aperture that exhibits a 1/{circumflex over (q)} value will no
longer oscillate back and forth between two points on opposite
sides of a continuous locus, but instead will converge slowly into
a final discrete eigensolution.
[0568] In addition, concerning cavity mode spot size sensitivity,
where one fundamental property of phase-conjugate resonators all
have in common is their greatly reduced sensitivity of the mode
parameters to perturbations in the cavity design parameters. To
explain further, the spot size w of the lowest-order Gaussian mode
at any reference plane in a conventional round-trip ABCD matrix of
the same resonator, in the form
w 2 = B .lamda. .pi. 1 1 - [ ( A + D ) / 2 ] 2 = w 0 2 ( 1 - g 2 )
1 / 2 ( 56 ) ##EQU00041##
[0569] wherein, g.ident.(A+D)/2, w.sub.0.sup.2.ident.B.lamda./.pi.,
and ABCD elements are the conventional elements for one complete
round-trip starting from the same reference plane. Further, the
parameter B for a conventional resonator is often comparable with
the physical length of the laser cavity. Further, the "confocal
spot size" w.sub.0= {square root over (B.lamda./.pi.)} is then
usually much smaller than is desirable to obtain efficient energy
extraction from a large-diameter laser medium.
[0570] Moreover, obtaining a large spot size w and hence a large
mode volume in a laser cavity thus, usually requires a cavity
design that operates close to (or beyond) the geometrical stability
boundary g.sup.2.fwdarw.1. Within this confinement, the sensitivity
of the cavity mode spot-size to small fluctuation .delta.g in the
resonator geometrical parameters becomes very large. Moreover, we
can write this sensitivity for a conventional stable resonator, for
example, by differentiating Equation (60), in the form
.delta. w w = g 2 ( w w 0 ) .delta. g .apprxeq. 1 2 ( w w 0 )
.delta. g g , w w 0 ( 57 ) ##EQU00042##
[0571] The fluctuations in g are eventually multiplied by the very
large ratio (w/w.sub.0).sup.4. Conventional stable resonators with
large mode diameters are thus inordinately sensitive to very small
perturbations in their physical dimensions. Further, the results
obtained from Equations (54) and (57) show that in phase-conjugate
resonators we have instead
.delta. w w .apprxeq. 1 2 .delta. g g ( 58 ) ##EQU00043##
[0572] Moreover, the spot sizes in PCM based resonators are much
less sensitive to small changes in the resonator parameters.
Further, larger mode volumes can be achieved without operating on
the boundary between geometrically stable and unstable systems,
while good transverse cavity mode discrimination can still be
obtained, for example, by using an appropriate diverging end
mirror, plus a weak Gaussian aperture located in the PCM
cavity.
[0573] In addition, regarding Gaussian apertured phase-conjugate
mirror based resonator configurations, one such configuration
comprises a Gaussian-apertured phase-conjugate minor plus a
Gaussian apertured planar minor spaced by distance L. Further, this
PCR example is similar in concept to the PCR described above,
except that the conventional laser-emission-output minor now has a
variable "imaginary curvature" rather than a variable "real
curvature." We shall let the strengths of the two Gaussian
apertures be denoted by .alpha.L/2.pi.N.sub..alpha. and
.beta.L.ident.1/2.pi.N.sub..alpha.. The matrix elements for
Equation (18) are therefore given by
~ = 1 - j 2 = 1 + 2 .alpha..beta. L 2 , ~ = j 1 = j.alpha. L 2 ~ =
1 j m = 12 j [ .alpha. + .beta. + .alpha. ( .beta. L ) 2 ] ( 59 )
##EQU00044##
[0574] Moreover, if we allow the possibility that either .alpha. or
.beta. may become negative, meaning that one or the other of the
Gaussian apertures may have a transmission that increases with
radius, the cavity mode properties of this resonator become fairly
complicated. It is particularly useful to analysis the negative
aperture case because, clearly no real aperture can have a
transmission function that increases indefinitely with increasing
radius.
[0575] There can be laser gain media, however, in which the gain
does increase with radial distance from the axis, at least for some
finite distance about the axis. One can also synthesize Gaussian
variable reflectivity mirrors with an inverted inflection function
versus radius, at least over the finite diameter of the mirror. An
understanding of idealized negative Gaussian apertures allows us to
assess the possible behavior of such systems, at least up to the
point where the Gaussian mode itself spreads beyond the finite
edges of such a system.
[0576] Moreover, I will only summarize briefly here the rather
complex results for this resonator example. Further, as described
by Equations (32) or (33), physically meaningful and
self-consistent solutions can exist only for /<0, located
between the .alpha.=0 axis and the curve
.alpha.=-.beta./[1+(.beta.L).sup.2]. Additionally, the quantity =
cos .theta..sub.m, which compels the choice of upper or lower signs
in Equations (32), (33), and (36), changes from positive to
negative on the boundary curves defined by .alpha.L=-1/2.beta.L.
Please note also that the sign of which combines with to determine
perturbation stability, is the same as the sign of .alpha..
[0577] In addition, various combinations and results for the above
example can be graphically and/or mathematically indicated using
.alpha. and .beta. configured matrix (not necessary to show diagram
of .alpha. and .beta. configured matrix here being that it use is
well known by those versed in the art). For example, take the
confined and perturbation-stable solutions at the conventional
laser-emission-output mirror end, which can exist according to the
analytical criteria everywhere in the first quadrant (.alpha.>0,
.beta.>0) of the .alpha. and .beta. configured matrix.
[0578] While another example of confined and perturbation-stable
solutions, at the conventional laser-emission-output minor end, can
also exist, according to the analytical criteria, in a limited
portion of the lower-right quadrant (.alpha.>0, .beta.<0) of
the .alpha. and .beta. configured matrix. Further, another example
of confined and perturbation-stable solutions, at the conventional
laser-emission-output mirror end, apparently can also exist,
according to the analytical criteria, in an outer portion of the
upper-left quadrant (.alpha.<0, .beta.<0) of the .alpha. and
.beta. configured matrix. Further, in the nominally allowed regions
of the upper-left quadrant, and also in the portion of the allowed
region in the lower-right quadrant, the solutions for {circumflex
over (q)} are indeed perturbation-stable and confined at the
conventional laser-emission-output mirror end.
[0579] In addition, the behavior of the transverse cavity modes and
how they will occur for a PCR comprised with hard-edged
mode-controlling apertures is considered next. Wherein,
phase-conjugate resonators configured with hard-edged apertures
will exhibit Fresnal diffraction effects, which is caused by the
intra-cavity presence of apertures that comprise hard light
diffracting surface edges, in as much as would a conventional
optical resonator. These effects, in PCM as in conventional
resonators, will be generally complicated and analytically
intractable. As a result, exact mode properties using hard-edged
apertures can generally be determined only by numerical calculation
methods, such as the well-known Fox, Li, and Prony methods (Fox and
Li, 1961; Siegman and Miller, 1970).
[0580] Furthermore, concerning the previously mentioned numerical
mode calculations, the integral equation appropriate for round trip
propagation in a simple PCM based resonator is given and described
by Equation (19), assuming separable rectangular transverse
coordinates and a finite aperture-width of 2w.sub.pcm at the PCM
end. While, a similar aperture of finite-width 2w.sub.cm at the
conventional laser-emission-output mirror end can be incorporated
into the perturbation function {circumflex over (.rho.)}(x), or can
be accounted for by truncating the integration at .+-.w.sub.pcm.
Extension of this integral equation to accommodate apertures
elsewhere in the cavity, or to express it in cylindrical
coordinates, is a straightforward exercise.
[0581] Furthermore, eigensolutions of this type of integral
equation are routinely calculated in conventional resonator theory,
most effectively by the use of fast Fourier or fast Hankel
transform methods (Sziklas and Siegman, 1974, 1975; Siegman, 1977b;
Sheng and Siegman, 1980). Further, these methods can be coupled
with Prony methods if higher-order eigenmodes are to be extracted
(Siegman and Miller, 1970; Murphy and Bernabe, 1978). Please note
that the kernel in Equation (19) differs in an interesting way from
the more usual kernel used for conventional resonators. However,
the integral still retains the form of a convolution integral,
namely,
.sub.2(x.sub.2).about..intg..sub.1*(x.sub.1)K(x.sub.2-x.sub.1)dx.sub.1,
so that fast transform methods can still be employed.
[0582] Furthermore, for a simply case of a finite-width mirror plus
a finite-width PCM, the significant parameters are the Fresnel
numbers, which can be defined as being
N.sub.cm.ident.w.sub.cm.sup.2/B.lamda. and
N.sub.pcm.ident.w.sub.pcm.sup.2/B.lamda.. (60)
[0583] Whereby, the parameter B is simply the cavity length L if no
lenses or other elements intervene between the minor surface and
the PCM. Further, if both of these Fresnel numbers are ?1,
Hermite-Gaussian analysis of the previous section can be expected
to apply. If one or both Fresnel numbers becomes small enough that
the aperture impinges on the Hermite-Gaussian solution, significant
diffraction effects can be expected to occur. Generally, the
transverse modes in resonators with hard apertures will display
considerable ingenuity in distorting their amplitude patterns and
phase profiles to minimize their diffraction losses at the
apertures, while continuing to obey the optical wave equation.
[0584] Furthermore, numerical calculations of transverse modes in a
phase-conjugate resonator having a finite-width aperture has
already been carried out by Lam and Brown (1980), (1980b); wherein,
they considered only one transverse coordinate (using a stripe
configuration for their resonator) using fast Fourier transform as
their analytical method. Further, their results have come to show
mode patterns at the conventional mirror end for two elementary
phase-conjugate resonator configurations (g=0 and g=2) that exhibit
moderately strong aperturing (N.sub.cm=1). The resultant mode
patterns indicate the expected Fresnel ripples and diffractive
perturbations to the underlying Gaussian approximations.
[0585] Moreover, for the hemispherical case of R.sub.0=L or g=0 the
mode will be apertured most heavily at the conventional
laser-emission-output mirror end, and the PCM appears to do a good
job of removing most of the diffraction ripples at the conventional
mirror. However, for the divergently unstable case of R.sub.0=-L or
g=2 the mode will be most sharply apertured at the PCM end, and
this will show up as strong diffraction ripples at the conventional
mirror end. Additionally, for the divergently unstable case the
phase distribution profile results in being located on a transverse
plane perpendicular to the resonator axis, not on the conventional
mirror surface as might be expected. This profile will exhibit a
roughly quadratic shape of superimposed ripples, which corresponds
to a phase front converging back down onto the conventional end
mirror's surface.
[0586] Consequently, the effects of end mirror distortion on a
hemispherical based PCM resonator is described as being a phase
distortion pattern distributed across the conventional mirror
surface. Further, this phase profile corresponds to Fresnel numbers
N.sub.cm=N.sub.pcm=2/.pi. and 15/.pi., respectively. For the lower
Fresnel number the wave front at the conventional mirror surface
remains significantly distorted by the previously described mirror
distortion.
[0587] However, for the larger Fresnel number the phase-conjugator
mirror can resolve and almost totally correct for the phase
aberrations. Additionally, numerical calculations on more complex
PCM resonators have been carried out by Hardy (1981). Further,
optical phase-conjugator is obviously able to greatly reduce
resonator losses by canceling nearly all diffraction effects from a
midplane aperture.
[0588] Moreover, for the PCM cases with N.sub..alpha.=1.875 the
calculated mode patterns agree very closely with the Gaussian
profiles predicted by the Hermite-Gaussian analysis. Even for the
case N.sub..alpha.=0.3, where the analytically predicted
Hermite-Gaussian mode is heavily clipped by the midplane aperture,
the mode between the aperture and the conventional minor remains
very close to Gaussian with a few minor side lobes. The
phase-conjugate reflector captures, and largely cancels the
diffraction scattering from the midplane aperture. While, by
contrast, the conventional end mirror results show the usual
diffractive ripples, as well as much larger mode losses.
[0589] Furthermore, the effects that intracavity phase perturbation
has on the next type of resonator described has been explored by
Hardy, 1981. Whereby, the lowest-order mode was calculated for a
resonator having a phase grating inserted at the resonator midplane
(i.e., in the aperture plane of the phase-conjugate mirror) so that
the circulating wave passes through the grating going in both
directions. Further, the grating has a phase deviation of
.DELTA..phi.(x)=.DELTA..phi..sub.d cos(2.pi.x/T) across the
aperture. Experimental results shows us that for the above
resonator configuration, both the diffraction loss and the beam
quality are much less affected by an intracavity phase grating in
the PCM case than the conventional mirror case (i.e., for more
details see Hardy, 1981).
[0590] In addition, let us consider transverse-mode orthogonality
properties of a PCM based resonator. Take for example a
phase-conjugate resonator that has a hard-edged aperture, or one
that departs in some other way from the Hermite-Gaussian
approximations, will almost certainly, possess higher-order
transverse modes also. None of these higher-order mode patterns
appears to have been published yet for other than the
Hermite-Gaussian case, although such calculations are under way
(Hardy, personal communication).
[0591] Furthermore, the orthogonality properties of these
higher-order transverse modes can, however, be established in a
general fashion, similar to the orthogonality properties of the
transverse modes in conventional optical resonators (Siegman,
1979). Only the final result will be stated here, with the proof
left to a separate publication (Hardy et al., 1982). Next, let us
consider a general phase-conjugate resonator configuration in which
the reflection from the phase conjugator may have an arbitrary
transverse variation in magnitude but not in phase, i.e.
.sub.ref1(x)=|{circumflex over
(p)}.sub.pcm(x)|e.sup.j.phi..sub.inc(x). (61)
[0592] Herein, .sub.inc(x) is the incident field striking the PCM,
while .sub.ref1(x) describes the phase-conjugate reflection field,
and .psi. is not a function of the transverse coordinates (i.e.,
the conjugator may be apertured but is otherwise ideal). Further,
the conventional optics located in the remainder of the PCM based
resonator may be quit arbitrary, including paraxial elements,
perturbing screens, and/or finite apertures of some kind or
another. Let an additional index m or n be used to label the
different order transverse eigenmodes in the PCM resonator. Now we
can show that under very general conditions (with proper
normalization) that
.intg. - .infin. .infin. p ^ pcm ( x ) inc , m ( x ) inc , m ( x )
x = .intg. - .infin. .infin. inc , m ( x ) rfl , n ( x ) x =
.delta. n m ( 62 ) ##EQU00045##
[0593] Moreover, this calculation is made initially at the input
plane to the phase conjugator. However, it can also be shown under
very general conditions (Arnaud, 1976) that the second integral
will continue to hold at any other plane within the resonator, if
we write it in the form
.intg. - .infin. .infin. E for , m ( x ) E back , n ( x ) x =
.delta. n m , ( 63 ) ##EQU00046##
[0594] Where .sub.for represents the forward-traveling and
.sub.back the backward-traveling wave at the plane. Under the most
general conditions in the PCM resonator, as in conventional optical
resonators, neither the transverse eigenmodes going in the forward
direction, .sub.for,m(x), nor the same modes going in the backward
direction at the same plane, .sub.back,n(x), form a separately
orthogonal set, with or without complex conjugation (unless the PCM
is ideal, with no transverse variation). Rather, each transverse
eigenmode going in one direction at a given transverse plane is
orthogonal without complex conjugation to all the eigenmodes in the
family going in the opposite direction at the same plane.
[0595] Furthermore, this is essentially the same as the
orthogonality relation for conventional optical resonators
(Siegman, 1979). It represents again the fact that Huygens integral
written in a phasor formulation has a complex symmetric but not
Hermitian kernel. Alternately, it can be viewed as arising from the
fact that the optical resonator problem obeys a fundamentally
Hermitian operator (the wave equation), but in general does not
have adjoint boundary conditions whenever diffraction losses are
present.
[0596] In addition, the Gaussian beam parameters at the
conventional laser-emission-output mirror end can be transformed to
the phase-conjugate mirror end, just inside the Gaussian aperture,
by using the conventional matrix parameters
A=1-L/R.sub.0, B=L, C=-1/R.sub.0, and D=1. Further, the beam
parameters just before hitting the Gaussian aperture at the PCM end
are then
R pcm = 2 gL / ( 2 g - 1 ) and ( 64 ) w pcm 2 = 2 L .lamda. .pi. g
+ g sin .theta. m cos .theta. m .apprxeq. 2 g .lamda. L .pi. . ( 65
) ##EQU00047##
[0597] Furthermore, please note that the universal rule states
w.sub.cmw.sub.pcm= {square root over (2L.lamda./.pi.)}. In
addition, the Gaussian mode for this type of PCM resonator will
also have associated with it a beam waist location that is in most
cases very close to the center of curvature of the conventional end
mirror. In fact the location of z.sub.0 for this waist, with
z.sub.0 being measured positive to the right of the end mirror, is
herein given and described as
z 0 - R 0 R 0 .apprxeq. g 2 g 2 + ( 1 - g ) 2 ( 66 )
##EQU00048##
[0598] and where the spot size of the mode waist will be
w 0 2 .apprxeq. LA .pi. g g 2 + ( 1 - g ) 2 . ( 67 )
##EQU00049##
[0599] In addition, regarding the elementary properties of an PCM
resonator, wherein a conventional resonator having a planar flat
conventional mirror in place of the PCM, would have confined
Gaussian modes only over the stable region 0<g<1, with
unstable modes outside. The Gaussian mode behavior of the PCM
resonator differs significantly from that behavior exhibited by a
conventional resonator. Further, by adding an arbitrary weak
Gaussian-aperturing effect to an unbounded PCM (i.e.,
N.alpha..fwdarw..infin.) leads to discrete, confined, perturbation
stable Gaussian eigenmodes for all values of g. These spot sizes
and mode profiles are moreover, essentially independent of the
aperture strength, so long as N.sub..alpha.1.
ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
Preferred Operational Embodiments
[0600] From the description above, the PCM resonator mode behavior
then includes the following significant a number of advantages,
which become evident for my OPCLD invention, and are listed below
as:
[0601] (a) Another object of my OPCLD invention is to provide for a
"divergent" regime g>1, or R.sub.0<0 (the positive-branch
unstable regime in a conventional resonator), where the PCM
resonator exhibits behavior of a diverging spot size at the PCM end
and a small spot size at the CM end. Further, this behavior will
eventually be limited at large g, when the PCM spot size expands to
where it belongs to be influenced by a weak Gaussian aperture.
[0602] (b) Another object of my OPCLD invention is to provide for a
planar point g=1 or R.sub.0.fwdarw..infin., where the PCM mode is
half confocal in form, with a waist spot size of {square root over
(L.lamda./.pi.)} at the planar mirror end, and a spot size that is
{square root over (2)} larger at the PCM end.
[0603] (c) Another object of my OPCLD invention is to provide for a
region between g=1 and g=0 at the point g=1/ {square root over (2)}
or R.sub.0=(2+ {square root over (2)})L, which is a "symmetric
point 1," where w.sub.cm=w.sub.pcm will provide for a shallow waist
spot size at the exact center of the resonating cavity.
[0604] (d) Another object of my OPCLD invention is to provide for
an increased mirror curvature that makes the resonator approach the
hemispherical point g=0 or R.sub.0=L. Further, in turn the spot
size at the conventional laser-emission-output end mirror surface
will expand until it encounters a finite aperture, while the PCM
spot size goes toward a value of zero.
[0605] (e) Another object of my OPCLD invention is to provide for a
value for g that is between 0 and -1; moreover, causing the
resonator to become "overconvergent" and nominally unstable (i.e.,
in the negative-branch sense) to higher transverse modes. Further,
the mode behavior here will be a mirror image of the region between
g=0 and g=+1, except that it exhibits a deeper waist spot size
inside the PCR. In particular, the mode behavior will come to a
symmetric point 2, which is located at
g=-1/ {square root over (2)} or R.sub.0=.left brkt-bot. {square
root over (2)}/(1+ {square root over (2)}).right brkt-bot.L.
(68)
[0606] Whereby, the cavity mode will again exhibit a value of
w.sub.cm=w.sub.pcm, as it did at symmetric point 1, but with a
considerably deeper waist spot size being located at the center of
the resonator.
[0607] (f) Another object of my OPCLD invention is to provide for
g<-1 or R.sub.0<L/2, where the overconvergent cavity mode
becomes much like the divergent cavity mode for g>+1, but with a
large spot size at the PCM end, except that in this case there is a
very tight internal focus just in front of the conventional
laser-emission-output end mirror surface (rather than just behind
it, as occurs for g.fwdarw.+.infin.).
[0608] (g) Another object of my OPCLD invention is to provide for a
resonator that always selects the waist location (i.e., from among
an infinite number available to it) that minimizes the Gaussian
spot size at the Gaussian aperture, while keeping the mode
curvature matched to the mirror surface at the CM end.
[0609] (h) Another object of my OPCLD invention is to provide for a
resonator where moving the Gaussian aperture to any other planar
location in the resonator will consequently change the cavity mode
to minimize the spot size at the new aperture location.
[0610] Further objects and advantages will provide for an OPCLD
technology, wherein, for a broadband conjugator (i.e., my OPCLD's
corner-cube array based PCM is broadband), the implications for
chirp reversal are quit clear. Further, if h(z,-i.OMEGA.) is taken
to be constant in equation (68), which is utilized to numerically
compute the conjugate waveforms, and is given the form
c ( z , t ) = 1 2 .pi. .intg. - .infin. .infin. h ( z , 1 2 .alpha.
.upsilon. - .OMEGA. ) [ ~ p ( - .OMEGA. ) ] * - .OMEGA. t .OMEGA. ;
( 69 ) ##EQU00050##
wherein, the chirp (i.e., the rate of change of instantaneous
frequency with time) of the conjugate pulse is precisely opposite
to that of the input pulse. Further, this was first pointed out by
Marburger in 1978. Additionally, Yariv et al., (1979) showed that a
pulse that had undergone dispersive spreading could be conjugated
in a suitably broadband conjugator so that the chirp reversal would
cause subsequent dispersive narrowing upon retraversal of the
dispersive element.
[0611] Moreover, the conjugate reflectivity for a DFWM configured
Germanium based PCM, which on resonance is set to equal unity, and
the physical thickness of the Germanium used to construct the PCM
is varied (e.g., 0.1-, 1.0-, or 2.0-cm). Wherein, a Gaussian shaped
probe laser pulse is used, but this time a positive linear chirp is
impressed upon it, so that the bandwidth is twice that of a
non-modulated probe pulse. At the peak of the input pulse, the
instantaneous frequency is that of the pump waves. Further, the
instantaneous frequency shift is plotted as a function of time for
both the input and the phase-conjugate pulses. Three different
cases were considered, with the conjugator thicknesses 0.1-cm,
1.0-cm, and 2.0-cm.
[0612] Wherein, t=0 is the time at which the peak of the probe
pulse strikes the input face of the conjugator. While, for the
thinnest conjugator (L=0.1-cm), the bandwidth of the device is
adequate to produce nearly perfect chirp reversal, but for greater
thicknesses the chirp reversal is clearly incomplete. Further, for
all three cases the chirp showed a rather distinct disappearance at
the temporal peak of the conjugate pulse (as evidenced by a
flattening of the frequency-versus-time curves). Thus, a chirped
pulse is conjugated as a relatively chirp-free pulse in this
narrow-bandwidth limit.
[0613] In a similarly related calculation, KL was set equal to
.pi./4, and the conjugator thickness was set to equal 2-cm.
Increasing the chirp on the input pulse resulted in decreasing the
duration of the conjugate pulse. This can be easily understood by
considering that as the chirp becomes more severe, the pulse sweeps
more quickly through the high-reflectivity center frequency of the
conjugator.
[0614] Moreover, decreasing K at the fixed length L does not,
however, produce perfect chirp-reversal. Further, the reason being
that as one decreases KL, the .delta.-function response becomes a
flat-topped function for the round-trip duration of the conjugator.
The duration of the function depends only upon L, as physically
thick conjugator to reverse the input pulse chirp can be easily
understood in terms of the impressed gratings; the number of lines
in the grating determines the resolution. Therefore, weak coupling
alone (KL.pi./2) is insufficient to guarantee faithful chirp
reversal; moreover, the transfer function must be sufficiently
broad.
[0615] Furthermore, Pepper and Yariv, (1980), have shown that, in
the steady state, a conjugator with a reflectivity of unity will
compensate for the interposition of a weakly nonlinear aberration
as long as catastrophic self-focusing does not occur therein.
Clearly, when considering the above, steps would be taken to
restrict the transit time of the conjugator to far less than the
duration of the input pulse; otherwise, the time-varying divergence
(the chirp) would not be faithfully reversed.
[0616] Furthermore, being informed herein on how chirp reversal is
accomplished in a DFWM PCM system, concerning my OPCLD invention,
the issue as to whether or not its PCM is sufficiently broadband or
not is rather self-explanatory. My OPCLD invention by replacing the
more conventional DFWM based PCM with a PCM configured with a very
large array of corner-cube shaped reflecting elements (this
corner-cube configured PCM provides for the phase-shifting, via
total internal reflection, of incident laser-light to further
provide for k.sub.out=-k.sub.in of said laser-light therein) it
accomplishes a L=0 level of broadband phase-conjugate reflection.
Remember, as stated above," t=0 is the time at which the peak of
the probe pulse strikes the input face of the conjugator.
[0617] While, for the thinnest conjugator (L=0.1-cm), the bandwidth
of the device is adequate to produce nearly perfect chirp reversal,
but for greater thicknesses the chirp reversal is clearly
incomplete." For the corner-cube array based PCM, because the TIR
interface that lies between the TIR corner-cube array itself and
surrounding air (the air having a lower-refractive index than the
material used to construct the corner-cubes) L.ltoreq..lamda. of
OPCLD's emission wavelength, and is therefore sufficiently thin to
flawlessly satisfy the above described criteria for L=0.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Additional Embodiments--FIG. 70, and FIGS. 71-75, 32
[0618] As illustrated in FIG. 70, a first additional embodiment of
my OPCLD invention includes a multi-channel light source, which is
used in a wavelength division multiplexed optical communication
system. Further, is disclosed an OPCLD, hermetically sealed circuit
package, and optical fiber pigtail configured to provide for remote
provisioning of the wavelength based channels used in DWDM systems.
Wherein, a wavelength tunable laser diode would significantly
reduced the number of laser diodes currently being used in
conventional DWDM based communication systems, and is preferably
configured as a single laser diode light source, which is used for
emitting laser light at the multiple frequencies useful in WDM
applications.
[0619] Advantageously, such a laser diode device could be
electronically (i.e., remotely) provisioned to provide for a remote
switching of any number of wavelength channels that might be unused
and therefore available for use. Further, such a laser diode light
source would include a PCR configured laser diode cavity that would
comprise multiple longitudinal modes of laser-emission-output and
an optical cavity whose length is preferably adjusted to provide
for a predetermined number of frequency spacings that are made to
occur between the longitudinal modes that form therein.
[0620] Moreover, as illustrated in FIGS. 19 and 70, the system
preferably includes an approximately 50-GHz mode-locker, an
electrical or an optical pump source, and a OPCLD 279 with an
adjustable 274 cavity 284, 297 provided preferably by removing a
reflecting surface layer of the OPCLD 163, 164, 166 and replacing
it with an external cavity reflector 284, 297. The external cavity
reflector 284, 297 preferably includes a concave reflecting surface
297 spaced substantially further from the remaining reflecting
surface of the layered structure 165 (FIG. 19) than where the
removed reflecting surface layer was located 164 (FIG. 19). The
multiple frequency output 289 (FIG. 70) of the cavity 288 is then
coupled 285, 286 to an erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) through
a pulse spreading fiber 287 for DWDM application.
[0621] In addition, a means for preferably fixing relative
amplitudes of laser-emission-output into a substantial fraction of
the longitudinal modes, and a means for preferably maximizing the
spectral bandwidth over which the longitudinal modes maintain fixed
relative amplitude, by designing the laser cavity 288 to have
minimal variation of refractive index with frequency over the
emission frequency range of interest. Additionally, the laser light
source 279, as depicted in FIG. 70, comprises a laser cavity 288
for the device, an electrically and/or optically driven gain-region
161 (FIG. 19), and an external resonant lasing optical cavity 288
being formed, for example, using a gradient index lens 284 with a
mirrored surface 297.
[0622] Furthermore, the OPCLD's gain-region can be stimulated into
laser-emission using an external laser diode(s) (not shown) to
optically pump the OPCLD's gain-region. Alternatively, the OPCLD's
lasing cavity may be electrically pumped as well (typical for
current laser diodes). Many alternative methods of photo-pumping
and electrical pumping of gain-media are well known in the art;
e.g., please see--Wilmsen, Temkin, and Coldren, "Vertical Cavity
Surface Emitting lasers," 2nd edition (Cambridge Press), which is
hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
[0623] Moreover, as illustrated in FIG. 70, structure 296
represents an electrically oscillating signal that is applied to
the gain-medium structure of the OPCLD or an electrically
oscillating signal can be applied to an additionally inserted loss
providing light absorbing structure (a passive mode locking
technique) in order to provide for active mode locking. Further,
the additional loss structure may be an additional
electro-absorption modulator layer of the OPCLD device. As
mentioned above, an electrical pumping of the OPCLD may be used,
and when used, it is preferably supplied at the same port as the
mode locking input, and used as the alternative to an external pump
laser diode (not shown).
[0624] Moreover, the input electrical pumping can itself be
preferably modulated 296 and therefore can serve as the mode-locker
(an active mode locking technique). Consequently, passive mode
locking provides for a fixed amplitude relationship of the modes
with a temporal stability that increases the number of modes.
Further discussion regarding internal modulation is set forth below
with respect to FIGS. 19 and 70. The signal used to internally
modulate the OPCLD is around 50-mW 296 and may be obtained from the
Microwave Development Company as a 50-GHz Gunn oscillator 296 (FIG.
70).
[0625] Alternatively, an OPCLD apparatus could include a passive
mode locking mechanism, rather than an active-mode-locking
mechanism. For passive mode locking, a saturable absorber may be
used in that it is similar to the electro-absorption modulator
described herein, except that high-frequency modulation is not
applied to the saturable absorber when the device is operating in a
passive mode-locking manner; e.g., when a D.C. bias signal input is
applied to the saturable absorber to modify the strength of its
intra-cavity absorption.
[0626] Moreover, the OPCLD apparatus may not include active mode
locking, although use of active mode locking is preferred. Further,
with no active mode locking, the longitudinal modes will still be
present in the OPCLD's resonating cavity. However, the amplitudes
of the modes will be under reduced control, resulting in greater
noise between the modes as energies `slosh` back and forth between
said modes. Thus, without active mode locking, the amplitudes of
the modes will have less relative stabilization than if the
preferred active mode locking were used. Active mode locking uses a
low frequency modulation to homogenize the modes, which in turn
stabilizes their relative amplitudes when no mode locking is used.
With or without such low frequency modulation for stabilizing the
relative amplitudes of the modes, an embodiment may be realized
without mode locking according to an alternative embodiment.
[0627] In addition, a pulse spreading fiber, which may be used to
decrease the peak amplitude of the pulses that are emitted by the
OPCLD device under mode-locked operation. Wherein, the pulse
spreading fiber 287 transmits the multiple channel signals from the
cavity of the OPCLD transmitter, as illustrated in FIG. 70. Due to
the dispersion properties that are associated with most types of
optical fiber, the pulse spreading fiber 287 can include an
appropriate length of virtually any optical fiber. Consequently,
the higher the dispersion in the fiber, the shorter the length that
should be preferably used.
[0628] Moreover, for the transceiver device illustrated in FIG. 70,
the laser-emission-output 288, 289 of the OPCLD is preferably
between 4 and 128 separate wavelength channels (and could be more),
and exhibit about 100-mW per channel. As discussed below with
reference to FIG. 70, the envelope of the amplitude versus
frequency will exhibit a more Gaussian shape when AM mode-locking
is used, while alternatively exhibiting a more flattened shape if
FM mode-locking is used, rendering the FM mode-locking as being the
more preferred, provided frequency chirp is acceptable (the OPCLD
has a resonating cavity structure that reverses for each round trip
intra-cavity chirp), although either form of mode locking may be
used advantageously, the choice of which, should be determined by
the particular setup and application specifications. Moreover, as
illustrated in FIG. 70, structures such as a photo-pumping source
such pump laser, an electrical oscillating signal generator, and a
pulse spreading fiber, respectively, all of which are conventional
items, such as are readily known and understood by those well
skilled in the art.
[0629] Furthermore, as illustrated in FIGS. 70, 75, and 32, this
additional embodiment of the OPCLD invention comprises an external
cavity 279, 284, 297, an integrated OPCLD, respectively, according
to a preferred embodiment, where several alternative designs and
variations will be discussed below with reference to FIGS. 70, 75,
and 32. In general, the cavity length of the system, including
structures 279, 284, 297, is greatly extended compared to a
conventional VCSEL diode device.
[0630] Preferably, as illustrated in FIG. 70, the width of the
invention's optical PCR configured cavity should be around 2-mm to
3-mm in physical length for a mode spacing of 50-GHz. For example,
at 50-GHz and for a refractive index n.apprxeq.1 (i.e., the
refractive index of an air or inert gas filled cavity) 288, the
invention's physical cavity length would need to be 3-mm, which
provides for an optical path length that corresponds to the desired
50-GHz. Moreover, for a cavity material such as glass (e.g., having
a refractive index n=1.5) 281, 284, then the cavity's physical
length would need to be around 2-mm to provide for an optical path
length of 2-mm.times.1.5=3-mm, which again corresponds to a desired
50-GHz mode spacing.
[0631] In addition, the invention's optical cavity length may be
increased to reduce the mode spacing made available. For example,
by doubling the invention's cavity length, e.g. from 4-mm to 6-mm,
the mode spacing would correspondingly be reduced to 25-GHz, or by
again doubling the invention's cavity length, e.g. from 8-mm to
12-mm, the mode spacing would correspondingly be reduced to
12.5-Hz. Further, the mode spacing may be increased, if desired, by
alternatively reducing the cavity length, e.g. by reducing the
invention's cavity to half its original length, e.g. from 3-mm to
1.5-mm to increase the mode spacing to 100-GHz. Generally, the mode
spacing may be advantageously selected by adjusting the invention's
laser-emission-output mirror 284, 297 to a corresponding cavity
length.
[0632] Furthermore, the additional embodiment of the OPCLD
invention, as illustrated in FIGS. 70 and 75, provides for an
second mirrored reflector surface 297 of a OPCLD, which for the
mode locking version of the OPCLD invention, is not monolithically
formed upon the OPCLD's partial reflection DBR mirror-stack
assembly 165 (FIG. 19) during the invention's manufacturing, with
the specific intent that the mode locking version of the OPCLD
invention be configured with an external cavity of the preferred
embodiment herein.
[0633] Moreover, as illustrated in FIG. 70, the
laser-emission-output mirror's metalized outer surface 297 must
instead be formed such that it has a sufficiently low-reflectivity
that the external cavity of structure 284, 297 of FIG. 70 is
included in the resonance cavity of the OPCLD. Moreover, the
extension of the OPCLD's optical cavity from 1.5-mm to 15-mm
permits a 10-GHz to 100-GHz mode spacing. Wherein, the invention's
cavity will support a number of modes having a spacing that depends
upon the inverse of the cavity length (i.e., c/2nL, where n is the
refractive index of the cavity material and L is the cavity
length). Further, the OPCLD's mode locking with external cavity can
be configured to provide for multiple channel signal output
according to the preferred additional embodiment herein, and
therefore can be selectively configured for use in the telecom band
around 1,550-nm, and alternatively with the telecom short distance
band of around 1,300-nm, or the very short range 850-nm band as
well.
[0634] For a wavelength of 1.550-.mu.m, the 100-GHz, the 50-GHz,
and the 12.5-GHz cavities are of particular interest as they
correspond to standard DWDM channel spacings. The OPCLD invention
itself is around 650-.mu.m high, and preferably comprises a MQW
gain-region of InGaAsP or InGaAs, a corner-cube based PCM, an
InGaAlAs or InGaAsP or AlGaAs comprised DBR mirror (or mirrors
formed of other materials according to desired wavelengths as
taught, e.g., in Wilmsen, Temkin and Coldren, et al., "Vertical
Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers", 2nd edition, Chapter 8), or
according to the mode locking OPCLD, a single InGaAlAs partially
reflecting out-coupler mirror 284, 297, which couples with the
pulse spreading fiber of structure 287 to output the signal to the
EDFA. In summation, the mode-locking version of the OPCLD can be
advantageously varied to meet any particular wavelength
specification, and its external cavity advantageously varied for
adjusting the mode spacing of the device as well.
[0635] In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 70, the mode locking
version of the OPCLD invention is further embodied as having a
triplex transceiver package configuration that comprises an
integrated OPCLD and HEMT photodiode and pre-amp circuit 277, 278,
279, a circuit mount base assembly 273, a tri-plexing multilens and
external cavity laser-emission-output mirror assembly 274, 280,
281, 282, 284, 285, 297, a bronze metal comprised heat-sink
sub-assembly 276, a hermetically sealing outer shell 275 and fiber
pigtail fixture assembly 285, 286, 287, a Fresnel lens fixture 282
that provides for the demuxing of the 1,310-nm upstream, the
1,490-nm and 1,550-nm downstream telecom signals that are currently
being utilized in PON, EPON, FTTP, and FTTH based networking, and a
four prong connector 292, 293, 294, 295, providing for the
transceiver's connectivity.
[0636] Moreover, as illustrated in FIG. 70, the
laser-emission-output mirror has a Gaussian mode providing convex
shaped lens assembly with one or more reflective metal coatings on
its remote surface 297 such that it efficiently reflects incident
light emitted from the OPCLD as a resonator reflector, preferably
around 1,550-nm for the Telecom band, as mentioned earlier.
Further, the partial-reflection DBR based mirror-stack assembly 279
is preferably formed from alternating high and low refractive index
semiconductor material latticed matched to the device's
gain-region. However, in order to build up a higher amount of
available reflectivity the use of alternating quarter-wavelength
layers constructed from TiO.sub.2/SiO.sub.2 or other such material
that exhibit highly contrasting refractive indices, all of which
are well known to those skilled in the art.
[0637] As illustrated in FIG. 70, for each of the just mentioned
reasons or functions of the coated and curved surface 297 on the
lens 284, the radius of curvature of the lens 284 having the
coating 297 is around the length of the mode locking OPCLD's
external cavity. Laser emission that comes from the mode locking
OPCLD will diverge outward from the gain-region of the OPCLD and
substantially be reflected directly 288 back to the gain-region
when the radius of curvature is approximately the device's cavity
length, or around 2-mm to 3-mm for a 50-GHz mode-spacing.
Additionally, the lens 284 forming the cavity is segmented into a
lens component 274 plus an intracavity modulation structure or
cavity phase modulator 279, which is used to modulate the length of
the cavity or the loss in the cavity. For modulating the length of
the cavity, the preferably 50-GHz signal 296 is applied to the
region 279, while the region 279 preferably includes a strongly
electro-optic material, and the optical path length varies as the
refractive index of the modulator section varies with the
oscillating electrical field 296.
[0638] Furthermore, a modulation of the length of the cavity
results in what is called FM mode locking, while a modulation of
the loss in the cavity results in what is called AM mode locking.
Both AM and FM forms of mode locking exhibits its own distinct and
potentially useful set of properties. Moreover, both forms of mode
locking are compatible with optical phase conjugation and may be
used to mode lock the OPCLD's PCR. Additionally, the
laser-emission-output mirror 297 and convex shaped lens 284 and the
collimating convex lens 281 are formed from a material that
exhibits no dispersion or at least very little dispersion. This is
so that the mode spacing does not change substantially with
frequency. Dispersion, for the OPCLD, is negligible, due to the
presence of its broadband corner-cube based PCM, and all dispersion
that occurs within the cavity of the OPCLD is completely undone for
each round trip through the resonator.
[0639] In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 19, the mode locking
trimuxed transceiver comprises a OPCLD that has a total reflection
phase-conjugating corner-cube array configured PCM 168, a partial
reflection DBR configured mirror-stack 165, and a partial
reflection Gaussian mode providing curved shaped and metalized
laser-emission-output mirror 163, 164, 166 all of which rely upon
the effective epitaxial deposition and fabrication of
lattice-matched InP based material. Wherein, an un-doped
mirror-stack 165 is lower in reflectivity, but has its reflectivity
supplemented by the reflectivity of an external cavity
laser-emission-output minor 163, 164, and 166 (FIG. 19). In this
sense, there may be no mirror or layer having little or no
reflectivity over the OPCLD's gain-region 160, 161, 162.
[0640] Furthermore, the mirror-stack 165 is preferably made of
InGaAsP or InGaAlAs material. While, the gain-region 160, 161, 162
is shown between the phase-conjugate mirror 168 and conventional
mirrors 165 and 163, 164, 166 (FIG. 19) is preferably formed of
semiconductor material taken from periodic table of
elements--columns III-V or II-VI--all being light emitting
semiconductor materials, which efficiently emit and amplify light
at a predetermined wavelength.
[0641] Moreover, as illustrated in the preferred embodiment of FIG.
19, the PCM 168 is formed (using grey-lithography masking and
etching as method of construction) out of the first or under-side
surface of the InP substrate layer 159. While, the gain-region 160,
161, 162 is epitaxially deposited upon the second or upper-side
surface of same substrate layer 159 (FIG. 19), and the minor-stack
assembly 165 is in succession epitaxially deposited upon the second
or upper-side surface of the OPCLD's previously deposited
gain-region 160, 161, 162 (FIG. 19), and the laser-emission-output
mirror 163, 164, 166 (FIG. 19) is firstly epitaxially deposited
upon the second or upper-side surface of the conventional partial
reflection minor-stack 165 (FIG. 19), secondly etched into shape
using grey-lithography masking and etching as method of its
construction, and thirdly metalized using gold, silver, or aluminum
or some other appropriately reflective metal. Wherein, the mode
locker structure and/or mechanism is contacted across an OPCLD
structure that includes mirrors 168, 165 and the gain-region 160,
161, 162, providing for a laser-emission output whose wavelength is
electronically tunable which can be done from a remote site.
[0642] Furthermore, a structure in which an additional
electro-absorption modulator (not shown) is preferably included in
the epitaxial structure of the mode locking OPCLD. Wherein, a
p-type doped layer is epitaxially deposited upon the previously
deposited DBR minor-stack assembly 165 (for the mode locking loss
modulator configuration of the OPCLD the DBR minor-stack assembly
165 will need to p-type doped, making it electrically conductive
therein). Further, the electro-absorption modulator is next
epitaxially deposited upon the second or up-turned surface of the
previously deposited p-type layer, and a n-type doped layer is
epitaxially deposited upon the second or up-turned surface of the
previously deposited the modulator layer.
[0643] Moreover, the electro-absorption modulator is herein used to
introduce loss modulation independently of the OPCLD's gain
provided for by the OPCLD's gain-region 160, 161, 162. Further, the
electro-absorption modulator is preferably designed to have low
capacitance and good high-frequency response. In the case where no
high-frequency electrical source is applied to an
electro-absorption modulator present within the OPCLD's resonating
optical cavity mode locking can still occur because of the
so-called passive mode locking, wherein the electro-absorber
saturates at high optical field strengths, and the laser naturally
oscillates in a pulsed mode or a mode-locked manner.
[0644] In addition, as illustrated in FIGS. 19, 70, 75, and 32, an
external cavity mode locking OPCLD device could for example, have a
triplexer configuration that would be comprised to include:
[0645] An external cavity configuration that provides for a
combination "Planar-Lightwave Circuit" (PLC) 282 and Gaussian mode
providing laser-emission-output mirror 284, 285, and 297. Further,
the PLC 282 comprises a concentrically circular Fresnal shaped
light redirecting structure 281 and 282. While the Gaussian mode
providing laser-emission-output mirror 284, 285, and 297 comprises
a metalized hemispherical shaped 284 laser-emission-output mirror
297, respectively. Wherein 281 and 282 provide for a splitting and
redirecting of an incoming serialized 1.490-.mu.m single-mode
optical transmission that comprises a "Voice over Internet
Protocol" (VoIP) voice-communication signal, and a "Transmission
Control Protocol/Internet Protocol" (TCP/IP) data-communication
signal, and an incoming serialized 1.550-.mu.m single-mode analog
and/or digital-video signal. While, optical components 284 and 297
provide for both partial-reflectance and partial-transmittance of
resonate stimulated-emission and for the Gaussian mode profiling of
the OPCLD's spectrally and spatially perturbation free high-power
single transverse cavity mode laser-emission-output 289 (FIG.
70),
[0646] A InP substrate layer 276 (FIG. 70) and PCM, which is
comprised from an array of retro-reflecting phase-conjugate
elements 168 (FIG. 19),
[0647] An undoped or highly doped InP comprised light-spreading
concave shaped soft-apertured lens 170A (FIG. 19),
[0648] An undoped or highly doped InP comprised light-collimating
convex shaped soft-apertured lens 170, 170B, and 170C (FIG.
19),
[0649] An appropriately doped multilayered double hetero junction
semiconductor comprised light-emitting and light-amplifying
gain-region 160, 161, and 162 (FIG. 19),
[0650] An undoped or doped DBR configured mirror-stack assembly,
which basically has a planar shaped quarterwave mirror-stack
configuration that provides for both a partial transmission and a
partial reflection of intracavity produced stimulated emission 165
(FIG. 19) 279 (FIG. 70),
[0651] An evaporated deposition of the metal used to form into a
peripheral surrounding doughnut shaped Ohmic contact 170 (FIGS. 19,
20, 20A, and 21A), which provides for an injection of negatively
charged carriers (electrons) into the anode side of the OPCLD,
[0652] An evaporated deposition of the metal used to form a
doughnut shaped Ohmic contact 167 (FIGS. 19, 20, 20A, and 21A),
which provides for an injection of positively charged carriers
(holes) into the cathode side of the OPCLD,
[0653] A "Burst Laser Driver" (BLD) circuit, and an "Automatic
Power Control-Circuit" (APC), which altogether define the InP
comprised and HEMT configured circuitry that provides for an
electronic conditioning of an outgoing serialized electronic
signal, wherein an BLD (not shown) comprises a multiple HEMT
circuit configuration that provides for both an electronically
controlled mode locked selection of the OPCLD's laser-emission
wavelength 289 and an electronically controlled internal modulation
of the OPCLD's 279 stimulated-emission 288, which in turn
additionally provides for a serialization of the OPCLD'S
laser-emission-output 289, while an APC (not shown) comprises a
multiple HEMT circuit configuration that provides for a feedback
controlled automation of the OPCLD's laser-emission-output power
level 288,
[0654] A Phototransistor circuit, a "Low-Pass Filter" (LPF)
circuit, and a "Limiting Amplifier" (LA), which altogether define
the InP comprised "High-Electron Mobility Transistor" (HEMT)
configured electronic circuitry that provides for high-speed
detection of a time-division multiplexed serialized optical signal
having a wavelength of 1.490-.mu.m, and a high-speed conversion
(i.e., from serialized optic to serialized electronic) of the
time-division multiplexed serialized optical signal into an
electronically conditioned and amplified serial data signal output,
using the LPF and the LA as the signal conditioning and amplifying
means,
[0655] A Phototransistor circuit, and a "Video Receiver" (VR)
circuit, which altogether define the InP comprised HEMT configured
electronic circuitry that provides for high-speed detection of a
time-division multiplexed serialized optical signal having a
wavelength of 1.550-.mu.m, and provides for high-speed conversion
of the detected time-division multiplexed serialized optical signal
into an electronically conditioned and amplified "Radio Frequency"
(RF) configured video signal output, using the VR as the signal
conditioning and amplifying means.
[0656] A bronze alloy heat-sinking structure 276,
[0657] An outer cover 275, and fiber pigtail connection 285,
[0658] An base structure for securing the OPCLD 277, the PLC 282,
and the external cavity forming Gaussian mode providing metalized
hemispherical shaped laser-emission-output mirror assembly 163,
164, and 166 (FIG. 19),
[0659] A PLC positioning frame assembly 274, 280 (FIG. 70),
[0660] Mode locking signal generator 296,
[0661] Male pin connectors 295, 294, 293, 292, which provide for
common line power, data, control, and signal connectivity.
[0662] Moreover, a tunable multi-channel light source for
wavelength division multiplexed systems is realized for the OPCLD
according to the additional embodiments set forth above, and the
object of the invention is met. A mode locking OPCLD, being a
tunable multi-channel transmitter, provides the substantial
advantage of providing many discrete and precisely controlled
wavelengths, and can make these wavelengths available for
independent high-speed internally modulated (made to occur from
within the OPCLD's resonating cavity) data transmission, due to the
fact that the OPCLD's mode locking is accomplished via an
electrically controlled electro-absorption modulator which can be
provisioned electronically from a remote location to provide for
any wavelength and/or rate of data modulation requested by the
customer; e.g. such as a "Central Office" (CO).
[0663] In summation, a tunable light source that provides for
frequency selection will preferably comprise a single "Optical
Phase Conjugated Laser Diode" (OPCLD), which is configured to have
a phase-conjugating dispersion free external-cavity of adjustable
length. Further, this will greatly reduce the number of parts
required for provisioning DWDM and/or WDM networks, the volume, the
weight, and the cost of a DWDM system, and will consequently also
reduce the dependence of DWDM and PON optical networking systems
"on the production of very complicated EEL diode designs such as
"Fabry-Perot" (FP) and "Distributed Feed-Back" (DFB) laser diodes,
which typically exhibit low wafer yield and much higher
manufacturing costs than surface emitting laser diode designs such
as the OPCLD.
[0664] In addition, as illustrated in FIGS. 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, and
32, an additional embodiment of the OPCLD invention is disclosed
next. Wherein, for conventional EEL diodes, laser radiation is
emitted into a plane that is a continuation of the plane of the p-n
junction that forms the diode. Different types of these laser diode
devices are widely used to provide for laser radiation in the
infrared and visible wavelength regions. While these laser diodes
have enjoyed considerable commercial success, they are relatively
large and consequently as a result are difficult to integrate with
other devices. Before going any further--please see Olbright et
al., "Cascadable Laser Logic Devices: Discrete Integration of
Photo-transistors with Surface Emitting Laser Diodes," Electronic
Letters, vol. 27, No. 3, Jan. 31, 1991, pp. 216-217, which is
incorporated herein for reference purposes only.
[0665] Moreover, during the nineteen eighties a new class of
semiconductor laser diode was conceived, created, developed, and
later commercialized, this laser diode is generally called the
"Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser" (VCSEL). Unlike the
edge-emitting laser diode, these VCSEL diodes emit laser radiation
in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the p-n junction
formed in the laser diode. Considerable information concerning the
structure and formation of such laser diodes is set forth, for
example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,350, in J. Jewell et al.,
"Microlasers," Scientific American. Vol. 265, No. 5, pp. 86-94 Nov.
1991); in J. Jewell et al., "Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting
Lasers: Design, Growth, Fabrication, Characterization," IEEE
Journal of Quantum Electronics, Vol. 27, No. 6, pp. 1332-1346 (June
1991); in G. R. Olbright et al., "Cascadable Laser Logic Devices:
Discrete Integration of Phototransistors with Surface-Emitting
Laser Diodes," Electronics Letters, Vol. 27, No. 3, pp. 216-217
(Jan. 31, 1991); in J. Jewell et al., "Low-threshold
Electrically-Pumped Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers",
Electronics, Lett., Vol. 25, p. 1123 (1989); and in J. Jewell et
al., "Vertical Cavity Lasers for Optical Interconnects", SPIE Vol.
1389 International Conference on Advances in Interconnection and
Packaging, pp. 401-407 (1990), all of which are incorporated herein
by reference.
[0666] Furthermore, as set forth in certain of the above-referenced
publications, VCSEL diodes have numerous advantages over EEL
diodes, some of the most important of which are that they can be
fabricated in extremely small sizes (e.g., on the order of 1-.mu.m
to 13-.mu.m in diameter--providing for higher wafer yields) and can
be easily integrated with other devices, such as transistors. An
additional embodiment of the present invention is directed to such
integration of vertical-cavity lasers. Further, we have invented a
OPCLD that can be integrally formed with electronic semiconductor
based switches, such as three-terminal transistors.
[0667] As illustrated in FIGS. 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, and 32, one
additional embodiment of the present OPCLD invention comprises a
laser diode cavity that is sandwiched between a partial reflection
metalized Gaussian mode providing laser-emission-output mirror 105,
106 (FIGS. 71, 72, 73, and 74) 324, 325, 326 (FIGS. 75 and 32), a
partial reflection DBR mirror 103 (FIGS. 71, 72, 73, and 74) 323
(FIGS. 75 and 32), and a corner-cube array based total internal
reflection PCM 110 (FIGS. 71 and 72) 320 (FIG. 75). While, the
laser cavity itself comprises a pair of spacer layers 100, 102
(FIGS. 71, 72, 73, and 74) surrounding one or more laser active
quantum-well layers 101 that serve as the active laser emitting
material of the device 101 (FIGS. 71, 72, 73, 74, and 75) 365 (FIG.
75). The thickness of the laser cavity is m.lamda./2n.sub.eff,
where m is an integer, .lamda. is the wavelength of the laser
radiation, and n.sub.eff is the effective index of refraction of
the cavity.
[0668] Moreover, electrical pumping of the laser diode is achieved
by heavily doping the PCM comprising substrate layer 99 (FIGS. 71
and 72) and regions of the OPCLD's first spacer-layer 100 (FIGS.
71, 72, 73, and 74) to one conductivity-type, and by heavily doping
regions of the OPCLD's upper spacer-layer 102 (FIGS. 71, 72, 73,
and 74) with the opposite conductivity type; forming a light
emitting diode structure therein, and by applying a suitable
voltage to the LED structure 100, 101, 102 (FIGS. 71, 72, 73, and
74) to provide for electrically pumped stimulated emission.
[0669] Furthermore, the switch may take any number of forms and can
be located in various positions relative to my OPCLD. The switch
may be an electronic switch such as a bipolar transistor or a field
effect transistor. In the case of the bipolar transistor, the
transistor can be located underneath, on top of, or alongside the
OPCLD, just like in the phototransistor case. In the case of a
field effect transistor, the transistor is located alongside the
OPCLD, FIG. 72. Alternatively, the switch may also be an optical
switch such as a phototransistor located alongside the OPCLD
portion of the circuit, as illustrated in FIG. 72.
[0670] Moreover, several different combinations of optically
controlled and electrically controlled switches may also be
implemented in accordance with the OPCLD invention. Integrated
switching of the present OPCLD invention provides a convenient
means for controlling the output of laser radiation from the OPCLD
with either optical or electrical signals. Boolean logic functions
can readily be implemented by the switches; whereby, signal
amplification and conversion from electrical to optical and/or
optical to electrical is easily achieved therein.
[0671] As illustrated in FIGS. 71 and 72, a confinement region 300
is defined in the periphery of quantum-well layer 101 by proton
implantation to confine current flow in the laser to a narrow
region around the central vertical axis 298 of the laser. After the
epitaxial deposition of several layers are defined by optical
lithography and etching to form a plurality of columns, including a
metalized partial reflection Gaussian mode providing
laser-emission-output mirror 105, 106 (FIGS. 71, 72, 73, and 74)
324, 325, 326 (FIGS. 75 and 32), a partial reflection DBR
mirror-stack assembly 103 (FIGS. 71, 72, 73, and 74) 323 (FIGS. 75
and 32). Electrical contacts 302, 316 (FIGS. 71, 72, 73, and 74)
329, 341, 351 (FIGS. 75 and 32) are formed when an appropriate
metal is deposited upon the second spacer layer 102 (FIGS. 71, 72,
73, and 74) 364 (FIGS. 75 and 32), and upon the doped substrate
layer 99 (FIGS. 71, 72, 73, and 74) 352 (FIG. 32) of my OPCLD
invention and later etched into predetermined shapes.
[0672] Wherein, as illustrated in FIG. 22, each column comprises a
separate laser diode and can be made to lase by applying a suitable
voltage between contact 183 and contact 181 of that column to drive
sufficient current through the column. Illustratively, a substrate
layer 171 is comprised of n+ doped GaAs, having a diameter of 3 or
4 inches (7.5-cm or 10-cm). Further, during the photolithography
process each of the OPCLD's laser-emission-output mirrors is etched
to be about 120-.mu.m in diameter and about 1.5-.mu.m high above
the surface of the second spacer layer 174. While, the whole wafer
is ordinarily diced into several OPCLD units for later use in an
electronic transceiver package.
[0673] As illustrated in FIGS. 22, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, and 32, in
the case of a red-light emitting OPCLD, the second mirror layer 175
(FIG. 22) 103 (FIGS. 71, 72, 73, and 74) 323 (FIGS. 75 and 32)
comprises of alternating layers of un-doped AlAs and AlGaAs,
wherein each layer has a thickness equaling one quarter-wavelength
of the radiation being emitted by the OPCLD divided by the
refractive index of un-doped AlAs and AlGaAs used to construct each
alternating layer. Further, as will be recognized by those skilled
in the art, the construction of the second mirror layer 175 (FIG.
22) 103 (FIGS. 71, 72, 73, and 74) 323 (FIGS. 75 and 32) is that of
a distributed Bragg reflector in which, the AlAs is the layer
having the lower index of refraction, and AlGaAs is the layer
having the higher index of refraction. The second mirror layer 175
(FIG. 22) 103 (FIGS. 71, 72, 73, and 74) 323 (FIGS. 75 and 32) 175
is designed so that it is partially reflective and partially
transmissive.
[0674] Moreover, the first spacer layer 172 (FIG. 22) 100 (FIGS.
71, 72, 73, and 74) 359 (FIGS. 75 and 32) comprises a layer of
AlGaInP that is gradiently configured so that the amount of Gallium
is increased toward the quantum-well layer. For this mid-range
wavelength version of the OPCLD, all semiconductor material used to
comprise its multi-layered structure is lattice matched to the
GaAs. The second spacer layer 174 (FIG. 22) 102 (FIGS. 71, 72, 73,
and 74) 364 (FIGS. 75 and 32) is similar in its construction,
wherein the AlGaInP used in its construction is gradiently
configured so that the amount of Gallium is increased toward the
quantum-well layer.
[0675] In addition, a quantum-well layer 173 (FIG. 22) 101 (FIGS.
71, 72, 73, and 74) 365 (FIGS. 75 and 32) comprising three
approximately 50-.ANG. thick well layers of GaInP separated by two
approximately 454-.ANG. thick barrier-layers of AlGaInP. A first
gradient spacer-layer 172 (FIG. 22) 100 (FIGS. 71, 72, 73, and 74)
359 (FIGS. 75 and 32), MQW 173 (FIG. 22) 101 (FIGS. 71, 72, 73, and
74) 365 (FIGS. 75 and 32), and a second gradient spacer-layer 174
(FIG. 22) 102 (FIGS. 71, 72, 73, and 74) 364 (FIGS. 75 and 32)
altogether constitute the laser cavity.
[0676] Further, typically the general length of the OPCLD's laser
cavity (i.e., which is the thickness of layers 172, 173, and 174)
is m.lamda./2n.sub.eff, where .lamda. is the free space wavelength
of laser radiation emitted, m is an integer, and n.sub.eff is the
effective refractive index of the cavity. Further, a first mirror
structure 184 (FIG. 22) 110 (FIGS. 71, 72, 73, and 74) 320 (FIGS.
75 and 32) comprises a very large array of corner-cube
retro-reflecting reflectors (i.e. the PCM). The first mirror
structure 184 (FIG. 22) 110 (FIGS. 71, 72, 73, and 74) 320 (FIGS.
75 and 32) is a totally internal retro-reflecting PCM, and will
provide for optical phase conjugation of the emission produced by
the OPCLD's gain-region.
[0677] Moreover, in accordance with an additional embodiment of the
OPCLD invention, optoelectronic integrated circuit devices are
formed by combining OPCLDs with three-terminal transistors.
Additionally, integrated circuits are also disclosed in which,
OPCLDs are combined with heterojunction phototransistors in novel
combinations as well. As illustrated in FIGS. 71, 72, 73, 74, 75,
and 32, an OPCLD may be combined with either a "Heterojunction
Bipolar Transistor" (HBT) or a "High-Electron Mobility Transistor"
(HEMT) in order to form an integrated optoelectronic circuit.
[0678] For example, as shown in FIGS. 72 and 74, an optoelectronic
integrated circuit is created when an HBT is formed upon the upper
surface of a substrate wafer 99 and an OPCLD is formed therein,
when the first surface of the substrate layer 99 is used to
construct a PCM 110, and the upper surface of the substrate layer
99 is used to construct the gain-region 100, 101, 102, DBR based
mirror 103 and the Gaussian shape providing laser-emission-output
mirror 104, 105, 106, and the p-n-p structure of the HBT
transistor.
[0679] Furthermore, as illustrated in FIGS. 72 and 74, an
integrated opto-electronic circuit is formed on a substrate wafer
99, first by forming an OPCLD out of the first surface of the
substrate layer 99, while a multitude of additional layers are
epitaxially deposited upon the second surface of the same substrate
wafer 99, and second by epitaxially depositing and then etching a
multitude of additional layers that are altogether used to form the
HBT upon the second surface of the second gradient spacer-layer 102
of the previously formed OPCLD.
[0680] Moreover, as illustrated in FIGS. 72 and 74, a Hetero
junction Bipolar Transistor has an n-p-n transistor configuration
that comprises an n-type collector layer 318, a p-type base layer
317, and an n-type emitter layer 316. Circuit further comprises an
annular metal contact 302 to the upper surface of the second
spacer-layer 102, while an annular metal contact 314 is deposited
upon the base layer 317, and an n-type Ohmic contact is deposited
upon the n++ doped substrate layer 99. Further, the entire
optoelectronic circuit is altogether formed by epitaxially
depositing a multitude of layers one on top of the other beginning
with layer 100, on top of substrate 99. Additional layers of
structures 101, 102 are formed upon the substrate layer 99 by using
epitaxial growth techniques well known to those skilled in the art,
and described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,350.
[0681] Moreover, the layers used to comprise the DBR minor 103 are
also epitaxially grown. However, one advantage of the structure of
FIGS. 72 and 74 is that the DBR mirror 103 is not part of the
electric circuit that biases the OPCLD. As a result, the DBR minor
103 can be made of a much wider variety of materials and, in
particular, can be made of dielectric materials as well.
Illustratively, the substrate layer 99 is made of n++ doped GaAs,
and the HBT transistor is a GaAs transistor comprising of an
emitter layer 316 of n-type AlGaAs approximately 0.2-.mu.m thick, a
base layer 317 of p-type GaAs approximately 0.25-.mu.m thick, and a
collector layer 315 of n-type InGaAs/GaAs approximately 0.5-.mu.m
thick.
[0682] Following the deposition of the various layers that comprise
the optoelectronic device, individual integrated circuits are
defined by photolithographic and etching techniques. First, the
upper mirrors of the circuits are defined by removing unwanted
portions of the mirror layers down to the upper surface of the
second spacer-layer 102. Next, the metal contact material 302 is
deposited and the metal contact is defined by removing unwanted
portions of the deposited metal material. Individual OPCLDs can be
further defined by removing unwanted portions of both spacer-layers
100, 102, the quantum-wells 101, the DBR based mirror stack 103,
and the collector 318, the emitter 316, and the base layers 317.
The metal material used to form contact 314 is then deposited onto
the exposed surface of base layer 317. Finally, contact 314 is
further defined by removing unwanted portions of the deposited
metal material.
[0683] Moreover, when a suitable voltage V.sub.o is applied between
contact layer 302 and the substrate 99, a circuit is formed that
will operate as an electrically switched laser. As shown, the
electroptic circuit comprises a HBT, an OPCLD, and a resistor
R.sub.n that is the electrical resistance of the substrate layer
99. When sufficient electrical current (e.g., tens of micro-Amps)
is supplied to the base layer 317 of the HBT, the transistor
becomes electron conducting, which results in a substantial current
flow (i.e., several milli-Amps) through the OPCLD. This causes the
OPCLD to lase, emitting laser radiation (i.e., equaling about 1-mW)
through partially transmissive DBR mirror 305 and the Gaussian mode
providing curved shaped laser-emission-output mirror 104, 105, and
106.
[0684] Advantageously, contact 302 extends around the periphery of
the base 316 of the OPCLD invention. Wherein, contact 302 is
annular in shape and surrounds partially transmissive DBR mirror
305 and the Gaussian mode providing curved shaped
laser-emission-output mirror 104, 105, and 106. Various
arrangements may be made to establish electrical connection, for
example, contact 316 is connected to a common bus to which a
biasing voltage V.sub.o is applied to bias all the OPCLDs in the
array. Additionally, each contact 302 could easily be connected via
an individual lead to a separate bonding pad (not shown), so that
individual control signals can be applied to each OPCLD.
[0685] Finally, as illustrated in FIGS. 72 and 74, the
contact-layers 302, 314, 315 are deposited and defined, while the
partially transmissive DBR mirror 305 and the Gaussian mode
providing curved shaped laser-emission-output 298 mirror 104, 105,
and 106, which also includes an insulating layer 299 as well as the
layers of semiconducting material that are deposited to form the
emitter 316, the base 317, and the collector 318 portions of the
HBT circuit. This is feasible as long as the material at layer
locations 299, 303, 304, and 305 do not absorb significant amounts
of laser radiation from the OPCLD. This condition is met if the
semiconductive material used to construct these layers exhibit
higher bandgap energy than the laser emission frequency.
[0686] Alternatively, the materials of layers 299, 303, 304, and
305 can be completely removed from the surface area where the
partially transmissive DBR mirror 305 and the Gaussian mode
providing curved shaped laser-emission-output mirror 104, 105, and
106 is to be formed, and afterwards the appropriate construction
material can be epitaxially deposited and used to form the
partially transmissive DBR mirror 305 and the Gaussian mode
providing curved shaped laser-emission-output mirror 104, 105, and
106.
[0687] Moreover, as illustrated in FIGS. 71 and 73, another example
of an optoelectronic circuit would comprise a partially
transmissive DBR mirror 305 and the Gaussian mode providing curved
shaped laser-emission-output mirror 104, 105, and 106, a gradiently
doped p-type spacer-layer 102, a multiple quantum-well region 101,
a gradiently doped n-type spacer-layer 100, a corner-cube array
based PCM 110, a "Hetero-junction Photo-Transistor" (HPT) with a
n-p-n transistor configuration comprising an n-type collector-layer
310, a p-type base-layer 309, and an n-type emitter-layer 308. The
integrated optoelectrical circuit further comprises a transparent
contact-layer 311 providing electrical conductivity to
collector-layer 310 and an annular contact-layer 302 providing
electrical conductivity to emitter-layer 308.
[0688] Furthermore, the HPT portion of the optoelectrical circuit
is epitaxially deposited and later lithographically etched at a
location above epilayers 100, 101, 102 of the OPCLD; moreover,
being formed alongside the partially transmissive DBR mirror-stack
assembly 305 and the metalized Gaussian mode providing curved
shaped laser-emission-output mirror 104, 105, and 106. Further, the
HPT is electrically isolated from the OPCLD's gain-region (i.e.,
gain-region comprised as layers 104, 105, and 106) via an
insulating layer 313 and ion-implanted guard rings 300, 301, 306,
and 312, and is electrically, connected via a mutual contact 302
for the gain-region 101 of the OPCLD, where lasing takes place.
[0689] As further illustrated in FIGS. 71 and 73, contact-layer 302
comprises of two interconnected annular contacts, the first of
which circumscribes the emitter-layer 308 of the HPT circuit
assembly, while the other circumscribes the partially transmissive
DBR mirror-stack assembly 305 and the metalized Gaussian mode
providing curved shaped laser-emission-output mirror 104, 105, and
106. Fabrication of the HPT optoelectrical circuit is similar to
the fabrication of the previously described HBT optoelectrical
circuit.
[0690] For example, the layers used to construct the PCM 110, the
first spacer-layer 100, the MQW gain-region 101, the second
spacer-layer 102, and the HPT configured transistor(s) are
altogether epitaxially deposited in succession one layer upon
another starting with the substrate wafer layer 99 as a growth
medium. While, the partially transmissive DBR mirror-stack assembly
305 and the metalized Gaussian mode providing curved shaped
laser-emission-output mirror 104, 105, and 106 are altogether
epitaxially deposited upon the OPCLD's second spacer-layer 102,
where their final structure will be defined when photolithographic
etching is utilized to remove the unwanted portions of these
layers.
[0691] As illustrated in FIG. 73, which is a top plan view of a
two-dimensional array of integrated HPT and OPCLD devices, the
transparent contact-layer 311 is shown as not being connected to a
common bus line, but is instead made available for independent
signal busing. While the emitter-layer 308 of the HPT assembly is
configured and etched into a shape that provides for a common bus
circuit run 308, which connects to the other HPTs present within
the array. The HPT might be configured to conduct electricity, when
light 307 of sufficient intensity is made incident upon the HPT
portion of the optoelectrical circuit, therein causing the OPCLD to
lase. Alternatively, the integrated optoelectrical HPT based
circuit could also be configured in such a way that the HPT and the
OPCLD portions of the integrated optoelectrical circuit would
operate independently from one another.
[0692] In addition, Boolean logic functions can also be implemented
within the integrated optoelectrical circuit, either by adjusting
the threshold at which the HPT becomes electron conducting, or by
simply adjusting the intensity of the radiation made incident 307
upon the HPT, which in turn would trigger the HPT portion of the
device to produce an output logic signal. For example, an OR logic
gate could be implemented by making the conducting threshold low
enough so that any beam of incident radiation 307 constitutes an
input, and the OR logic gate would consequently be triggered by
providing for electrical conduction within the HPT portion of the
circuit. Another example would be to implement an AND logic gate by
setting the threshold for input intensities such that every beam of
radiation 307 that constitutes an input signal to the AND logic
gate must be made incident upon the HPT in order to trigger an
electrical conduction.
[0693] As illustrated in FIGS. 75 and 32, a slightly different
version of an additional embodiment of the OPCLD invention, would
comprise an InP configured OPCLD, two high-speed InP configured
phototransistors, and two high-speed InP configured HEMT pre-amps.
Further, the HEMT portion of the optoelectronic circuit is
constructed using a 650-.mu.m thick InP substrate wafer layer 99 as
growth medium for epitaxially growing a multitude of
lattice-matched layers that will comprise the HEMT configured
optoelectronic integrated circuit. The lattice-matched layers used
to form the HEMTs are epitaxially grown after the formation of the
OPCLD portion of the circuit is completed.
[0694] Moreover, growth of which begins with an insulating un-doped
buffer-layer of InP material 352, which is epitaxially deposited
upon the second top most surface of the OPCLD's second spacer-layer
364, using an organic metal vapor growth method such as MOCVD to
perform the material deposition. Further, epilayers 352, 361, 362,
366, 367, and 368 are particularly necessary because they are later
used to form the HEMT based pre-amp circuits 353, 357, 356, 346,
347, and 348. While epilayers 352, 361, 362, 366, 367, and 368 are
particularly necessary because they are used to form the two InP
configured photodiode structures 391 and 392.
[0695] Moreover, as illustrated in FIGS. 75 and 32, the epilayer
352 functions as an insulation layer that protects the HEMT based
circuitry from current used to electrically pump the OPCLD's
gain-region 365, while the epilayer 353 functions as a buffer-layer
that prevents any impurities present in the InP substrate wafer
layer 99 from diffusing into any epitaxial layer formed there
above.
[0696] Furthermore, an i-GaInAs configured epilayer 366 functions
as an electron conductive layer within the HEMT 383 (or 388)
circuit. While, epilayer 361 functions by injecting electrons into
the i-GaInAs configured active epilayer 366. Moreover, the direct
bandgap semiconductor material used to construct epilayer 361 is
smaller in its electron affinity than that of the electron
conductive epilayer 366, and the HEMT's PIN structure is formed
from these epitaxially deposited semiconductor layers.
[0697] In addition, regarding the photodiode portion of the HEMT
configured optoelectrical integrated circuit, epilayer 362, which
is an n-GaInAs configured epilayer, forms the N-layer portion of a
photodiode PIN structure, while epilayer 363, which is an i-GaInAs
configured layer, forms the I-layer portion of a photodiode PIN
structure, and epilayer 369, which is an P-GaInAs configured layer,
forms the P-layer portion of a photodiode PIN structure. Moreover,
after epilayers 102 to 109 have been deposited, any unnecessary
areas of the epilayers 102 to 109 are removed using conventional
photolithography and chemical etching.
[0698] Moreover, leaving only those portions that are required to
provide for two light receiving photodiodes 391 and 392, two HEMT
based pre-amp circuits 383 and 388, and two impedance matching
resistors 378 and 385, all of which are illustrated in FIG. 32.
Further, the physical dimensions of the photodiodes 391 and 392 may
be slightly different from each other, as required. Wherein, anode
electrodes 332 and 339 have a light receiving opening at a center
thereof 330, 340, which are etched out of the P-GaInAs configured
epilayer 369 portion of the photodiodes.
[0699] Moreover, as illustrated in FIGS. 75 and 32, the HEMT
pre-amp circuits 388 and 383 will comprise source electrodes 335
and 346, drain electrodes 337 and 348, and gate electrodes 336 and
347, respectively. While, two impedance matching resistors 378 and
375 are formed by n.sup.-layers having Si ion-implanted in the InP
substrate wafer layer 99. While, an insulative layer 342, 344, 349,
and 358 is formed across the entire optoelectrical integrated
circuit's surface area excluding the electrodes 332, 333, 335, 336,
337, 338, 339, 346, 347, and 348, while the circuit run and circuit
pad forming metals are evaporated deposited and altogether are
formed into their desired patterns 334, 339, 341, 345, 351, 373,
374, 375, 376, 377, 379, 380, 381, 382, 384, 386, 387, 388, 389, as
illustrated in FIG. 32.
Alternative Embodiments--FIGS. 22-24, FIG. 70, and FIGS. 71-75,
32
[0700] Disclosed below and illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 2A, 3, 3A, 4,
5, 5A, 6, 6A, 7, 8, 8A, 9, 9A, 10, 11, 11A, 12, 12A, 13, 14, 14A,
15, 15A, 16, 17, 17A, 18, 18A, 22, 23, 23A, 24, 24A, 25, 25A, 25B,
30, 30A, 30B, 31, 31A, 31B, 33, 34, 35, 35A, 35B, 36, 36A, 36B, 37,
38, 39, 39A, 39B, 40, 40A, 40B, 41, 42, 43, 43A, 43B, 44, 44A, 44B,
there are several alternate variations of the OPCLD invention, and
consequently it should noted that regardless of the fact the OPCLD
invention can be made subject to numerous adaptations and
modifications those modifications and adaptations do not depart
from the scope and spirit of the invention.
[0701] Therefore, it is to be understood that, within the scope and
spirit of the invention, the invention may be practiced other than
as specifically described above or below. In particular, the
invention is to be interpreted in accordance with the appended
claims, and equivalents thereof, without limitations being read
from the specification described in the above or below
paragraphs.
[0702] In addition, the doping of an OPCLD's multi-layered
structures is accomplished during epitaxial deposition by the
addition of various dopant materials (e.g., N type electron
donating dopant material like Phosphorus and P type electron
accepting dopant material like Boron) to various construction
material being utilized during the MBE or MOCVD epitaxial
deposition of the layers that will constitute the OPCLD. Further,
the OPCLD invention is a new kind of resonator design that has
never been used before in a semiconductor laser diode device and
can use many different construction materials and dopant
concentrations of specific dopant materials within the several
different semiconductor layers that might comprise the OPCLD's
various multi-layered structure.
[0703] The "Optical Phase Conjugating Laser Diode" (OPCLD), as
illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 2A, 3, 3A, represents an alternative
embodiment to the OPCLD invention illustrated in FIG. 19. Wherein,
the alternative OPCLD begins its construction as a commercially
obtained semiconductor substrate wafer, which is utilized as a
growth medium during the epitaxial growth of the OPCLD's
multilayered structure. For the this alternative version of my
OPCLD invention and depending upon the material regime chosen as
the material used to construct the OPCLD's gain-region, the method
used to grow the OPCLD will more likely be one of two well known
epitaxial methods of material growth; e.g., "Molecular Beam
Epitaxy" (MBE), which is typically used to grow GaN based
epi-structures upon commercially obtained Silicon-Carbide or
Al.sub.2O.sub.3 substrate wafers, while "Metal-Organic Chemical
Vapor Deposition" (MOCVD) is typically used to grow InP based
epi-structures upon commercially obtained Indium-Phosphide or
Gallium-Phosphide substrate wafers. Please note that the OPCLD's
spacer-layers are illustrated using a color of grey that gradiently
changes from dark to light or from light to dark as a means to
illustrate how these layers are gradiently doped.
[0704] Please note, that for the OPCLD's spacer-layers, doping is
heaviest in the dark colored areas of the spacer-layer, while
doping is lightest in the light colored areas of the spacer-layer.
Additionally, FIG. 1 is a Section A-A side-view illustration of a
single OPCLD, which is described below as comprising a multiple
epilayered structure that is deposited and shaped in the following
order, which includes:
[0705] A choice of either commercially obtaining a p-doped or an
n-doped semiconductor substrate wafer 85 (FIG. 1).
[0706] Next, using MBE or MOCVD, is the deposition of a few
un-doped surface-smoothing buffer-layers (not illustrated) upon the
up-turned second face surface of the substrate wafer 85. Further,
after deposition these buffer-layers will typically have a total
thickness equaling 100-.ANG..
[0707] Upon an up-turned second face of the previously formed
buffer-layers is an epitaxially deposited second reflector 86 (FIG.
1), which is comprised as having a gradiently doped DBR configured
mirror-stack assembly that provides for a partial
reflection/partial transmission of intracavity stimulated
emission.
[0708] Next, is the epitaxial deposition of a first spacer-layer 87
(FIG. 1), which is made to occur upon the upturned surface of the
previously deposited DBR 86 and will be comprised as having either
a gradiently or non-gradiently doped structure, using either a P or
N dopant material, e.g. for an N-type spacer-layer use an electron
donating material like Silicon or Carbon, while for an P-type
spacer-layer use an electron accepting material like Boron or
Zinc.
[0709] Upon the up-turned second face of the previously formed
spacer-layer 87 is an epitaxially deposited gain-region 88 (FIG.
19), which is comprised as having either a single layered
lattice-matched P-doped, N-doped, or un-doped bulk semiconductor
layer based gain-region, a single or multilayered strained or
unstrained quantum-dot based gain-region, a single or multilayered
strained or unstrained quantum super-lattice based gain-region 88,
a single or multilayered strained or unstrained quantum-cascade
based gain-region 88, a single or multilayered
"Organic-Light-Emitting-Diode" (OLED) based gain-region, being
comprised, for example, from the deposition of a 30-nm layer of TAD
(TAD is conventional for triphenyl/diamine), a 15-nm layer of
NAPOXA (NAPOXA is conventional for
2-naphtyl-4,5-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)-1,3-oxazole), a 15-nm layer of
Alq (Alq is conventional for 8-hydroxyquinolinato aluminum), for
synthesis information, please see, U.S. patent application Ser. No.
08/673,864, filed Sep. 13, (1995), by A. Dodabalapur et al., or a
single or multilayered strained or unstrained quantum-well based
gain-region 88 (FIG. 1).
[0710] Upon an up-turned second face of the previously formed
gain-region 88 is an epitaxially deposited second lattice-matched
semiconductor spacer-layer 89 (FIG. 1), which is comprised as
having either a gradiently or a non-gradiently doped structure
using either P-type or N-type dopant material.
[0711] Upon an up-turned second face of the previously deposited
spacer-layer 89 is an epitaxially deposited PCM layer 90 (FIGS. 1,
2, and 2A), which is lithographically (i.e., using grey-scale
masking and lithography) formed into a very large array of
corner-cubes retro-reflecting elements 90 (FIGS. 1, 2, and 2A).
[0712] Using a first face of the commercially provided substrate
wafer 85, a first reflector 95 (FIGS. 1, 3, and 3A) is formed
(i.e., using grey-scale masking and lithography) into a
laser-emission-output mirror 95, which provides for a Gaussian
shaped laser-emission-output into a single fundamental transverse
spatial cavity mode.
[0713] A first N-type or P-type Ohmic contact 93 (FIGS. 1, 2, and
2A) is formed when the appropriate metal alloy is deposited upon
the outer-most up-turned n++ or p++ surface of a previously etched
out area of the OPCLD's first spacer-layer 87, and later formed
into doughnut shaped contact ring 93, a contact circuit trace and a
contact circuit pad 97. While a second N-type or P-type Ohmic
contact 91 (FIGS. 1, 2, and 2A) is formed when the appropriate
metal alloy is deposited upon the second n++ or p++ doped surface
of the OPCLD's second spacer-layer 89, and later formed into
doughnut shaped contact ring 91, a contact circuit trace and a
contact circuit pad 98.
[0714] Wherein, the third reflector's Gaussian mode providing shape
95, 96 (FIGS. 1, 3, and 3A) and the first reflector's optical
phase-conjugation providing PCM 90 (FIGS. 1, 2, and 2A) altogether
define a hemispherically confined optical field 96 with a
waist-band location that is symmetrically centered within in the
OPCLD's laser cavity 94, and further provides for a high-power
laser-emission-output (i.e., .gtoreq.100-mW of cw output for a
gain-region having a diameter .gtoreq.60-.mu.m) into a low-order
fundamental transverse spatial cavity mode (i.e., preferably the
transverse cavity mode TEM.sub.00).
[0715] Please note that spacer-layers 87 and 89 (FIG. 1) are drawn
as gradiently filled rectangles as a means to illustrate how and to
what extent they have their alloys gradiently configured. For the
OPCLD's spacer-layers dark colored areas graphically represent
where the semiconductor alloy exhibits a lower bandgap, while a
higher bandgap exists is graphically illustrated by the light
colored areas.
[0716] In addition, please note that for the second alternative
OPCLD embodiment, particularly regarding its spacer-layers, doping
is heaviest in the dark colored areas of the spacer-layer, while
doping is lightest in the light colored areas of the spacer-layer.
Further, as illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5, 5A, 6, and 6A, the second
alternative version of the OPCLD is comprised as having a multiple
epilayered structure that is deposited and shaped accordingly and
in the following order, which includes:
[0717] A commercially obtaining p-doped or n-doped semiconductor
substrate wafer 99 (FIG. 4).
[0718] The substrate wafer 99 needs to be first etched using
grey-scale masking and lithography to form an Nth number of
hemispheric shaped recessions 108 (FIG. 4) in the up-turned surface
of the substrate wafer 99. While a second group of hemispheric
shaped expressions 110A (FIG. 4) are formed, using grey-scale
masking and lithography, out of the down-turned surface of the
substrate wafer 99.
[0719] Next, recession 108 is filled using MOCVD with the same
semi-conductor material used to comprise the substrate wafer 99
except the construction material used to fill the recession will be
highly n++ or p++ doped, choice of dopant polarity being dependant
upon desired type and direction of connectivity.
[0720] After which, any bulges, bumps, or other irregularities can
be smoothed down flat using chemical etching and/or polishing
agents or mechanical polishing.
[0721] Next, is an epitaxial deposition of a few highly doped
surface-smoothing buffer-layers (not illustrated) upon the
up-turned second face surface of the previously processed substrate
wafer 99. After deposition, the buffer-layers will altogether have
a total thickness equaling 100-.ANG..
[0722] Next, is a epitaxial deposition of a first spacer-layer 100
(FIG. 4), which is made to occur upon the upturned outmost surface
of the previously deposited buffer-layers and will be comprised as
having either a gradiently or non-gradiently doped structure using
either a P-type or N-type dopant material; e.g., for an N-type
spacer-layer use an electron donating material like Silicon or
Carbon, while for an P-type spacer-layer use an electron accepting
material like Boron or Zinc.
[0723] Upon the up-turned second face surface of the previously
formed spacer-layer 100 is an epitaxially deposited a gain-region
101 (FIG. 4), which is comprised as having either a single layered
lattice-matched P-doped, N-doped, or un-doped bulk semiconductor
layer based gain-region, a single or multilayered strained or
unstrained quantum-dot based gain-region, a single or multilayered
strained or unstrained quantum super-lattice based gain-region 101,
a single or multilayered strained or unstrained quantum-cascade
based gain-region 101, a single or multilayered
"Organic-Light-Emitting-Diode" (OLED) based gain-region 101, being
comprised, for example, from the deposition of a 30-nm layer of TAD
(TAD is conventional for triphenyl/diamine), a 15-nm layer of
NAPOXA (NAPOXA is conventional for
2-naphtyl-4,5-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)-1,3-oxazole), a 15-nm layer of
Alq (Alq is conventional for 8-hydroxyquinolinato aluminum), for
synthesis information, please see, U.S. patent application Ser. No.
08/673,864, filed Sep. 13, (1995), by A. Dodabalapur et al., or a
single or multilayered strained or unstrained quantum-well based
gain-region 101.
[0724] Upon an up-turned second face surface of the previously
formed gain-region 101 is an epitaxially deposited a second
lattice-matched semiconductor spacer-layer 102 (FIG. 4), which is
comprised as having either a gradiently or a non-gradiently doped
structure using either P-type or N-type dopant material.
[0725] Upon an up-turned second face of the previously formed
second spacer-layer 102 (FIG. 4) is an epitaxially deposited second
reflector 103 (FIG. 4), which is comprised as having an undoped DBR
configured mirror-stack assembly 103 that provides for a partial
reflection/partial transmission of intracavity stimulated
emission.
[0726] Upon an up-turned second face surface of the previously
deposited DBR configured minor-stack assembly 103 is an epitaxially
deposited laser-emission-output layer 104 (FIGS. 4, 5, and 5A),
which is lithographically (i.e., using grey-scale masking and
lithography) formed into a hemispherical shaped 105, 106 (FIGS. 4,
5, and 5A) Gaussian mode and partial reflection providing metalized
third reflector.
[0727] Using the outmost surface of the previously etched
hemispheric shaped expressions 110A (FIG. 4), which were formed,
using grey-scale masking and lithography, out of the down-turned
surface of the substrate wafer 99, a first reflecting body 110
(FIGS. 4, 6, and 6A) is peripherally formed (i.e., using grey-scale
masking and lithography) into an array of retro-reflecting
polyhedral shaped prisms 198 (FIGS. 26, 26A, and 26B), which will
provide for the OPCLD's optical phase-conjugating PCM 110.
[0728] A first N-type or P-type Ohmic contact 107 (FIGS. 4, 5, and
5A) is formed when the appropriate metal alloy is deposited into a
circular shaped trench that was previously etched all the way
through both reflector number three's deposited construction layer
104 and the previously deposited DBR configured mirror-stack
assembly 103, where it will be lithographically formed into a
doughnut shaped contact layer that provides for electrical
connectivity with the top outer-most n++ or p++ doped surface of
the OPCLD's second spacer-layer 102. While a second N-type or
P-type Ohmic contact 109 (FIGS. 4, 5A, and 6A) is formed when the
appropriate metal alloy is deposited upon and around the entire
periphery of the bottom outer-most n++ or p++ doped surface edge of
the OPCLD's substrate wafer 99, where it will be lithographically
formed into a rectangular shaped contact layer 109 (FIGS. 4, 5A,
and 6A).
[0729] Wherein, the third reflector's Gaussian mode providing
hemispherical shaped structure 105, 106 (FIGS. 4, 6, and 6A) and
the first reflector's optical phase-conjugating hemispherical
shaped PCM 110 (FIGS. 4, 6, and 6A) will altogether define a
confocally confined optical field 111 with a waist-band location
108 that is symmetrically centered within in the OPCLD's laser
cavity 108, and altogether further provides for a high-power
laser-emission-output (i.e., .gtoreq.100-mW of cw output for a
gain-region having a diameter .gtoreq.60-.mu.m) into a low-order
fundamental transverse spatial cavity mode (i.e., preferably the
transverse cavity mode TEM.sub.00).
[0730] Please note that spacer-layers 100 and 102 (FIG. 4) are
drawn as gradiently filled rectangles as a means to illustrate how
and to what extent they have their alloys gradiently configured.
For the OPCLD's spacer-layers dark colored areas graphically
represent where the semiconductor alloy exhibits a lower bandgap,
while a higher bandgap exists is graphically illustrated by the
light colored areas.
[0731] In addition, please note that for the third alternative
OPCLD embodiment, particularly regarding its spacer-layers, doping
is heaviest in the dark colored areas of the spacer-layer, while
doping is lightest in the light colored areas of the spacer-layer.
Further, as illustrated in FIGS. 7, 8, 8A, 9, and 9A, the third
alternative version of the OPCLD is comprised as having a multiple
epilayered structure that is deposited and shaped accordingly and
in the following order, which includes:
[0732] A choice of either commercially obtaining a p-doped or an
n-doped semiconductor substrate wafer 112 (FIG. 7).
[0733] Next, using MBE or MOCVD, is the deposition of a few
un-doped surface-smoothing buffer-layers (not illustrated) upon the
up-turned second face surface of the substrate wafer 112. Further,
after deposition, these buffer-layers will typically have a total
thickness equaling about 100-.ANG..
[0734] Upon an up-turned second face surface of the previously
formed buffer-layers is an epitaxially deposited second reflector
113 (FIG. 7), which is comprised as having a gradiently n-doped or
p-doped DBR configured minor-stack assembly that provides for a
partial reflection/partial transmission of intracavity stimulated
emission.
[0735] Next, is the epitaxial deposition of a first spacer-layer
114 (FIG. 7), which is made to occur upon the upturned surface of
the previously deposited DBR 113 and will be comprised as having
either a gradiently or non-gradiently doped structure, using either
a P-type or N-type dopant material, e.g. for an N-type spacer-layer
use an electron donating material like Silicon or Carbon, while for
an P-type spacer-layer use an electron accepting material like
Boron or Zinc.
[0736] Upon the up-turned second face of the previously deposited
spacer-layer 114 (FIG. 7) is an epitaxially deposited gain-region
115 (FIG. 7), which is comprised as having either a single layered
lattice-matched P-doped, N-doped, or un-doped bulk semiconductor
layer based gain-region, a single or multilayered strained or
unstrained quantum-dot based gain-region, a single or multilayered
strained or unstrained quantum super-lattice based gain-region 115,
a single or multilayered strained or unstrained quantum-cascade
based gain-region 115, a single or multilayered
"Organic-Light-Emitting-Diode" (OLED) based gain-region, being
comprised, for example, from the deposition of a 30-nm layer of TAD
(TAD is conventional for triphenyl/diamine), a 15-nm layer of
NAPOXA (NAPOXA is conventional for
2-naphtyl-4,5-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)-1,3-oxazole), a 15-nm layer of
Alq (Alq is conventional for 8-hydroxyquinolinato aluminum), for
synthesis information, please see, U.S. patent application Ser. No.
08/673,864, filed Sep. 13, (1995), by A. Dodabalapur et al., or a
single or multilayered strained or unstained quantum-well based
gain-region 115 (FIG. 7).
[0737] Upon an up-turned second face of the previously deposited
gain-region 115 is an epitaxially deposited second lattice-matched
semiconductor spacer-layer 116 (FIG. 7), which is comprised as
having either a gradiently or a non-gradiently doped structure
using either P-type or N-type dopant material.
[0738] Upon an up-turned second face of the previously deposited
spacer-layer 116 is an epitaxially deposited PCM layer 117 (FIGS.
7, 8, and 8A), which is lithographically (i.e., using grey-scale
masking and lithography) formed into a very large array of
corner-cube shaped retro-reflecting elements 117 (FIGS. 7, 8, and
8A).
[0739] Using a first face of the commercially provided substrate
wafer 112, a first reflector 122, 123 (FIGS. 7, 9, and 9A) is
formed (i.e., using grey-scale masking and lithography) into a
laser-emission-output Fresnel shaped digital mirror 122, which
provides for a Gaussian shaped high-power laser-emission-output
into a single fundamental transverse spatial cavity mode.
[0740] A first N-type or P-type Ohmic contact 120 (FIGS. 7, 8, and
8A) is formed when the appropriate metal alloy is deposited upon
the outermost up-turned n++ or p++ surface of a previously etched
out area of the OPCLD's first spacer-layer 114, and later formed
into doughnut shaped contact ring 97, a contact circuit trace and a
contact circuit pad 97. While a second N-type or P-type Ohmic
contact 91 (FIGS. 1, 2, and 2A) is formed when the appropriate
metal alloy is deposited upon the second n++ or p++ doped surface
of the OPCLD's second spacer-layer 116 and contact isolation ramp
119, and is later formed into a doughnut shaped contact ring 118, a
contact circuit trace and a contact circuit pad 98.
[0741] Wherein, the first reflector's Gaussian mode providing
Fresnel shaped digital mirror 122, 123 (FIGS. 7, 9, and 9A) and the
third reflector's optical phase-conjugation providing PCM 117
(FIGS. 7, 8, and 8A) altogether define a hemispherically confined
optical field 123 with a waist-band location that is symmetrically
centered within in the OPCLD's laser cavity 121, and further
provides for a high-power laser-emission-output (i.e.,
.gtoreq.100-mW of cw output for a gain-region having a diameter
.gtoreq.60-.mu.m) into a low-order fundamental transverse spatial
cavity mode (i.e., preferably the transverse cavity mode
TEM.sub.00).
[0742] Please note that spacer-layers 114 and 116 (FIG. 7) are
drawn as gradiently filled rectangles as a means to illustrate how
and to what extent they have their alloys gradiently configured.
For the OPCLD's spacer-layers dark colored areas graphically
represent where the semiconductor alloy exhibits a lower bandgap,
while a higher bandgap exists is graphically illustrated by the
light colored areas.
[0743] In addition, please note that for the fourth alternative
OPCLD embodiment, particularly regarding its spacer-layers, doping
is heaviest in the dark colored areas of the spacer-layer, while
doping is lightest in the light colored areas of the spacer-layer.
Further, as illustrated in FIGS. 10, 11, 11A, 12, and 12A, the
second alternative version of the OPCLD is comprised as having a
multiple epilayered structure that is deposited and shaped
accordingly and in the following order, which includes:
[0744] A commercially obtaining p-doped or n-doped semiconductor
substrate wafer 124 (FIG. 10).
[0745] The substrate wafer 124 needs to be first etched using
grey-scale masking and lithography to form an N.sup.th number of
hemispheric shaped recessions 134A (FIG. 10) in the up-turned
surface of the substrate wafer 124. While a second group of
hemispheric shaped recessions 133 (FIG. 10) are formed, using
grey-scale masking and lithography, out of the down-turned surface
of the substrate wafer 124. With a group of doughnut shaped
recessions 134B (FIG. 10) being formed, using grey-scale masking
and lithography, out of the down-turned surface of the substrate
wafer 124.
[0746] Next, recession 134A is filled using MOCVD with the same
semi-conductor material used to comprise the substrate wafer 124
except the construction material used to fill the recession will be
highly n++ or p++ doped, choice of dopant polarity being dependant
upon desired type and direction of device's connectivity.
[0747] Next, recession 134B is filled using MOCVD with the same
semiconductor material used to comprise the substrate wafer 124
except the construction material used to fill the recession will be
highly n++ or p++ doped, choice of dopant polarity being dependant
upon desired type and direction of device's connectivity.
[0748] Next, recession 133 is filled using MOCVD with a
lattice-matched semiconductor material, but a semiconductor that
has lower-refractive index than the material used to construct the
substrate wafer 124, forming therein a soft-apertured lens.
[0749] After which, any bulges, bumps, or other irregularities
exhibited by the just filled internal lens 133, 134, 134A can be
smoothed down flat at the substrate's two material boundary
interface surfaces, using chemical etching and/or polishing agents
or mechanical polishing.
[0750] Next, is an epitaxial deposition of a few highly doped
surface-smoothing buffer-layers (not illustrated) upon the
up-turned second face surface of the previously processed substrate
wafer 124. After deposition, the buffer-layers will altogether have
a total thickness equaling 100-.ANG..
[0751] Next, is a epitaxial deposition of a first spacer-layer 125
(FIG. 10), which is made to occur upon the upturned outmost surface
of the previously deposited buffer-layers and will be comprised as
having either a gradiently or non-gradiently doped structure using
either a P-type or N-type dopant material; e.g., for an N-type
spacer-layer use an electron donating material like Silicon or
Carbon, while for an P-type spacer-layer use an electron accepting
material like Boron or Zinc.
[0752] Upon the up-turned second face surface of the previously
formed spacer-layer 125 is an epitaxially deposited a gain-region
126 (FIG. 10), which is comprised as having either a single layered
lattice-matched P-doped, N-doped, or un-doped bulk semiconductor
layer based gain-region, a single or multilayered strained or
unstrained quantum-dot based gain-region, a single or multilayered
strained or unstrained quantum super-lattice based gain-region 126,
a single or multilayered strained or unstrained quantum-cascade
based gain-region 126, a single or multilayered
"Organic-Light-Emitting-Diode" (OLED) based gain-region 126,
altogether being comprised, for example, from the sputtered
deposition of several light-emitting polymers such as a 30-nm layer
of TAD (TAD is conventional for triphenyl/diamine), a 15-nm layer
of NAPOXA (NAPOXA is conventional for
2-naphtyl-4,5-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)-1,3-oxazole), a 15-nm layer of
Alq (Alq is conventional for 8-hydroxyquinolinato aluminum), for
synthesis information, please see, U.S. patent application Ser. No.
08/673,864, filed Sep. 3, (1995), by A. Dodabalapur et al., or a
single or multilayered strained or unstrained quantum-well based
gain-region 126.
[0753] Upon an up-turned second face surface of the previously
formed gain-region 126 (FIG. 10) is an epitaxially deposited second
lattice-matched semiconductor spacer-layer 127 (FIG. 10), which is
comprised as having either a gradiently or a non-gradiently doped
structure using either P-type or N-type dopant material.
[0754] Upon an up-turned second face of the previously deposited
second spacer-layer 127 (FIG. 10) is an epitaxially deposited
second reflector 128 (FIG. 10), which is comprised as having an
undoped DBR configured mirror-stack assembly 128 that provides for
a partial reflection/partial transmission of intracavity stimulated
emission.
[0755] Upon an up-turned second face surface of the previously
deposited DBR configured mirror-stack assembly 128 is an
epitaxially deposited laser-emission-output layer 129 (FIGS. 10,
11, and 11A), which is lithographically (i.e., using grey-scale
masking and lithography) formed into a Fresnel shaped 130, 131
(FIGS. 10, 11, and 11A) Gaussian mode and
partial-reflection/partial transmission providing digital mirror
and the device's third reflector.
[0756] Using the outmost surface of the previously deposited
undoped lower-refractive index material layer to form, using
grey-scale masking and lithography, out of the down-turned surface
an array of polyhedral shaped retro-reflecting prisms 198 (FIGS.
26, 26A, and 26B) altogether used to comprise the device's PCM and
first reflector 135, which will provide for the OPCLD's optical
phase-conjugating PCM 135.
[0757] A first N-type or P-type Ohmic contact 132 (FIGS. 10, 11,
and 11A) is formed when the appropriate metal alloy is deposited
into a circular shaped trench that was previously etched all the
way through both reflector number three's deposited construction
layer 129 and the previously deposited DBR configured mirror-stack
assembly 128, where it will be lithographically formed into a
doughnut shaped contact layer 132 that provides for electrical
connectivity to the top outer-most n++ or p++ doped surface of the
OPCLD's second spacer-layer 127. While a second N-type or P-type
Ohmic contact 134 (FIGS. 10, 11A, and 12A) is formed when the
appropriate metal alloy is deposited upon and around the entire
periphery of the bottom outer-most n++ or p++ doped surface edge of
the OPCLD's substrate wafer 124, where it will be lithographically
formed into short cylinder shaped contact layer 134 (FIGS. 10, 11A,
and 12A).
[0758] Wherein, the third reflector's Gaussian mode providing
Fresnel shaped mirror structure 130, 131 (FIGS. 10, 11, and 11A)
and the first reflector's optical phase-conjugating PCM 135 (FIGS.
10, 12, and 12A) will altogether define a hemispherically confined
optical field with a waistband location 138 that is symmetrically
centered within in the OPCLD's laser cavity, and altogether further
provides for a high-power laser-emission-output (i.e.,
.gtoreq.100-mW of cw output for a gain-region having a diameter
.gtoreq.60-.mu.m) into a low-order fundamental transverse spatial
cavity mode (i.e., preferably the transverse cavity mode
TEM.sub.00).
[0759] Please note that spacer-layers 125 and 127 (FIG. 10) are
drawn as gradiently filled rectangles as a means to illustrate how
and to what extent they have their alloys gradiently configured.
For the OPCLD's spacer-layers dark colored areas graphically
represent where the semiconductor alloy exhibits a lower bandgap,
while a higher bandgap exists is graphically illustrated by the
light colored areas.
[0760] In addition, please note that for the fifth alternative
OPCLD embodiment, particularly regarding its spacer-layers, doping
is heaviest in the dark colored areas of the spacer-layer, while
doping is lightest in the light colored areas of the spacer-layer.
Further, as illustrated in FIGS. 13, 14, 14A, 15, and 15A, the
fifth alternative version of the OPCLD is comprised as having a
multiple epilayered structure that is deposited and shaped
accordingly and in the following order, which includes:
[0761] A choice of either commercially obtaining a p-doped or an
n-doped semiconductor substrate wafer 137 (FIG. 13).
[0762] Next, using MBE or MOCVD, is the deposition of a few
un-doped surface-smoothing buffer-layers (not illustrated) upon the
up-turned second face surface of the substrate wafer 137. Further,
after deposition, these buffer-layers will typically have a total
thickness equaling about 100-.ANG..
[0763] Upon an up-turned second face surface of the previously
formed buffer-layers is an epitaxially deposited second reflector
143 (FIG. 13), which is comprised as having a gradiently n-doped or
p-doped DBR configured mirror-stack assembly that provides for a
partial reflection/partial transmission of intracavity stimulated
emission.
[0764] Next, is the epitaxial deposition of a first spacer-layer
138 (FIG. 13), which is made to occur upon the upturned surface of
the previously deposited DBR 143 and will be comprised as having
either a gradiently or non-gradiently doped structure, using either
a P-type or N-type dopant material, e.g. for an N-type spacer-layer
use an electron donating material like Silicon or Carbon, while for
an P-type spacer-layer use an electron accepting material like
Boron or Zinc.
[0765] Upon the up-turned second face of the previously deposited
spacer-layer 138 (FIG. 13) is an epitaxially deposited gain-region
139 (FIG. 13), which is comprised as having either a single layered
lattice-matched P-doped, N-doped, or un-doped bulk semiconductor
layer based gain-region, a single or multilayered strained or
unstrained quantum-dot based gain-region; a single or multilayered
strained or unstrained quantum super-lattice based gain-region 139,
a single or multilayered strained or unstrained quantum-cascade
based gain-region 139, a single or multilayered
"Organic-Light-Emitting-Diode" (OLED) based gain-region, being
comprised, for example, from the deposition of a 30-nm layer of TAD
(TAD is conventional for triphenyl/diamine), a 15-nm layer of
NAPOXA (NAPOXA is conventional for
2-naphtyl-4,5-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)-1,3-oxazole), a 15-nm layer of
Alq (Alq is conventional for 8-hydroxyquinolinato aluminum), for
synthesis information, please see, U.S. patent application Ser. No.
08/673,864, filed Sep. 13, (1995), by A. Dodabalapur et al., or a
single or multilayered strained or unstrained quantum-well based
gain-region 139 (FIG. 13).
[0766] Upon an up-turned second face of the previously deposited
gain-region 139 is an epitaxially deposited second lattice-matched
semiconductor spacer-layer 140 (FIG. 13), which is comprised as
having either a gradiently or a non-gradiently doped structure
using either P-type or N-type dopant material.
[0767] Upon an up-turned second face of the previously deposited
spacer-layer 140 is an epitaxially deposited PCM layer 141 (FIGS.
13, 14, and 14A), which is lithographically (i.e., using grey-scale
masking and lithography) formed into a very large array of
corner-cube shaped retro-reflecting elements 141 (FIGS. 13, 14, and
14A).
[0768] Using a first face of the commercially provided substrate
wafer 137, a first reflector 145, 146 (FIGS. 13, 15, and 15A) is
formed (i.e., using grey-scale masking and lithography) into a
laser-emission-output Fresnel shaped digital mirror 145, 146, which
provides for a Gaussian shaped high-power laser-emission-output
into a single fundamental transverse spatial cavity mode.
[0769] A first N-type or P-type Ohmic contact 142 (FIGS. 13, 14,
and 14A) is formed when the appropriate metal alloy is deposited
upon the outermost up-turned n++ or p++ surface of the OPCLD's
second spacer-layer 140, and later formed into doughnut shaped
contact ring 142. While a second N-type or P-type Ohmic contact 147
(FIGS. 13, 14A, and 15A) is formed when the appropriate metal alloy
is deposited upon the n++ or p++ outer peripheral surface of the
OPCLD's substrate layer 137, which is formed into a cylinder shaped
contact ring 147.
[0770] Wherein, the first reflector's Gaussian mode providing
Fresnel shaped digital mirror 145, 146 (FIGS. 13, 15, and 15A) and
the third reflector's optical phase-conjugation providing PCM 141
(FIGS. 13, 16, and 16A) altogether define a hemispherically
confined optical field 145 with a waist-band location 144 that is
symmetrically centered within in the OPCLD's laser cavity, and
further provides for a high-power laser-emission-output (i.e.,
.gtoreq.100-mW of cw output for a gain-region having a diameter
.gtoreq.60-.mu.m) into a low-order fundamental transverse spatial
cavity mode (i.e., preferably the transverse cavity mode
TEM.sub.00).
[0771] Please note that spacer-layers 138 and 140 (FIG. 13) are
drawn as gradiently filled rectangles as a means to illustrate how
and to what extent they have their alloys gradiently configured.
For the OPCLD's spacer-layers dark colored areas graphically
represent where the semiconductor alloy exhibits a lower bandgap,
while a higher bandgap exists is graphically illustrated by the
light colored areas.
[0772] In addition, please note that for the sixth alternative
OPCLD embodiment, particularly regarding its spacer-layers, doping
is heaviest in the dark colored areas of the spacer-layer, while
doping is lightest in the light colored areas of the spacer-layer.
Further, as illustrated in FIGS. 16, 17, 17A, 18, and 18A, the
sixth alternative version of the OPCLD is comprised as having a
multiple epilayered structure that is deposited and shaped
accordingly and in the following order, which includes:
[0773] A commercially obtaining p-doped or n-doped semiconductor
substrate wafer 147 (FIG. 16).
[0774] The substrate wafer 147 needs to be first etched using
grey-scale masking and lithography to form an N.sup.th number of
hemispheric shaped recessions 157A (FIG. 16) in the up-turned
surface of the substrate wafer 147. While a second group of
hemispheric shaped recessions 157C (FIG. 16) are formed, using
grey-scale masking and lithography, out of the down-turned surface
of the substrate wafer 147. With a group of doughnut shaped
recessions 157B (FIG. 16) being formed, using grey-scale masking
and lithography, out of the down-turned surface of the substrate
wafer 147.
[0775] Next, recession 157A is filled using MOCVD with the same
semiconductor material used to comprise the substrate wafer 147
except the construction material used to fill the recession will be
highly n++ or p++ doped, choice of dopant polarity being dependant
upon desired type and direction of device's connectivity.
[0776] Next, recession 157B is filled using MOCVD with the same
semiconductor material used to comprise the substrate wafer 147
except the construction material used to fill the recession will be
highly n++ or p++ doped, choice of dopant polarity being dependant
upon desired type and direction of device's connectivity.
[0777] Next, recession 157C is filled using MOCVD with a
lattice-matched semiconductor material, but a semiconductor that
has lower-refractive index than the material used to construct the
substrate wafer 147, forming therein a soft-apertured collimating
lens.
[0778] After which, any bulges, bumps, or other irregularities
exhibited by the just filled internal lens 157A, 157B, 157C can be
smoothed down flat at the substrate's two material boundary
interface surfaces, using chemical etching and/or polishing agents
or mechanical polishing.
[0779] Next, is an epitaxial deposition of a few highly doped
surface-smoothing buffer-layers (not illustrated) upon the
up-turned second face surface of the previously processed substrate
wafer 147. After deposition, the buffer-layers will altogether have
a total thickness equaling 100-.ANG..
[0780] Next, is an epitaxial deposition of a first spacer-layer 148
(FIG. 16), which is made to occur upon the upturned outmost surface
of the previously deposited buffer-layers and will be comprised as
having either a gradiently or non-gradiently doped structure using
either a P-type or N-type dopant material; e.g., for an N-type
spacer-layer use an electron donating material like Silicon or
Carbon, while for an P-type spacer-layer use an electron accepting
material like Boron or Zinc.
[0781] Upon the up-turned second face surface of the previously
formed spacer-layer 148 is an epitaxially deposited a gain-region
149 (FIG. 10), which is comprised as having either a single layered
lattice-matched P-doped, N-doped, or un-doped bulk semiconductor
layer based gain-region, a single or multilayered strained or
unstrained quantum-dot based gain-region, a single or multilayered
strained or unstrained quantum super-lattice based gain-region 149,
a single or multilayered strained or unstrained quantum-cascade
based gain-region 149, a single or multilayered
"Organic-Light-Emitting-Diode" (OLED) based gain-region 149,
altogether being comprised, for example, from the sputtered
deposition of several light-emitting polymers such as a 30-nm layer
of TAD (TAD is conventional for triphenyl/diamine), a 15-nm layer
of NAPOXA (NAPOXA is conventional for
2-naphtyl-4,5-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)-1,3-oxazole), a 15-nm layer of
Alq (Alq is conventional for 8-hydroxyquinolinato aluminum), for
synthesis information, please see, U.S. patent application Ser. No.
08/673,864, filed Sep. 3, (1995), by A. Dodabalapur et al., or a
single or multilayered strained or unstrained quantum-well based
gain-region 149.
[0782] Upon an up-turned second face surface of the previously
formed gain-region 149 (FIG. 16) is an epitaxially deposited second
lattice-matched semiconductor spacer-layer 150 (FIG. 16), which is
comprised as having either a gradiently or a non-gradiently doped
structure using either P-type or N-type dopant material.
[0783] Upon an up-turned second face of the previously deposited
second spacer-layer 150 (FIG. 16) is an epitaxially deposited
expression layer, which is comprised, using grey-scale lithography
and masking, as having an hemispherical shaped configuration that
will provide for a hemispherical growth area for epitaxially
forming the OPCLD's hemispherical shaped DBR 152, which is to be
deposited next.
[0784] Upon previously etched hemispherical shaped growth area and
the up-turned second face of the previously deposited second
spacer-layer 150 (FIG. 16) is an epitaxially deposited second
reflector 152 (FIG. 16), which is comprised as having an undoped
spherical shaped DBR configured mirror-stack assembly 152 that
provides for a partial reflection/partial transmission of
intracavity stimulated emission.
[0785] Using grey-scale masking and lithography, the outmost
surface of a previously deposited undoped lower-refractive index
material layer is etched into an array of polyhedral shaped
retro-reflecting prisms 198 (FIGS. 26, 26A, and 26B) that are
altogether used to comprise the device's PCM and first reflector
155, which will provide for the OPCLD's optical phase-conjugating
PCM 155.
[0786] A first N-type or P-type Ohmic contact 154 (FIGS. 16, 17,
and 17A) is formed when the appropriate metal alloy is deposited
into a circular shaped trench that was previously etched all the
way through the previously deposited spherical shaped DBR
configured mirror-stack assembly 152, where it will be
lithographically formed into a doughnut shaped contact layer 154
that provides for electrical connectivity to the top outer-most n++
or p++ doped surface of the OPCLD's second spacer-layer 150. While
a second N-type or P-type Ohmic contact 157 (FIGS. 16, 17A, and
18A) is formed when the appropriate metal alloy is deposited upon
and around the entire periphery of the bottom outer-most n++ or p++
doped surface edge of the OPCLD's substrate wafer 147, where it
will be lithographically formed into short cylinder shaped contact
layer 157 (FIGS. 16, 17A, and 18A).
[0787] Wherein, the second reflector's spherical shaped DBR
Gaussian mode providing mirror-stack assembly 152, 153 (FIGS. 16,
17, and 17A) and the third reflector's optical phase-conjugation
providing PCM 155 (FIGS. 16, 18, and 18A) altogether define a
hemispherically confined optical field 156 with a waist-band
location 156 that is symmetrically centered within in the OPCLD's
laser cavity, and further provides for a high-power
laser-emission-output (i.e., .gtoreq.100-mW of cw output for a
gain-region having a diameter .gtoreq.60-.mu.m) into a low-order
fundamental transverse spatial cavity mode (i.e., preferably the
transverse cavity mode TEM.sub.00).
[0788] Please note that spacer-layers 148 and 150 (FIG. 16) are
drawn as gradiently filled rectangles as a means to illustrate how
and to what extent they have their alloys gradiently configured.
For the OPCLD's spacer-layers dark colored areas graphically
represent where the semiconductor alloy exhibits a lower bandgap,
while a higher bandgap exists is graphically illustrated by the
light colored areas.
[0789] In addition, please note that for the seventh alternative
OPCLD embodiment, particularly regarding its spacer-layers, doping
is heaviest in the dark colored areas of the spacer-layer, while
doping is lightest in the light colored areas of the spacer-layer.
Further, as illustrated in FIGS. 22, 23, 23A, 24, and 24A, the
seventh alternative version of the OPCLD is comprised as having a
multiple epilayered structure that is deposited and shaped
accordingly and in the following order, which includes:
[0790] A commercially obtaining p-doped or n-doped semiconductor
substrate wafer 171 (FIG. 22).
[0791] The substrate wafer 171 needs to be first etched using
grey-scale masking and lithography to form an N.sup.th number of
hemispheric shaped recessions 182 (FIG. 22) in the up-turned
surface of the substrate wafer 171. While a second group of
hemispheric shaped recessions 183B (FIG. 22) are formed, using
grey-scale masking and lithography, out of the down-turned surface
of the substrate wafer 171. With a group of doughnut shaped
recessions 183A (FIG. 22) being formed, using grey-scale masking
and lithography, out of the down-turned surface of the substrate
wafer 171.
[0792] Next, recession 182 is filled using MOCVD with the same
semiconductor material used to comprise the substrate wafer 171
except the construction material used to fill the recession will be
highly n++ or p++ doped, choice of dopant polarity being dependant
upon desired type and direction of device's connectivity.
[0793] Next, recession 183A is filled using MOCVD with the same
semiconductor material used to comprise the substrate wafer 171
except the construction material used to fill the recession will be
highly n++ or p++ doped, choice of dopant polarity being dependant
upon desired type and direction of device's connectivity.
[0794] Next, recession 183B is filled using MOCVD with a
lattice-matched semiconductor material, but a semiconductor that
has lower-refractive index than the material used to construct the
substrate wafer 171, forming therein a soft-apertured lens.
[0795] After which, any bulges, bumps, or other irregularities
exhibited by the just filled internal lens 183, 183A, 183B can be
smoothed down flat at the substrate's two material boundary
interface surfaces, using chemical etching and/or polishing agents
or mechanical polishing.
[0796] Next, is an epitaxial deposition of a few highly doped
surface-smoothing buffer-layers (not illustrated) upon the
up-turned second face surface of the previously processed substrate
wafer 171. After deposition, the buffer-layers will altogether have
a total thickness equaling 100-.ANG..
[0797] Next, is a epitaxial deposition of a first spacer-layer 172
(FIG. 22), which is made to occur upon the upturned outmost surface
of the previously deposited buffer-layers and will be comprised as
having either a gradiently or non-gradiently doped structure using
either a P-type or N-type dopant material; e.g., for an N-type
spacer-layer use an electron donating material like Silicon or
Carbon, while for an P-type spacer-layer use an electron accepting
material like Boron or Zinc.
[0798] Upon the up-turned second face surface of the previously
formed spacer-layer 172 is an epitaxially deposited a gain-region
173 (FIG. 22), which is comprised as having either a single layered
lattice-matched P-doped, N-doped, or un-doped bulk semiconductor
layer based gain-region, a single or multilayered strained or
unstrained quantum-dot based gain-region, a single or multilayered
strained or unstrained quantum super-lattice based gain-region 173,
a single or multilayered strained or unstrained quantum-cascade
based gain-region 173, a single or multilayered
"Organic-Light-Emitting-Diode" (OLED) based gain-region 173,
altogether being comprised, for example, from the sputtered
deposition of several light-emitting polymers such as a 30-nm layer
of TAD (TAD is conventional for triphenyl/diamine), a 15-nm layer
of NAPOXA (NAPOXA is conventional for
2-naphtyl-4,5-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)-1,3-oxazole), a 15-nm layer of
Alq (Alq is conventional for 8-hydroxyquinolinato aluminum), for
synthesis information, please see, U.S. patent application Ser. No.
08/673,864, filed Sep. 3, (1995), by A. Dodabalapur et al., or a
single or multilayered strained or unstrained quantum-well based
gain-region 173.
[0799] Upon an up-turned second face surface of the previously
formed gain-region 173 (FIG. 22) is an epitaxially deposited second
lattice-matched semiconductor spacer-layer 174 (FIG. 22), which is
comprised as having either a gradiently or a non-gradiently doped
structure using either P-type or N-type dopant material.
[0800] Upon an up-turned second face of the previously deposited
second spacer-layer 174 (FIG. 22) is an epitaxially deposited
second reflector 175 (FIG. 22), which is comprised as having an
undoped DBR configured mirror-stack assembly 175 that provides for
a partial reflection/partial transmission of intracavity stimulated
emission.
[0801] Upon an up-turned second face of the previously deposited
second reflector 175 (FIG. 22) is an epitaxially deposited undoped
mirror spacer-layer 176, which is etched, using grey-scale
lithography, to have the recession shape that is next used for the
subsequent deposition of a second DBR mirror-stack assembly 177,
but one that provides for an anti-guided reflection of the
undesired higher-order transverse spatially moded intracavity
stimulated-emission and a partial reflection/partial transmission
of the much desired lower-order transverse spatially moded
intracavity stimulated emission.
[0802] Upon a second face surface of the previously deposited
anti-guiding DBR configured mirror-stack assembly 177 is an
epitaxially deposited laser-emission-output layer 178 (FIGS. 22,
23, and 23A), which is lithographically (i.e., using grey-scale
masking and lithography) formed into a Gaussian mode providing
hemispherical shaped partial-reflection/partial transmission
metalized mirror 180, 179 and the device's fourth reflecting
structure.
[0803] Using grey-scale masking and lithography, the outmost
surface of a previously deposited undoped lower-refractive index
material layer is etched into an array of polyhedral shaped
retro-reflecting prisms 198 (FIGS. 26, 26A, and 26B) that are
altogether used to comprise the device's PCM and first reflector
184, which will provide for the OPCLD's optical phase-conjugating
PCM 184.
[0804] A first N-type or P-type Ohmic contact 181 (FIGS. 22, 23,
and 23A) is formed when the appropriate metal alloy is deposited
into a circular shaped trench that was previously etched all the
way through both reflector number four's deposited construction
layer 178 and the two previously deposited DBR configured
mirror-stack assemblies 175, 177 where it will be lithographically
formed into a doughnut shaped contact layer 181 that provides for
electrical connectivity to the top outer-most n++ or p++ doped
surface of the OPCLD's second spacer-layer 174. While a second
N-type or P-type Ohmic contact 183 (FIGS. 22, 23A, and 24A) is
formed when the appropriate metal alloy is deposited upon and
around the entire periphery of the bottom outer-most n++ or p++
doped surface edge of the OPCLD's substrate wafer 171, where it
will be lithographically formed into short cylinder shaped contact
layer 183 (FIGS. 22, 23A, and 24A).
[0805] Wherein, the fourth reflector's Gaussian mode providing
Fresnel shaped digital mirror 179, 180 (FIGS. 22, 23, and 23A) and
the first reflector's optical phase-conjugation providing PCM 184
(FIGS. 22, 24, and 24A) altogether define a hemispherically
confined optical field 185 with a waist-band location that is
symmetrically centered within in the OPCLD's laser cavity, and
further provides for a high-power laser-emission-output (i.e.,
.gtoreq.100-mW of cw output for a gain-region having a diameter
.gtoreq.60-.mu.m) into a low-order fundamental transverse spatial
cavity mode (i.e., preferably the transverse cavity mode
TEM.sub.00).
[0806] Please note that spacer-layers 172 and 174 (FIG. 22) are
drawn as gradiently filled rectangles as a means to illustrate how
and to what extent they have their alloys gradiently configured.
For the OPCLD's spacer-layers dark colored areas graphically
represent where the semiconductor alloy exhibits a lower bandgap,
while a higher bandgap exists is graphically illustrated by the
light colored areas.
[0807] In addition, please note that for the eighth alternative
OPCLD embodiment, particularly regarding its spacer-layers, doping
is heaviest in the dark colored areas of the spacer-layer, while
doping is lightest in the light colored areas of the spacer-layer.
Further, as illustrated in FIGS. 25, 25A, and 25B, the eighth
alternative version of the OPCLD is an EEL version of the OPCLD and
is comprised as having a multiple epilayered structure that is
deposited and shaped accordingly and in the following order, which
includes:
[0808] A choice of either commercially obtaining a p-doped or an
n-doped semiconductor substrate wafer 186 (FIGS. 25, 25A, and
25B).
[0809] Next, using MBE or MOCVD, is the deposition of a few
un-doped surface-smoothing buffer-layers (not illustrated) upon the
up-turned second face surface of the substrate wafer 186. Further,
after deposition, these buffer-layers will typically have a total
thickness equaling about 100-.ANG..
[0810] Upon an up-turned second face surface of the previously
formed buffer-layers is an epitaxially deposited contact-layer 187,
which is comprised as having a n-doped or p-doped configuration and
provides for a confinement of both injected carriers and internally
produced photons.
[0811] Next, is the epitaxial deposition of a lattice-matched first
spacer-layer 188 (FIGS. 25, 25A, and 25B), which is made to occur
upon the upturned surface of the previously deposited secondary
cladding-layer 187 and will be comprised as having either a
gradiently or non-gradiently doped structure, using either a P-type
or N-type dopant material, e.g. for an N-type spacer-layer use an
electron donating material like Silicon or Carbon, while for an
P-type spacer-layer use an electron accepting material like Boron
or Zinc.
[0812] Upon an up-turned second face surface of the lattice-matched
first spacer-layer 188 (FIGS. 25, 25A, and 25B) is an epitaxially
deposited first secondary-confinement-layer 189, which is comprised
as having a n-doped or p-doped configuration, while providing for a
confinement of both injected carriers and internally produced
photons.
[0813] Upon the up-turned second face of the previously deposited
first secondary-confinement-layer 189 (FIGS. 25, 25A, and 25B) is
an epitaxially deposited gain-region 190 (FIGS. 25 and 25B), which
is comprised as having either a single layered lattice-matched
P-doped, N-doped, or undoped bulk semiconductor layer based
gain-region, a single or multilayered strained or unstrained
quantum-dot based gain-region, a single or multilayered strained or
unstrained quantum super-lattice based gain-region 190, a single or
multilayered strained or unstrained quantum-cascade based
gain-region 190, a single or multilayered
"Organic-Light-Emitting-Diode" (OLED) based gain-region, being
comprised, for example, from the deposition of a 30-nm layer of TAD
(TAD is conventional for triphenyl/diamine), a 15-nm layer of
NAPOXA (NAPOXA is conventional for
2-naphtyl-4,5-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)-1,3-oxazole), a 15-nm layer of
Alq (Alq is conventional for 8-hydroxyquinolinato aluminum), for
synthesis information, please see, U.S. patent application Ser. No.
08/673,864, filed Sep. 13, (1995), by A. Dodabalapur et al., or a
single or multilayered strained or unstrained quantum-well based
gain-region 190, and a proton implantation 197 for controlled
electrical current distribution.
[0814] Upon an up-turned second face surface of the gain-region 190
(FIGS. 25, 25A, and 25B) is an epitaxially deposited periodic
waveguide-layer 191, which is comprised as having a n-doped or
p-doped configuration, while providing for a distributed feedback
of internally produced photons.
[0815] Upon an up-turned second face of the previously deposited
periodic waveguide-layer 191 is an epitaxially deposited second
spacer-layer 192 (FIGS. 25, 25A, and 25B), which is comprised as
having either a gradiently or a non-gradiently doped structure
using either P-type or N-type dopant material.
[0816] Upon an up-turned second face of the previously deposited
spacer-layer 192 is an epitaxially deposited contact-layer 193
(FIGS. 25, 25A, and 25B), which provides for electrical
connectivity to the EEL version of the OPCLD invention.
[0817] A first N-type or P-type Ohmic contact 196 (FIGS. 25, 25A,
and 25B) is formed when the appropriate metal alloy is deposited
upon the outermost down turned n++ or p++ surface of the OPCLD's
substrate-layer 186. While a second N-type or P-type Ohmic contact
194 (FIGS. 25, 25A, and 25B) is formed when the appropriate metal
alloy is deposited upon the n++ or p++ doped outer most surface of
the OPCLD's second contact-layer 193.
[0818] Using grey-scale masking and lithography, the outmost
surface end of a previously deposited undoped lattice-matched
material layer is etched into an array of polyhedral shaped
retro-reflecting prisms 195 (FIGS. 25, 25A, and 25B) that are
altogether used to comprise the device's PCM and first reflector
195, which will provide for the EEL OPCLD's optical
phase-conjugating PCM 195.
[0819] While the EEL version of the OPCLD has its
laser-emission-output mirror formed as a cleaved internal
reflecting facet when the EEL version of the OPCLD undergoes its
dicing.
[0820] Please note that spacer-layers 188 and 192 (FIGS. 25 and
25B) are drawn as gradiently filled rectangles as a means to
illustrate how and to what extent they have their alloys gradiently
configured. For the OPCLD's spacer-layers dark colored areas
graphically represent where the semiconductor alloy exhibits a
lower bandgap, while a higher bandgap exists is graphically
illustrated by the light colored areas.
[0821] In addition, there are four alternative embodiments to the
preferred hexagon apertured hexahedral shaped corner-cube array
configured PCM included next. Further, as illustrated in FIGS. 30,
30A, 30B, 31A, 31B, 33, and 34, the first alternative embodiment
comprises an array of hemispherical apertured domed shaped
retro-reflecting elements 209 (FIGS. 30, 30A, and 30B). Further, as
illustrated in FIGS. 31A and 31B, for a pseudo phase-conjugate
retro-reflecting array based PCM 211, the base of the wavefront
leads the crest of the wavefront in the reflected wavefront 216 by
a same phase as the crest 219 regardless it leading the base in the
incident wavefront 213, i.e., prior to reflection from the pseudo
phase-conjugate mirror 211. Further, FIG. 31B further describes a
wavefront incident 213 at a retro-reflective array 211 (direction
of propagation indicated by the arrow 212 pointing towards the
retro-reflective array 211), and the wavefront after reflection 216
from the retro-reflective array 211 (direction of propagation
indicated by the arrow 217 point away from the retro-reflective
array 211).
[0822] Moreover, as illustrated in FIG. 31B, segments 219 of the
wavefront 216 are phase-conjugated due to a total shift in phase
that is caused by the astigmatismic kind of total internal
reflection occurring for each hemispherical apertured domed shaped
retro-reflecting element 209 (FIGS. 30, 30A, and 30B) within the
retro-reflecting array 211, while the segments 214, 219 of the
reflected wavefront 216 themselves generally relationally conform
to the shape of the wavefront if reflected from a conventional
mirror, as illustrated by the envelope 216, which is shown as
connecting the wavefront segments 219. Further, as such, the base
of the wavefront leads the crest of the wavefront, but only in its
degree of phase shift, which approximates a true conjugated
wavefront whose base would lead the wavefront crest 215 of the
original incident wavefront 213, i.e., prior to reflection from the
retro-reflective array 211.
[0823] More specifically, for a pseudo phase-conjugate
retro-reflecting corner-cube array, each adjacent hemispherical
apertured domed shaped retro-reflecting element 209 (FIGS. 30, 30A,
and 30B) is arranged along a substantially planar substrate.
Wherein, FIGS. 31A and 31B, both illustrate an incident wavefront
213 (direction of propagation indicated by the arrow 212 pointing
to the right toward the mirror 211) and a reflected wavefront 216
(direction of propagation indicated by the arrow 217 pointing to
the left away from the mirror 211), respectively.
[0824] Furthermore, as illustrated in FIG. 31B, the relative phases
219 of points 214 (i.e., the relative optical boundary 218 of each
finite domed shaped retro-reflecting element 209) along the
incident 213 and reflected 216 wavefronts are temporally not being
distributed equally upon their reflection from the PCM 211.
Moreover, true optical phase conjugation can be described simply as
k.sub.out=-k.sub.in, which is demonstrated when the crest of an
incident wavefront 213 leads the base of an incident wavefront 213,
while the base of a reflected wavefront 215 leads the crest of a
reflected wavefront 215 upon reflection from a true phase-conjugate
mirror. Contrariwise, wavefront reflection from a conventional
mirror can be described as k.sub.in=k.sub.z{circumflex over
(x)}+k.sub.yy+k.sub.z{circumflex over (z)} and
k.sub.out=k.sub.z{circumflex over (x)}+k.sub.yy-k.sub.z{circumflex
over (z)}.
[0825] Moreover, to obtain cooperative (i.e., coherent) imaging
from all adjacent hemispherical apertured domed shaped
retro-reflecting element 209 (FIGS. 30, 30A, and 30B) will require
that only very small phase shifts occur between the wavefronts 219
being reflected by all adjacent hemispherical apertured domed
shaped retro-reflecting elements 209 (FIGS. 30, 30A, and 30B). For
a linear array of N structures illuminated by a spherical wavefront
with radius R, the relation
.DELTA. = 2 .pi. ( Nh ) 2 2 R .lamda. = 2 .pi. ( 70 )
##EQU00051##
should be satisfied for cooperative diffraction image formation
near the diffraction limit. One way to satisfy this relation is to
transform the wavefront 213 (FIG. 31A) into a plane-wave at the
entrance to the array with a collimating lens 211C (FIG. 34).
However, any quadratic phase variation across the wavefront
originating from a single object point accumulated during
free-space propagation may not satisfy the condition of Equation
(70) and hence, may have a wavefront disrupting effect following
retroreflection 216. The performance of a pseudo phase-conjugating
system may be improved by correcting for any deterministic
(quadratic) phase, which can be predetermined. Further, this is
done by inserting a collimating lens 211C (FIG. 34), which is
chosen to collimate the wavefront onto the array 211, which is
explained in detail in a latter section below.
[0826] Moreover, suffice it to say, the purpose of a concave lens
211F (FIG. 34), e.g. a wavefront spreading thermal lens, a
wavefront spreading Fresnel lens, or a smooth positive aperturing
concave lens, is to spread incoming 211D wavefronts 211B, both
transversely and laterally, until they are made sufficiently
enlarged as to be made incident upon the entire normal surface area
of the OPCLD's PCM 211. While the purpose of a convex lens 211C
(FIG. 34), e.g. wavefront collimating thermal lens, a wavefront
collimating Fresnel lens, or a wavefront collimating smooth
positive aperturing convex lens, is to collimate incoming 211D
wavefronts 211B, both transversely, and laterally until they are
made sufficiently planar-flat across the normal dimension of the
OPCLD's PCM 211. Wherein, both lens 211C, 211F are used in
combination to affect a zero length path difference .DELTA.=0 from
the object image to all adjacent hemispherical apertured domed
shaped retro-reflecting elements 209 (FIGS. 30, 30A, and 30B)
present within the PCM, thus eliminating the phase errors at the
image.
[0827] Further, as illustrated in FIGS. 35, 35A, 35B, 36, 36A, 36B,
37, and 38, the second alternative embodiment comprises an array of
prism apertured tetrahedral shaped retro-reflecting elements 220
(FIGS. 35, 35A, and 35B). Further, as illustrated in FIGS. 36A and
36B, for a pseudo phase-conjugate retro-reflecting array based PCM
222, the base of the wavefront leads the crest of the wavefront in
the reflected wavefront 230, but only by a same phase 226 as the
crest regardless it leading the base in the incident wavefront 224,
i.e., prior to reflection from the pseudo phase-conjugate mirror
222. Further, FIG. 36B further describes a wavefront incident 224
at a retro-reflective array 222 (direction of propagation indicated
by the arrow 223 pointing towards the retro-reflective array 211),
and the wavefront after reflection 227 from the retro-reflective
array 222 (direction of propagation indicated by the arrow 228
point away from the retro-reflective array 222).
[0828] Moreover, as illustrated in FIG. 36A, segments 226 of the
wavefront 227 are phase-conjugated due to a total shift in phase
that is caused by the kind of total internal reflection occurring
for each prism apertured tetrahedral shaped retro-reflecting
element 220 (FIGS. 35, 35A, and 35B) present within the
retro-reflecting array 222, while the segments 225 of the reflected
wavefront 227 themselves generally relationally conform to the
shape of the wavefront if reflected from a conventional mirror, as
illustrated by the envelope 227, which is shown as connecting the
wavefront segments 226. Further, as such, the base of the wavefront
leads the crest of the wavefront, but only in its degree of phase
shift, which approximates a true conjugated wavefront whose base
would lead the wavefront crest 230 of the original incident
wavefront 224, i.e., prior to reflection from the retro-reflective
array 222.
[0829] More specifically, for a pseudo phase-conjugate
retro-reflecting prism apertured tetrahedral array, each prism
apertured tetrahedral retro-reflecting element 220 (FIGS. 35, 35A,
and 35B) is arranged along a substantially planar substrate.
Wherein, FIGS. 36A and 36B, both illustrate an incident wavefront
224 (direction of propagation indicated by the arrow 223 pointing
to the right toward the mirror 222) and a reflected wavefront 227
(direction of propagation indicated by the arrow 228 pointing to
the left away from the mirror 222), respectively.
[0830] Furthermore, as illustrated in FIG. 36B, the relative phases
226 of points 225 (i.e., the relative optical boundary 229 of each
finite prism apertured tetrahedral shaped retro-reflecting element
220, 221 along the incident 224 and reflected 227 wavefronts are
temporally not being distributed equally upon their reflection from
the PCM 222. Moreover, true optical phase conjugation can be
described simply as k.sub.out=-k.sub.in, which is demonstrated when
the crest of an incident wavefront 224 leads the base of an
incident wavefront 224, while the base of a reflected wavefront 230
leads the crest of a reflected wavefront 230 upon reflection from a
true phase-conjugate mirror. Contrariwise, wavefront reflection
from a conventional mirror can be described as
k.sub.in=k.sub.z{circumflex over (x)}+k.sub.yy+k.sub.z{circumflex
over (z)} and k.sub.out=k.sub.z{circumflex over
(x)}+k.sub.yy-k.sub.z{circumflex over (z)}.
[0831] Moreover, to obtain cooperative (coherent) imaging from all
prism apertured tetrahedral shaped retro-reflecting elements 220,
221 (FIGS. 35, 35A, and 35B) will require that only very small
phase shifts occur between the wavefronts 227 being reflected by
all adjacent prism apertured tetrahedral shaped retro-reflecting
elements 220, 221 (FIGS. 35, 35A, and 35B). For a linear array of N
structures illuminated by a spherical wavefront with radius R, the
relation
.DELTA. = 2 .pi. ( Nh ) 2 2 R .lamda. = 2 .pi. ( 71 )
##EQU00052##
should be satisfied for cooperative diffraction image formation
near the diffraction limit. One way to satisfy this relation is to
transform the wavefront 234 (FIG. 36A) into a plane-wave at the
entrance to the array with a collimating lens 222C (FIG. 38).
However, any quadratic phase variation across the wavefront
originating from a single object point accumulated during
free-space propagation may not satisfy the condition of Equation
(71) and hence, may have a wavefront disrupting effect following
retroreflection 227. The performance of a pseudo phase-conjugating
system may be improved by correcting for any deterministic
(quadratic) phase, which can be predetermined. Further, this is
done by inserting a collimating lens 222C (FIG. 38), which is
chosen to collimate the wavefront onto the array 222, which is
explained in detail in a latter section below.
[0832] Moreover, suffice it to say, the purpose of a concave lens
222F (FIG. 38), e.g. a wavefront spreading thermal lens, a
wavefront spreading Fresnel lens, or a smooth positive aperturing
concave lens, is to spread incoming 222D wavefronts 211B, both
transversely and laterally, until they are made sufficiently
enlarged as to be made incident upon the entire normal surface area
of the OPCLD's PCM 222. While the purpose of a convex lens 222C
(FIG. 38), e.g. wavefront collimating thermal lens, a wavefront
collimating Fresnel lens, or a wavefront collimating smooth
positive aperturing convex lens, is to collimate incoming 222D
wavefronts 222B, both transversely, and laterally until they are
made sufficiently planar-flat across the normal dimension of the
OPCLD's PCM 222. Wherein, both lens 222C, 222F are used in
combination to affect a zero length path difference .DELTA.=0 from
the object image to all adjacent prism apertured tetrahedral shaped
retro-reflecting elements 220, 221 present within the PCM, thus
eliminating the phase errors at the image.
[0833] Further, as illustrated in FIGS. 39, 39A, 39B, 40, 40A, 40B,
41, and 42, the third alternative embodiment comprises an array of
tetragon apertured tetrahedral shaped retro-reflecting corner-cube
elements 223 (FIGS. 39, 39A, and 39B). Further, as illustrated in
FIGS. 40A and 40B, for a pseudo phase-conjugate retro-reflecting
array configured PCM 226, the base of the wavefront leads the crest
of the wavefront in the reflected wavefront 233, but only by a same
phase 230 as the crest regardless it leading the base in the
incident wavefront 228, i.e., prior to reflection from the pseudo
phase-conjugate mirror 226. Further, FIG. 40B further describes a
wavefront incident 228 at a retro-reflective array 226 (direction
of propagation indicated by the arrow 227 pointing towards the
retro-reflective array 226), and the wavefront after reflection 231
from the retro-reflective array 226 (direction of propagation
indicated by the arrow 232 point away from the retro-reflective
array 226).
[0834] Moreover, as illustrated in FIG. 40A, segments 230 of the
wavefront 231 are phase-conjugated due to a total shift in phase
that is caused by three total internal reflections that occurs for
each tetragon apertured tetrahedral shaped retro-reflecting
corner-cube element 223 (FIGS. 39, 39A, and 39B) present within the
retro-reflecting array 226, while the segments 229 of the reflected
wavefront 231 themselves generally relationally conform to the
shape of the wavefront if reflected from a conventional mirror, as
illustrated by the envelope 231, which is shown as connecting the
wavefront segments 230. Further, as such, the base of the wavefront
leads the crest of the wavefront, but only in its degree of phase
shift, which approximates a true conjugated wavefront whose base
would lead the wavefront crest 233 of the original incident
wavefront 228, i.e., prior to reflection from the retro-reflective
array 226.
[0835] More specifically, for a pseudo phase-conjugate
retro-reflecting tetragon apertured tetrahedral corner-cube array,
each tetragon apertured tetrahedral retro-reflecting corner-cube
element 223 (FIGS. 39, 39A, and 35B) is arranged along a
substantially planar substrate. Wherein, FIGS. 40A and 40B, both
illustrate an incident wavefront 228 (direction of propagation
indicated by the arrow 227 pointing to the right toward the mirror
226) and a reflected wavefront 231 (direction of propagation
indicated by the arrow 232 pointing to the left away from the
mirror 226), respectively.
[0836] Furthermore, as illustrated in FIG. 40B, the relative phases
230 of points 229 (i.e., the relative optical boundary 234 of each
finite tetragon apertured tetrahedral corner-cube shaped
retro-reflecting element 223) along the incident 228 and reflected
231 wavefronts are temporally not being distributed equally upon
reflection away from the PCM 226. Moreover, true optical phase
conjugation can be described simply as k.sub.out=-k.sub.in, which
is demonstrated when the crest of an incident wavefront 228 leads
the base of an incident wavefront 228, while the base of a
reflected wavefront 231 leads the crest of a reflected wavefront
233 upon reflection from a true phase-conjugate mirror.
Contrariwise, wavefront reflection from a conventional mirror can
be described as k.sub.in=k.sub.z{circumflex over
(x)}+k.sub.yy+k.sub.z{circumflex over (z)} and
k.sub.out=k.sub.z{circumflex over (x)}+k.sub.yy-k.sub.z{circumflex
over (z)}.
[0837] Moreover, to obtain cooperative (coherent) imaging from all
adjacent tetragon apertured tetrahedral corner-cube shaped
retro-reflecting elements 223 (FIGS. 39, 39A, and 39B) will require
that only very small phase shifts occur between the wavefronts 230
being reflected by all adjacent tetragon apertured tetrahedral
corner-cube shaped retro-reflecting elements 223 (FIGS. 39, 39A,
and 39B). For a linear array of N structures illuminated by a
spherical wavefront with radius R, the relation
.DELTA. = 2 .pi. ( Nh ) 2 2 R .lamda. = 2 .pi. ( 72 )
##EQU00053##
should be satisfied for cooperative diffraction image formation
near the diffraction limit. One way to satisfy this relation is to
transform the wavefront 228 (FIG. 40A) into a plane-wave at the
entrance to the array with a collimating lens 222C (FIG. 42).
However, any quadratic phase variation across the wavefront
originating from a single object point accumulated during
free-space propagation may not satisfy the condition of Equation
(72) and hence, may have a wavefront disrupting effect following
retroreflection 231. The performance of a pseudo phase-conjugating
system may be improved by correcting for any deterministic
(quadratic) phase, which can be predetermined. Further, this is
done by inserting a collimating lens 226C (FIG. 42), which is
chosen to collimate the wavefront onto the array 226, which is
explained in detail in a latter section below.
[0838] Moreover, suffice it to say, the purpose of a concave lens
226F (FIG. 42), e.g. a wavefront spreading thermal lens, a
wavefront spreading Fresnel lens, or a smooth positive aperturing
concave lens, is to spread incoming 226D wavefronts 226B, both
transversely and laterally, until they are made sufficiently
enlarged as to be made incident upon the entire normal surface area
of the OPCLD's PCM 226. While the purpose of a convex lens 226C
(FIG. 42), e.g. wavefront collimating thermal lens, a wavefront
collimating Fresnel lens, or a wavefront collimating smooth
positive aperturing convex lens, is to collimate incoming 226D
wavefronts 226B, both transversely, and laterally until they are
made sufficiently planar-flat across the normal dimension of the
OPCLD's PCM 226. Wherein, both lens 226C, 226F are used in
combination to affect a zero length path difference .DELTA.=0 from
the object image to all adjacent tetragon apertured tetrahedral
corner-cube shaped retro-reflecting elements 223 (FIGS. 39, 39A,
and 39B) present within the PCM, thus eliminating the phase errors
at the image.
[0839] Further, as illustrated in FIGS. 43, 43A, 43B, 44, 44A, 44B,
45, and 46, the fourth alternative embodiment comprises an array of
circular apertured conical shaped retro-reflecting elements 235
(FIGS. 43, 43A, and 43B). Further, as illustrated in FIGS. 44A and
44B, for a pseudo phase-conjugate retro-reflecting array based PCM
237, the base of the wavefront leads the crest of the wavefront in
the reflected wavefront 247 in propagation, but only by a same
phase 241 as the crest regardless it leading the base in the
incident wavefront 239, i.e., prior to reflection from the pseudo
phase-conjugate mirror 237. Further, FIG. 44B further describes a
wavefront incident 239 at a retro-reflective array 237 (direction
of propagation indicated by the arrow 238 pointing towards the
retro-reflective array 237), and the wavefront after reflection 242
from the retro-reflective array 237 (direction of propagation
indicated by the arrow 243 point away from the retro-reflective
array 237).
[0840] Moreover, as illustrated in FIG. 36A, segments 226 of the
wavefront 227 are phase-conjugated due to a total shift in phase
that is caused by the kind of total internal reflection occurring
for each circular apertured conical shaped retro-reflecting element
235 (FIGS. 43, 43A, and 43B) present within the retro-reflecting
array 237, while the segments 240 of the reflected wavefront 242
themselves generally conform to the shape of the wavefront if
reflected from a conventional mirror, as illustrated by the
envelope 242, which is shown as connecting the wavefront segments
241. Further, as such, the base of the wavefront leads the crest of
the wavefront, but only in its degree of phase shift, which
approximates a true conjugated wavefront whose base would lead the
wavefront crest 247 of the original incident wavefront 239, i.e.,
prior to reflection from the retro-reflective array 237.
[0841] More specifically, for a pseudo phase-conjugate
retro-reflecting circular apertured conical shaped prism array,
each circular apertured conical shaped retro-reflecting element 235
(FIGS. 43, 43A, and 43B) is arranged along a substantially planar
substrate. Wherein, FIGS. 44A and 44B illustrate an incident
wavefront 239 (direction of propagation indicated by the arrow 238
pointing to the right toward the mirror 237) and a reflected
wavefront 242 (direction of propagation indicated by the arrow 243
pointing to the left away from the mirror 237), respectively.
[0842] Furthermore, as illustrated in FIG. 44B, the relative phases
241 of points 240 (i.e., the relative optical boundary 246 of each
finite circular apertured conical shaped retro-reflecting element
235) along the incident 239 and reflected 242 wavefronts are
temporally not being distributed equally upon their reflection away
from the PCM 237. Moreover, true optical phase conjugation can be
described simply as k.sub.out=-k.sub.in, which is demonstrated when
the crest of an incident wavefront 239 leads the base of an
incident wavefront 239, while the base of a reflected wavefront 247
leads the crest of a reflected wavefront 247 upon reflection from a
true phase-conjugate mirror. Contrariwise, wavefront reflection
from a conventional mirror can be described as
k.sub.in=k.sub.z{circumflex over (x)}+k.sub.yy+k.sub.z{circumflex
over (z)} and k.sub.out=k.sub.z{circumflex over
(x)}+k.sub.yy-k.sub.z{circumflex over (z)}.
[0843] Moreover, to obtain cooperative (coherent) imaging from all
adjacent circular apertured conical shaped retro-reflecting element
235 (FIGS. 43, 43A, and 43B) will require that only very small
phase shifts occur between the wavefronts 241 being reflected by
all adjacent circular apertured conical shaped retro-reflecting
element 235 (FIGS. 43, 43A, and 43B). For a linear array of N
structures illuminated by a spherical wavefront with radius R, the
relation
.DELTA. = 2 .pi. ( Nh ) 2 2 R .lamda. = 2 .pi. ( 73 )
##EQU00054##
[0844] should be satisfied for cooperative diffraction image
formation near the diffraction limit. One way to satisfy this
relation is to transform the wavefront 239 (FIG. 44A) into a
plane-wave at the entrance to the array with a collimating lens
237C (FIG. 46). However, any quadratic phase variation across the
wavefront originating from a single object point accumulated during
free-space propagation may not satisfy the condition of Equation
(73) and hence, may have a wavefront disrupting effect following
retroreflection 242.
[0845] Moreover, the performance of a pseudo phase-conjugating
system may be improved by correcting for any deterministic
(quadratic) phase, which can be predetermined. Further, this is
done by inserting a collimating lens 237C (FIG. 46), which is
chosen to collimate the wavefront onto the array 237, which is
explained in detail in a latter section below.
[0846] Moreover, suffice it to say, the purpose of a concave lens
237F (FIG. 46), e.g. a wavefront spreading thermal lens, a
wavefront spreading Fresnel lens, or a smooth positive aperturing
concave lens, is to spread 237E incoming 237D wavefronts 237B, both
transversely and laterally, until they are made sufficiently
enlarged as to be made incident upon the entire normal surface area
of the OPCLD's PCM 237. While the purpose of a convex lens 237C
(FIG. 46), e.g. wavefront collimating thermal lens, a wavefront
collimating Fresnel lens, or a wavefront collimating smooth
positive aperturing convex lens, is to collimate incoming 237D
wavefronts 237B, both transversely, and laterally until they are
made sufficiently planar-flat across the normal dimension of the
OPCLD's PCM 237. Wherein, both lens 237C, 237F are used in
combination to affect a zero length path difference .DELTA.=0 from
the object image to all adjacent circular apertured conical shaped
retro-reflecting element 235 (FIGS. 43, 43A, and 43B) present
within the PCM, thus eliminating the phase errors at the image.
[0847] One other alternative embodiment of the OPCLD invention
incorporates a phase locked array of the OPCLD that is illustrated
in FIGS. 19, 20, 20A, 21, and 21A as a means to achieve a single
high-power fundamental transverse spatial cavity mode
laser-emission-output (i.e., preferably TEM.sub.00). Further, FIGS.
47 through 66 illustrate in detail five different configurations of
a phase-locking PCM design. Wherein, a phased locked OPCLD array
would comprise of a multitude of lasing OPCLD elements that emit
phase locked laser-beam output that is coupled into a single far
lobe beam.
[0848] Furthermore, a phased locked array of OPCLDs would comprise
a plurality of closely coupled surface emitting laser emitters that
were altogether formed upon the same integral structure or
substrate 99 (FIG. 19). Moreover, the OPCLD's current confinement
means may be interconnected or closely spaced to a degree that the
optical mode established in each of the OPCLD's lasing cavities,
below a respective current confinement, will couple to its
neighboring optical mode; i.e., therein evanescent waves will
overlap into adjacent optical lasing cavities. Additionally, the
OPCLD's PCM 168 will provides for an phase locked array of the
optical fields as the direct result of the phase difference for all
adjacent fields always remain zero; thus, causing the lateral
radiation pattern in present within the far-field to exhibit a
much-desired single lobe laser-emission profile.
[0849] Furthermore, a foregoing explanation can be exemplified as
follows. An array of OPCLD configured laser diode elements with
N.sup.th coupled emitters has an N.sup.th number of possible
coupled modes, which are referred to herein as "supermodes." A
supermode is a cooperative lasing of the N.sup.th number of optical
emitters or filaments made to occur for the OPCLD array. Since
there is an N.sup.th number of optical emitters, there is an
N.sup.th number of possible supermodes as well.
[0850] Consequently, each supermode has the property that the
1.sup.st and the N.sup.th number supermode have the same intensity
pattern and/or envelope profile, the 2.sup.nd and the (N-1).sup.th
have the same intensity envelope, and in general, the i.sup.th and
(N-i).sup.th have the same intensity envelope profiles. The
1.sup.st or fundamental supermode has all emitters lasing in phase
with an amplitude distribution representative of half a sinusoidal
cycle. Further, this is the only supermode pattern that radiates in
the single central lobe of the far field pattern as a result of all
emitters being phase locked.
[0851] Therefore, for a uniformly spaced array of identical
emitters, the 1.sup.st and N.sup.th supermode envelopes are half a
sinusoidal period, the second and the (N-1).sup.th supermode
envelopes are two half-sinusoidal periods, etc. The phase
relationship between the individual emitters in the Nth number
supermodes differ. More specifically, for the 1.sup.st supermode,
all emitters are in phase, and for the N.sup.th supermode, the
phases alternate between zero and .pi.. Usually the 1.sup.st and
the N.sup.th number supermodes have the lowest current thresholds
as compared to all other supermodes because their intensity
envelopes do not exhibit nulls near the center of the OPCLD array
where the charge density is greater because of current spreading
and charge diffusion in the active region of same OPCLD array.
[0852] However, as previously indicated, the N.sup.th supermode,
which radiates in two lobes, has a lower current threshold of
operation than the 1.sup.st supermode. Further, phased arrays of
OPCLDs exhibit high-utility due to their high-power output. It is
preferred that power be concentrated into a single far lobe
profile; i.e., in the 1.sup.st supermode. The reason being is that
a substantial majority of laser applications require that power be
concentrated into a single lobe. Further, if lasing is experienced
in more than one lobe, measures are taken to diminish or otherwise
attempt to eliminate or block off the other operating lobes in the
far field pattern.
[0853] Moreover, this is accomplished by introducing different
geometric light reflecting structures, other than hexagon apertured
hexahedral shaped corner-cube retro-reflecting prisms, into the
OPCLD's PCM 249, 249A, 402, 402A, 252, 252A, 255, 255A, 258, 258A
(FIGS. 49B, 50, 53B, 54, 57B, 58, 61B, 62, 65B, and 66). These
different structures will exhibit different aperture sizes,
different degree of phase-shift, and different N.sup.th number of
total internal reflections.
[0854] Example number one, as illustrated in FIGS. 47, 47A, 48,
48A, 49, 49A, and 49B, uses the smaller apertured tetrahedral
corner-cube prism structure 247 (FIGS. 47, 47A, 49, 49A, and 49B)
to diminish and eliminate multiple high-order transverse spatial
cavity modes out of the previously mentioned far field pattern.
While the larger apertured hexahedral corner cube prism structure
248 (FIGS. 48, 48A, 49, 49A, and 49B) is used to increase and
introduce a single low-order fundamental transverse spatial cavity
mode into the previously mentioned far field pattern.
[0855] Example number two, as illustrated in FIGS. 51, 51A, 52,
52A, 53, 53A, and 53B, uses the smaller apertured tetrahedral
corner-cube prism structure 400 (FIGS. 51, 51A, 53, 53A, and 53B)
to diminish and eliminate multiple high-order transverse spatial
cavity modes out of the previously mentioned far field pattern.
While the larger apertured hexahedral corner cube prism structure
401 (FIGS. 52, 52A, 53, 53A, and 53B) is used to increase and
introduce a single low-order fundamental transverse spatial cavity
mode into the previously mentioned far field pattern.
[0856] Example number three, as illustrated in FIGS. 55, 55A, 56,
56A, 57, 57A, and 57B, uses the lossy tetragon apertured hexahedral
pyramid shaped retro-reflecting prism 250 (FIGS. 55, 55A, 57, 57A,
and 57B) to diminish and eliminate multiple high-order transverse
spatial cavity modes out of the previously mentioned far field
pattern. While using the low-loss hexagon apertured hexahedral
corner cube prism 251 (FIGS. 56, 56A, 57, 57A, and 57B) is used to
increase and introduce a single low-order fundamental transverse
spatial cavity mode into the previously mentioned far field
pattern.
[0857] Example number four, as illustrated in FIGS. 59, 59A, 60,
60A, 61, 61A, and 61B, uses the smaller apertured tetrahedral
corner-cube prism 253 (FIGS. 59, 59A, 61, 61A, and 61B) to diminish
and eliminate multiple high-order transverse spatial cavity modes
out of the previously mentioned far field pattern. While using the
larger apertured hexahedral corner cube prism 254 (FIGS. 60, 60A,
61, 61A, and 61B) to increase and introduce a single low-order
fundamental transverse spatial cavity mode into the previously
mentioned far field pattern.
[0858] Example number five, as illustrated in FIGS. 63, 63A, 64,
64A, 65, 65A, and 65B, uses the tetragon apertured tetrahedral
retro-reflecting corner-cube prism 256 (FIGS. 63, 63A, 65, 65A, and
65B) to diminish and eliminate multiple high-order transverse
spatial cavity modes out of the previously mentioned far field
pattern. While using the hexagon apertured hexahedral
retro-reflecting corner cube prism 256 (FIGS. 64, 64A, 65, 65A, and
65B) is used to increase and introduce a single low-order
fundamental transverse spatial cavity mode into the previously
mentioned far field pattern.
[0859] Furthermore, phase-locked OPCLD arrays, such as the one just
described, present several unique applications. If the laser
structures are phase locked with non-zero phase differences, the
far-field intensity will assume a multi-lobed or at least off-axis
pattern with the details of the patterns depending on the number of
structures and the relative phase differences between each
structure. If, however, the phase differences are controlled, then
the intensity pattern can be controlled.
[0860] Fortuitously, two-dimensional phased locked arrays of
OPCLDs, because they use a PCM solve a major flaw, which due to the
phase perturbation contributed by spontaneous emission, the phase
difference exhibited by adjacent laser diode regions do not always
equal zero, and the laser-emission-output for the majority of laser
diodes comprising the array is out of phase (i.e., not phased
locked) causing multiple lobes to appear in the far field pattern
of a coupled laser-emission-output (i.e., a far field version of a
multimode high-order transverse cavity mode intensity pattern).
[0861] Moreover, resulting in a high degree of signal noise, which
has keep these semiconductor laser diodes from being used in
high-value applications; e.g., applications such as
Telecommunications, Datacom, and the convergent "Passive Optical
Networks" (PONs).
[0862] However, because the OPCLD has a PCM configured PCR it can
neutralize the phase perturbation contributed by spontaneous
emission, and consequently can always provide for a zero phase
difference between the adjacent laser diode regions. Which in turn
provides for the injection of coupled low-order fundamental
transverse spatial cavity mode laser-emission-output into a
high-power single lobe far field pattern.
OPERATION OF THE INVENTION
Additional Embodiment--FIGS. 66A, 66B, and 66C
[0863] In addition, a retro-reflecting corner-cube array will
function as a true phase-conjugator if the incident wavefront is
made .ident.flat across each retro-reflecting element used in the
array. This criteria can be accomplished when every
retro-reflecting element within the array is constructed to have an
aperture dimension size that is .ltoreq.than the material
wavelength .lamda. of desired emission. Consequently, corner-cube
aperture sizes being .ltoreq.the .lamda. of desired emission brings
with it a diffractive broadening of subwavelength-sized beams.
[0864] However, as will be shown in the following section, the
diffractive broadening of subwavelength sized laser beams can be
completely avoided by using an approach already inherent in the
OPCLD invention. Further, because diffraction is one of the
fundamental laws of optical physics it affects all classical and
quantum mechanical fields without exception. However, it is
impossible in quantum mechanics to define at a given time both the
position of a matter wave-packet and its direction to an arbitrary
degree of accuracy. Because of the diffraction phenomenon, light
spreads out in all directions after passing a slit smaller than its
wavelength. The harder one tries to decrease the beam transverse
dimension by narrowing the slit, the more it broadens out.
[0865] Similarly, the beam width dramatically increases with
increasing the distance from the slit. Thus, the diffraction
imposes a fundamental limit on the transverse dimension of a beam
at a given distance from an aperture and consequently limits the
resolution capabilities and makes harder the position requirements
of subwavelength-beam optical devices, such as "Near-field Scanning
Optical Microscopes" (NSOM) and spectroscopes. Further,
subwavelength sized beams propagating without diffractive
broadening can be produced in free space via the constructive
interference of multiple beams coming from a Fresnel source of a
respective high-refraction index waveguide.
[0866] Moreover, the results theoretically demonstrate the
feasibility of completely diffraction-free subwavelength beam
optics, for both continuous waves and ultra-short pulses. Further,
the approach involves a recently established relation between
totally internal reflection waveguides and free-space optics.
However, these areas of optics are usually considered independent
of each other, regardless, it has been shown that fields confined
by a high-refractive-index waveguide whose width exceeds the
wavelength .lamda., can be reproduced in free space by a Fresnel
source of the waveguide.
[0867] Furthermore, the concept of a Fresnel waveguide source of a
diffraction-free beam is quite simple, and is mathematically
demonstrated below for a plane-parallel waveguide having wall/air
boundaries exhibiting total internal reflection. In the approach,
the boundaries of the waveguide are replaced by virtual sources.
Wherein, a diffraction free beam E'(x', z, t) confined by the
waveguide is supported in free space at points (x', z) by the
constructive interference of multiple beams E'.sub.n(x', z, t) of a
Fresnel source of the waveguide
E x z , t ) = a .degree. M n = - M E n ( x z , t ) ( 74 )
##EQU00055##
[0868] where the number 2M+1 of the beams E'.sub.n(x', z, t)
depends on their widths at the distance z from the source; n=,
.+-.1, .+-.2, .+-.M; z>0, and |x'|<a. The beam E'.sub.n(x',
z, t) is emerged from the n-th zone of the Fresnel source having
the field distribution
E.sub.n(x,0,t)=E.sub.0(x.sub.n,0,t)exp(i.pi.n) (75)
[0869] which is obtained by the periodic (x.sub.n=x.+-.2na)
translation of the field E.sub.0(x, 0, t) and the .pi.n-change of
its phase; E.sub.0(x, 0, t) is the field at the input aperture; z=0
and |x|<a. Thus, the Fresnel-waveguide
a .degree. M n = - M E n x z , t ) ( 76 ) ##EQU00056##
[0870] is constructed by the periodic translation and the
phase-change of the beam E.sub.0(x, 0, t) emerged from the
waveguide aperture.
[0871] Moreover, the above-described approach, which was originally
developed by using the Helmholtz-Kirchhoff integral theorem, fails
when the waveguide width is close to the wavelength .lamda..
Regardless, the approach described above still provides for a
solution to the problem subwavelength waveguides. Wherein, the
Fresnel waveguide E'(x', z, t) was constructed by the translation
of the single beam E'.sub.0(x', z, t) and the periodical change of
its phase. The single beam E'.sub.0(x', z, t) is formatted by
transmission of a plane monochromatic wave through a subwavelength
waveguide (i.e., a thick slit aperture) with perfectly conducting
walls, see FIG. 66B.
[0872] Furthermore, the equations presented above clearly show that
a subwavelength-sized laser-beam can be made to propagate without
suffering from diffractive broadening, and can be produced in free
space via the constructive interference that occurs between the
multiple beams of a Fresnel source of the respective
high-refraction index waveguide. Therefore, if we selective etch,
using grey-scale masking and lithography, a diffraction grating, or
multiple diffraction gratings 404 (FIG. 66A), into the input side
of the PCM comprised substrate layer 405 of the OPCLD, we can
provide for the constructive interference of all incoming
wavefronts 407 (FIG. 66C), which as a result of the constructive
interference is also redirected into the phase-conjugating
corner-cube array configured PCM 405 (FIG. 66C) of the OPCLD.
Consequently, this will effectively transform the OPCLD's PCM into
a phase-conjugating Fresnel waveguide source 405 capable of undoing
all diffraction loss that occurred for incoming wavefronts that
underwent constructive interference at the diffraction grating,
while providing for a perturbation neutralizing true
phase-conjugated retro-reflection of the input wavefront that is
also completely diffraction free regardless its subwavelength
propagation.
CONCLUSIONS, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE
[0873] Although my OPCLD invention has been described in detail
with references to specific embodiments, various modifications can
be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For
example, in order to increase the energy, while decreasing the
wavelength per-photon of emitted light, the active-region 161 (FIG.
19) could contain `Phosphorus` in an amount that will form a
lattice-matched quaternary material such, as
"Aluminum-Gallium-Arsenic-Phosphide" (AlGaAsP), while another
option could be that an OPCLD's quarter-wave mirror stack assembly
165 (FIG. 19) could be comprised of alternating layers of binary
material such as "Aluminum-Arsenide" (AlAs) and/or
"Indium-Gallium-Phosphide" (InGaP).
[0874] Whereby, the choice between one semiconductor and/or optical
material over another for use in constructing the quarter-wave
mirror stack assembly 165 (FIG. 19) used by the OPCLD is frequency
determined rather than structurally determined. Further, the
various semiconductor and optical materials, along with their
distribution sizes are wavelength specific and interchangeable
within this design; moreover, clearly indicating that the OPCLD
design exhibits novelty that is independent of any one particular
kind of material or process that could or might be used in the
construction of the OPCLD invention.
[0875] Moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the
embodiments herein can be made subject to numerous adaptations and
modifications without departing from the scope and spirit of the
invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that, within the scope
and spirit of the invention, the invention may be practiced other
than as specifically described above. In particular, the invention
is to be interpreted in accordance with the appended claims, and
equivalents thereof, without limitations being read from the
specification above.
* * * * *