Mid-infrared vertical cavity laser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11289876-B2
Application number	US-202016924969-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 9, 2020
Priority date	Jul 17, 2017
Publication date	Mar 29, 2022
Grant date	Mar 29, 2022

Abstract

Disclosed is an optically pumped vertical cavity laser structure operating in the mid-infrared region, which has demonstrated room-temperature continuous wave operation. This structure uses a periodic gain active region with type I quantum wells comprised of InGaAsSb, and barrier/cladding regions which provide strong hole confinement and substantial pump absorption. A preferred embodiment includes at least one wafer bonded GaAs-based mirror. Several preferred embodiments also include means for wavelength tuning of mid-IR VCLs as disclosed, including a MEMS-tuning element. This document also includes systems for optical spectroscopy using the VCL as disclosed, including systems for detection concentrations of industrial and environmentally important gases.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vertical cavity laser (VCL) optically pumped with a pump source at a pump wavelength and providing VCL emission at an emission wavelength, said VCL comprising:
a first mirror,
a second mirror, and
a periodic gain active region,
wherein said periodic gain active region comprises at least two type I quantum wells containing Indium, Arsenic, and Antimony, said active region further comprising a GaSb barrier region adjacent to said type I quantum wells,
wherein said active region further comprises a barrier region adjacent to said type I quantum wells which is absorbing at said pump wavelength, and a hole-blocking cladding region adjacent to said barrier region, which is substantially transparent at said pump wavelength;
wherein said emission wavelength is in a range of about 3-5 um; and
wherein at least one of said first and second mirrors is a wafer-bonded mirror joined to said periodic gain active region at a wafer bonded interface, and comprises Al(x)Ga(1-x)As, with 0≤x≤1, wherein said Al(x)Ga(1−x)As is grown on a GaAs substrate.

2. The VCL of claim 1 , wherein said pump wavelength is substantially less than a bandgap wavelength of GaSb.

3. An optically pumped vertical cavity laser (VCL) optically pumped with a pump source at a pump wavelength and providing VCL emission at an emission wavelength, said VCL comprising:
a first mirror,
a second mirror, and
a periodic gain active region,
wherein said periodic gain active region comprises at least two type I quantum wells containing Indium, Arsenic, and Antimony, and at least one of said first and second mirrors comprises GaAs,
wherein said active region further comprises a barrier region adjacent to said type I quantum wells which is absorbing at said pump wavelength, and a hole-blocking cladding region adjacent to said barrier region, which is substantially transparent at said pump wavelength;
wherein said emission wavelength is in a range of about 3-5 um; and
wherein at least one of said first and second mirrors is a wafer-bonded mirror joined to said periodic gain active region at a wafer bonded interface, and comprises Al(x)Ga(1-x)As, with 0≤x≤1, wherein said Al(x)Ga(1−x)As is grown on a GaAs substrate.

Assignees

• Thorlabs Inc
• Praevium Res Inc

Inventors

• Jayaraman Vijaysekhar
• Lascola Kevin
• Segal Stephen
• Towner Fredrick
• Cable Alex

Classifications

• H01S5/18366

  Membrane DBR, i.e. a movable DBR on top of the VCSEL · CPC title

• H01S5/18377

  comprising layers of different kind of materials, e.g. combinations of semiconducting with dielectric or metallic layers · CPC title

• H01S5/1838

  Reflector bonded by wafer fusion or by an intermediate compound · CPC title

• H01S5/041 Primary

  Optical pumping · CPC title

• H01S5/18358

  containing spacer layers to adjust the phase of the light wave in the cavity · CPC title