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:
Feb. 12, 2008
Filed:
Apr. 20, 2004
Edward F. Stephens, Iv, Dittmer, MO (US);
Joseph L. Levy, Creve Coeur, MO (US);
John S. Whiteley, Maryland Heights, MO (US);
Edward F. Stephens, IV, Dittmer, MO (US);
Joseph L. Levy, Creve Coeur, MO (US);
John S. Whiteley, Maryland Heights, MO (US);
Northrop Grumman Space & Missions Systems Corporation, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Abstract
A laser diode package () according to the present invention is tolerant of short-circuit and open-circuit failures. The laser diode package () includes a laser diode bar (), a forward-biased diode (), a heat sink (), and a lid () which may have fusible links (). The laser diode bar () and the forward-biased diode () are electrically connected in parallel between the heat sink () and the lid (). The emitting region of the laser diode bar () is aligned to emit radiation away from the forward-biased diode (). Several packages can be stacked together to form a laser diode array (). The forward-biased diode () allows current to pass through it when an open-circuit failure has occurred in the corresponding laser diode bar (), thus preventing an open-circuit failure from completely disabling the array (). The fusible links (), if used on the lid (), prevent damaged active regions () in a laser diode bar () from short-circuiting and drawing more electrical current than the other active regions ().