Claims
- 1. A laser diode system, comprising:
a cavity having a reflector at both ends; an active layer, comprising a gain region and an outcoupling region, said active region being located between said reflectors; wherein said active region has quantum wells, said wells being thicker in said gain region than in other regions.
- 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the thickness of said quantum wells is controlled by selective growth of epitaxial material.
- 3. The system of claim 1, wherein said outcoupling region comprises an outcoupling grating which couples light out normal to the surface of said grating.
- 4. The system of claim 1, wherein said outcoupling region has a layer of material which reflects outcoupled light down through the bottom of said laser system.
- 5. A laser diode system, comprising:
a cavity having an active layer and reflectors at both ends; gain regions within said active layer and between said reflectors; an outcoupling aperture located between said reflectors; wherein said active region has quantum wells therein, said quantum wells formed by differing thicknesses of epitaxial semiconductor material; wherein said active layer comprises regions of different quantum well thickness such that there is a higher photon transition energy required outside said gain regions than inside said gain regions.
- 6. The system of claim 5, wherein the thickness of said quantum wells is controlled by selective growth of epitaxial material.
- 7. The system of claim 5, wherein said outcoupling aperture comprises a grating which couples light out at an angle other than the normal to the surface.
- 8. The system of claim 5, wherein at least one of said gain regions is used to modulate the light emitted from the laser system.
- 9. A laser diode system, comprising:
a cavity having an active layer and reflectors at both ends; gain regions and an outcoupling aperture between said reflectors; wherein the required photon transition energy is lower at said gain regions than in the rest of said cavity.
- 10. The system of claim 9, wherein said outcoupling aperture comprises a grating which couples light out normal to the surface.
- 11. The system of claim 9, wherein one section of said gain region is pumped separately from the rest of said gain region.
- 12. The system of claim 9, wherein said outcoupling aperture comprises a holographic optical element.
- 13. A laser diode system, comprising:
a cavity having an active layer and reflecting regions at both ends; gain regions and an outcoupling aperture between said reflectors; wherein there is a larger bandgap in the active layer outside said gain regions than inside said gain regions.
- 14. The system of claim 13, wherein said reflecting regions comprise distributed Bragg reflectors, said reflectors having strength which varies in a direction perpendicular to said cavity.
- 15. The system of claim 13, wherein said outcoupling aperture comprises a layer of material which reflects light downward through the bottom of said cavity.
- 16. The system of claim 13, wherein said gain region has multiple contacts, at least one of which is used to modulate light emitted from said system.
- 17. A laser diode system, comprising:
a cavity having an active layer and reflecting regions at both ends; one or more gain regions between said reflecting regions; an outcoupling region between said reflecting regions; wherein said active region comprises quantum wells, said wells being thinner in said reflecting regions than in said one or more gain regions.
- 18. The system of claim 17, wherein the thickness of said quantum wells is controlled by selective growth of epitaxial material.
- 19. The system of claim 17, wherein one of said gain regions has multiple contacts, one of which is used to modulate the light emitted by said laser system.
- 20. The system of claim 17, wherein at least one of said reflecting regions is a distributed Bragg reflector.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO OTHER APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority from 60/200,603 Filed Apr. 28, 2000; 60/200,454 Filed Apr. 28, 2000; 60/209,822 Filed Jun. 6, 2000; 60/230,534 Filed Sep. 1, 2000; and 60/235,090 Filed Sep. 25, 2000, filed Apr. 28, 2000, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Provisional Applications (5)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60200603 |
Apr 2000 |
US |
|
60200454 |
Apr 2000 |
US |
|
60209822 |
Jun 2000 |
US |
|
60230534 |
Sep 2000 |
US |
|
60235090 |
Sep 2000 |
US |