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Tunable Vertical Cavity Laser

Technology Benefits

The new UC technology provides the following benefits: Eliminates fundamental limits to the wavelength range, except for those imposed by chromatic dispersion of the collimating optics, and in the case of optically-pumped VCSEL elements, the chosen pump wavelength; The pump laser can be separately optimized for high-power emission and reliability, and its excess heat can be located remotely from the 2-D VCSEL array; A movable mirror allows separate optimization of the VCSEL and mirror performance since the movable mirror is not part of the optical cavity of the VCSEL; Multiple, individually addressable and optimized VCSEL elements can be coupled into a common fiber.

Technology Application

This new UC invention has several applications, such as: fiber optic networks; instrumentation lasers; optical spectroscopy.

Detailed Technology Description

Scientists at the University of California have developed a novel tunable Vertical-Cavity Tunable laser by using a two-dimensional (2-D) array of variable wavelength VCSELs.

Supplementary Information

Patent Number: US6980572B2
Application Number: US2003446980A
Inventor: Geske, Jonathan Charles
Priority Date: 28 May 2002
Priority Number: US6980572B2
Application Date: 28 May 2003
Publication Date: 27 Dec 2005
IPC Current: H01S000542 | H01S000500 | H01S0005022 | H01S00050687 | H01S000540
US Class: 372015 | 372014
Assignee Applicant: The Regents of the University of California
Title: Wavelength selectable light source
Usefulness: Wavelength selectable light source
Summary: For device-sparing applications and wavelength provisioning applications for use in fiber optic network applications and sensor application.
Novelty: Wavelength selectable light source for fiber optic network applications, sends light beam emitted from two-dimensional array to output fiber through mirrors, with no relative motion between array and output fiber

Industry

Optics

Sub Category

Optical Fiber

Application No.

6980572

Others

Tech ID/UC Case

10239/2001-462-0

Related Cases

2001-462-0

*Abstract

Vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) have been used to implement tunable lasers by using a single active region and by tuning the resonance of the optical cavity incorporating that active region. However, lasers produced by these methods possess a limited wavelength range, as well as output power due to the limited bandwidth of the gain region.

*IP Issue Date

Dec 27, 2005

*Principal Investigator

Name: Jonathan Geske

Department:

Country/Region

USA