Claims
- 1. A semiconductor optical device comprising:
a transverse Bragg resonance waveguide comprised in turn of a waveguiding channel, and on at least two opposing sides of the channel two periodic index media; and means for providing gain in the periodic index media.
- 2. The semiconductor optical device of claim 1 where the device is included within a laser.
- 3. The semiconductor optical device of claim 1 where the device is included within an amplifier.
- 4. The semiconductor optical device of claim 1 where the device is included within an oscillator.
- 5. The semiconductor optical device of claim 1 where the waveguiding channel is planar and is sandwiched on two opposing sides by the periodic index media.
- 6. The semiconductor optical device of claim 1 where the waveguiding channel is cylindrical and is surrounded by the periodic index media.
- 7. The semiconductor optical device of claim 1 where the means for providing gain in the periodic index media is electrical.
- 8. The semiconductor optical device of claim 1 where the means for providing gain in the periodic index media is optical.
- 9. The semiconductor optical device of claim 1 where the periodic index media comprises a periodic lattice of regions having an index of refraction distinct from the channel.
- 10. The semiconductor optical device of claim 9 where the periodic lattice comprises an array of transverse holes defined in a planar semiconductor substrate in which the channel is also defined.
- 11. The semiconductor optical device of claim 9 where the periodic lattice comprises an array of longitudinal holes defined in a cylindrical semiconductor fiber in which the channel is also longitudinally defined.
- 12. A method of operating a semiconductor optical device comprising:
propagating a light wave within a transverse Bragg resonance waveguide comprised of a waveguiding channel, and on at least two opposing sides of the channel two periodic index media; and providing gain in the periodic index media while propagating the light wave.
- 13. The method of claim 12 where propagating a light wave is performed within a laser.
- 14. The method of claim 12 where propagating a light wave is performed within an amplifier.
- 15. The method of claim 12 where propagating a light wave is performed within an oscillator.
- 16. A method of providing an active transverse Bragg resonance waveguide comprising fabricating a planar waveguiding channel and sandwiching the planar waveguiding channel on two opposing sides by a periodic index media, and providing gain to the periodic index media.
- 17. A method of providing an active transverse Bragg resonance waveguide comprising fabricating a cylindrical waveguiding channel and surrounding the cylindrical waveguiding channel by a periodic index media, and providing gain to the periodic index media.
- 18. The method of claim 12 where providing gain in the periodic index media comprises electrically pumping the periodic index media.
- 19. The method of claim 12 where providing gain in the periodic index media comprises optically pumping the periodic index media.
- 20. The method of claim 12 where propagating a light wave comprises propagating a light wave at a detuned frequency given by k0=(1+v) π/b where k0 is the modal wave number of the propagated light, v is the frequency, and b is the transverse periodicity of the periodic index media.
- 21. The method of claim 12 where the semiconductor optical device is operated in a mode which has a gain enhancement, η, due to an increase of a gain constant, βI, of the propagating wave over the gain constant of a bulk dielectric and a substantial electric field content outside the channel leading to a larger modal cross-sectional area, and higher output power.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is related to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/442,490 filed on Jan. 24, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference and to which priority is claimed pursuant to 35 USC 119.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60442490 |
Jan 2003 |
US |