The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 08, 2025
Filed:
Apr. 25, 2022
National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, Llc, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Erik J. Skogen, Tijeras, NM (US);
National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Abstract
A semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) with a variable optical confinement factor I' along the length of the device is disclosed. At the input end of the SOA, the optical confinement is high as an optical core is adjacent an optical gain layer, resulting in a high-gain region that rapidly increases the optical signal power. In the central portion of the SOA, the optical confinement is continuously reduced as the optical core is tapered away from the optical gain layer, thereby lowering the gain, but increasing the output saturation power. Near the output end of the SOA, the optical confinement factor is held constant, providing a length of additional gain, thereby further increasing the output power. The SOA may optionally include a spot-size converter region to focus the output optical signal.