Xerox Corporation

Research Investment Network, Inc.

Other

Siros Technologies, Inc.

Sdl Inc.

Robert L Thornton

Thomas L Paoli

Robert D Burnham

Douglas G Stinson

David P Bour

Kevin J Beernink

Christopher L Chua

David W Treat

Roger K Malmhall

David Kirtland Fork

Ross D Bringans

G A Connell

Robert Arthur Sprague

Mathew C Bashaw

Eric Peeters

Joel A Kubby

Patrick Yasuo Maeda

Decai Sun

Philip D Floyd

Matthew Charles Bashaw

Jack A Walker

Fernando A Ponce

Xiaolei Shi

Kris A Winer

David F Welch

Donald R Scifres

Robert Anthony Street

Noble Marshall Johnson

Raj B Apte

Lambertus Hesselink

Robert G Waarts

Douglas N Curry

David L Hecht

Michael V Morelli

Donald Leonard Smith

Tuan Anh Vo

Henry W Sang, Jr

Jackson H Ho

Jo S Major

Ronald T Fulks

Robert P Kowalski

G A Neville Connell

David L Steinmetz

Feixia Pan

Leonard A Parker

Mark S Bernstein

Neville Connell

David E Kizer

Doanld R Scifres

Roger F Malmh&auml;ll

Koenraad Van Schuylenbergh

Robert M Elkow

Patrick D O'Rourke

A hybrid laser comprising a semiconductor pump laser and small-cavity rare earth fiber laser where laser cavities of both lasers are butt coupled or otherwise optically coupled to form a plurality of laser cavities that produce a plurality of emission wavelengths, one which may be the pump laser emission wavelength at the output of the fiber laser thereby forming a multi-wavelength combined output. The wavelengths in such an output may substantially match distinguishing spectral characteristic features along at least a portion of a characteristic optical spectrum of the analyte under examination providing a method of determining the concentration of an analyte in a specimen undergoing examination.

Method for measurement of analyte concentrations and semiconductor laser-pumped, small-cavity fiber lasers for such measurements and other applications

Highly compact vertical cavity surface emitting laser structures formed by a lateral oxidation process are provided. Specifically, well-controlled oxidized regions bound and define the aperture of a laser structure in a current controlling oxidation layer, wherein the aperture comprises a conductive region in the oxidation layer. These oxidized regions are formed by the use of a pre-defined bounding pattern of cavities etched in the laser structure, which allow the embedded oxidation layer to be oxidized, and which results in a highly reproducible and manufacturable process.

Laterally oxidized vertical cavity surface emitting lasers

A near field optical apparatus comprising a conductive sheet or plane having an aperture therein with the conductive plane including at least one protrusion which extends into the aperture. The location, structure and configuration of the protrusion or protrusions can be controlled to provide desired near field localization of optical power output associated with the aperture. Preferably, the location, structure and configuration of the protrusion are tailored to maximize near field localization at generally the center of the aperture. The aperture preferably has a perimeter dimension which is substantially resonant with the output wavelength of the light source, or is otherwise able to support a standing wave of significant amplitude. The apparatus may be embodied in a vertical cavity surface emitting layer or VCSEL having enhanced nearfield brightness by providing a conductive layer on the laser emission facet, with, a protrusion of the conductive layer extending into an aperture in the emission facet. The aperture in the emission facet preferably has dimensions smaller than the guide mode of the laser, and the aperture preferably defines different regions of reflectivity under the emission facet. The depth of the aperture can be etched to provide a particular target loss, and results in higher optical power extraction from the emission facet.

Near field optical apparatus

A single monolithic semiconductor substrate comprises a first side and a second side. The first side includes an air bearing surface. A laser integrates with the first side. The laser has an emission facet substantially co-planer with the air bearing surface. A contact pad on the second side electronically bridges to the laser.

Semiconductor laser and associated drive circuit substrate

An optical spectroscopy apparatus determines the concentration of analyte in a specimen that utilizes a single radiation source which is hybrid laser comprising a semiconductor pump laser and small-cavity rare earth fiber laser where laser cavities of both lasers are butt coupled or otherwise optically coupled to form a plurality of laser cavities that produce a plurality of emission wavelengths, one which may be the pump laser emission wavelength at the output of the fiber laser thereby forming a multi-wavelength combined output where the wavelengths substantially match distinguishing spectral characteristic features along at least a portion of a characteristic optical spectrum of the analyte under examination.

Optical spectroscopy apparatus and method for measurement of analyte concentrations or other such species in a specimen employing a semiconductor laser-pumped, small-cavity fiber laser

A method of establishing the properties of a three-mirror laser, where the properties are the three mirror reflectivities and the two cavity lengths (i.e., the separations between the mirrors). Initially, a conventional two-mirror laser is designed, providing values for a laser cavity length and for power reflectivities of a high reflectance mirror and an effective mirror. Then, the effective mirror is replaced by a pair of mirrors with a separation equal to an external cavity length, and reflectivities that may be varied in tandem so that when the reflections from the pair of mirrors are in phase, the combined power reflectivity of the pair of mirrors is equal to that of the effective mirror. A quantity &#x393; is defined to measure the relative shift in power reflectivity between the pair of mirrors. &#x393; is varied over all its possible values, and various criteria are evaluated with respect to &#x393;.

Feedback enhanced laser

The polarization instability inherent in laterally-oxidized VCSELs may be mitigated by employing an appropriately-shaped device aperture, a misoriented substrate, one or more cavities or employing the shaped device aperture together with a misoriented substrate and/or cavities. The laterally-oxidized VCSELs are able to operate in a single polarization mode throughout the entire light output power versus intensity curve. Combining the use of misoriented substrates with a device design that has an asymmetric aperture that reinforces the polarization mode favored by the substrate further improves polarization selectivity. Other device designs, however, can also be combined with substrate misorientation to strengthen polarization selectivity.

Method and structure for eliminating polarization instability in laterally&#x2014;oxidized VCSELs

A near-field optical apparatus having one or more solid state lasers and an aerodynamically shaped slider which comprise a single integrated, monolithic device fabricated from the same base semiconductor material. The monolithic optical head can be quickly and easily attached to the read arm of an optical read/write device without requiring attachment of separate laser elements, and without micropositioning or use of optical microscopy for positioning the lasers. The optical head comprising a single semiconductor substrate including a first region which defines a slider having an air bearing surface, and at least one second, laser region which defines a diode laser, with the diode laser having an emission face which is substantially co-planar with the air bearing surface. The semiconductor substrate preferably includes an active layer, a p-clad layer or reflective layer adjacent a first side of the active region, an n-clad layer or reflective layer adjacent a second side of the active layer, and an n-semiconductor layer adjacent the n-clad layer. A slider region of the semiconductor substrate includes an air bearing surface, adjacent the p-clad layer, which is aerodynamically structured and configured to define a slider. The integral lasers include a p-electrical contact adjacent to the p-clad layer and proximate to the laser emission face, and an n-electrical contact adjacent to the n-clad layer or an n-semiconductor layer. The laser mode is defined by oxidized or ion-diffusion regions associated with the p-clad layer or n-clad layer of the laser. A conductive via through the substrate allows electrical connection with the p-side contact to be achieved from the n-side of the substrate. The optical head is used in a near-field optical system with an optical medium having a phase change layer.

Near-field optical head system with integrated slider and laser

A near field optical apparatus comprising a conductive sheet or plane having an aperture therein, with the conductive plane including at least one protrusion which extends into the aperture. The location, structure and configuration of the protrusion or protrusions can be controlled to provide desired near field localization of optical power output associated with the aperture. Preferably, the location, structure and configuration of the protrusion are tailored to maximize near field localization at generally the center of the aperture. The aperture preferably has a perimeter dimension which is substantially resonant with the output wavelength of the light source, or is otherwise able to support a standing wave of significant amplitude. The apparatus may be embodied in a vertical cavity surface emitting layer or VCSEL having enhanced nearfield brightness by providing a conductive layer on the laser emission facet, with a protrusion of the conductive layer extending into an aperture in the emission facet. The aperture in the emission facet preferably has dimensions smaller than the guide mode of the laser, and the aperture preferably defines different regions of reflectivity under the emission facet. The depth of the aperture can be etched to provide a particular target loss, and results in higher optical power extraction from the emission facet.

A near-field optical system having one or more solid state lasers and an aerodynamically shaped slider which comprise a single integrated, monolithic device fabricated from the same base semiconductor material. The monolithic optical head can be quickly and easily attached to the read arm of an optical read/write device without requiring attachment of separate laser elements, and without micropositioning or use of optical microscopy for positioning the lasers. The optical head comprising a single semiconductor substrate including a first region which defines a slider having an air bearing surface, and at least one second, laser region which defines a diode laser, with the diode laser having an emission face which is substantially co-planar with the air bearing surface. The semiconductor substrate preferably includes an active layer, a p-clad layer or reflective layer adjacent a first side of the active region, an n-clad layer or reflective layer adjacent a second side of the active layer, and an n-semiconductor layer adjacent the n-clad layer. A slider region of the semiconductor substrate includes an air bearing surface, adjacent the p-clad layer, which is aerodynamically structured and configured to define a slider. The integral lasers include a p-electrical contact adjacent to the p-clad layer and proximate to the laser emission face, and an n-electrical contact adjacent to the n-clad layer or an n-semiconductor layer. The laser mode is defined by oxidized or ion-diffusion regions associated with the p-clad layer or n-clad layer of the laser. A conductive via through the substrate allows electrical connection with the p-side contact to be achieved from the n-side of the substrate. The optical head is used in a near-field optical system with an optical medium having a phase change layer.

A semiconductor laser, such as a vertical cavity, surface emitting laser (VCSEL) is coupled to an optical fiber. The other end of the optical fiber has a reflector, so as to provide a fiber-extended cavity for the VCSEL. Such a construction is useful for providing modal stability to the VCSEL or for forming a mode-locked VCSEL. The optical fiber may be a graded index fiber. In such a case, the fiber length may be selected to have an integral number of quarter pitch lengths. The fiber may be doped with an excitable species and lies within a fiber laser cavity. A semiconductor laser may pump the fiber laser, yielding an emission wavelength beyond the scope of the conventional semiconductor laser.

Fiber extended, semiconductor laser

A near-field optical system having one or more solid state lasers and an aerodynamically shaped slider which comprise a single integrated, monolithic device fabricated from the same base semiconductor material. The monolithic optical head can be quickly and easily attached to the read arm of an optical read/write device without requiring attachment of separate laser elements, and without micropositioning or use of optical microscopy for positioning the lasers. The optical head comprising a single semiconductor substrate including a first region which defines a slider having an air bearing surface, and at least one second, laser region which defines a diode laser, with the diode laser having an emission face which is substantially co-planar with the air bearing surface. A slider region of the semiconductor substrate includes an air bearing surface, adjacent the p-clad layer, which is aerodynamically structured and configured to define a slider. The integral lasers include a p-electrical contact and an n-electrical contact which are electrically accessible from one side of the laser, which allows the laser to be used directly with a drive circuit substrate.

A control system architecture that allows a semiconductor laser to be stabilized with respect to critical parameters, such as output power and/or emission wavelength, with a reduced cost with respect to the components required to implement control, while simultaneously maintaining or increasing precision of the control function. This is achieved using sophisticated integrated circuitry contained within the laser package to measure data related to multiple laser operation parameters and to transmit these parameters to a control circuit. In particular, precision thermal measurements may be used to eliminate the need for optical detectors in the laser package. The invention described herein has significant utility for different types of semiconductor lasers, including both edge emitting and VCSEL-type semiconductor lasers.

Control system for a semiconductor laser

A hybrid magnetic-optical head apparatus wherein one or more solid state lasers, magnetic field biasing elements, magnetic sensing elements, and an aerodynamically shaped slider comprise a single integrated, monolithic device fabricated from the same base semiconductor material into an optical head. The monolithic optical head can be quickly and easily attached to the read arm of an optical read/write device without requiring attachment of separate laser and magnetic elements, and without micropositioning or use of optical microscopy for positioning the lasers or magnetic elements. The hybrid magnetic-optical head apparatus includes a magnetic-optical function region having a semiconductor laser and at least one magnetic element. Preferably, the magnetic-optical function region of the substrate includes a magnetic field biasing element associated with the semiconductor laser, as well as a magnetic sensing element. The slider portion of the magnetic optical head preferably includes an aerodynamically shaped air cavity as well as an air bearing surface, with the emission face of the laser preferably is substantially co-planar with the air bearing surface. The magnetic-optical function region may be configured for magnetically assisted thermal recording wherein writing is carried out primarily by laser power modulation to selectively heat portions of a medium, together with assistance of an applied magnetic field to establish a preferred direction of magnetization pattern in the medium. The magnetic-optical function region may alternatively be configured for thermally assisted magnetic writing wherein writing is carried out primarily by modulation of magnetic field, together with assistance of a laser which heats the medium to reduce the medium coercivity and thereby assist in the magnetic recording.

Near-field hybrid magnetic-optical head system

Growing community of inventors

Los Altos, CA, United States of America

Robert L Thornton