United States of America As Represented by the Secretary of the Air Force

James S Kimmet

Paul David Swanson

Michael A Parker

Chung L Tang

Douglas Bourne Shire

Stuart I Libby

Richard J Michalak

The Vertical-cavity-surface-emitting Lasers with Optical Gain Control (V-LOGIC) form a family of integrated optical smart pixels for interconnect and signal processing applications. V-LOGIC devices consist of Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VCSELs) and In-Plane Lasers. (IPL) with cross-coupled cavities. The devices can operate in a digital, an analog or a hybrid mode. The IPLs either fully quench or modulate the VCSEL depending on whether the device is used in the digital or analog mode. In the Hybrid mode, one IPL serves as an enable input while another one modulates the VCSEL. The V-LOGIC devices can operate significantly faster than modulated lasers since, for the quenching phenomena, (1) the VCSEL carrier population is essentially constant and (2) the quenching is all-optical and does not require intermediate drive electronics. The family of devices solve the leading outstanding problems in optical switching and interconnect technologies. In particular, they form the basis for multiplanar optical signal processors, N.times.M optical routers, ATM and packet switching fabrics, and multi-chip modules.

Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers with optical gain control

Configurable Optical Gates (COGs) are used to transmit and receive optical signals similar to an interconnect device as well as perform a logic function on those signals (they are smart pixels). COGs consist of a laser with an intracavity modulator, an integrated current source and one or more integrated photodetectors to drive the modulators. The devices are monolithically integrated on MultiQuantum Well (MQW) heterostructure. Certain logic functions require that the bottom N- contact which is under individual devices be accessible and electrically isolated from neighboring devices. For this reason, the laser heterostructure is grown on a semi-insulating substrate. Each COG has a built-in light baffle that prevents the laser emission from coupling into the photodetectors. The optical detection of the COG can be disabled during fabrication and the device can be directly modulated by conventional electronics.

Apparatus using diode laser logic to form a configurable optical gate

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James S Kimmet