Ridge Stripe Light-Emitting Device for Single-Mode High Output
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Solution Overview
Problem
Semiconductor optical amplifiers for the 1.5-μm band face challenges in maintaining single-mode light emission due to excessive thickness of the n-type light guide layer, leading to optical damage and deterioration in light condensing characteristics when used with lenses or optical fibers.
Innovation Solution
A light-emitting device with a laminate structure featuring a ridge stripe structure, where the thickness of the first light guide layer is carefully controlled to ensure an optical confinement factor reduction, allowing the peak of the light field intensity distribution to shift from the active layer to the light guide layer, thereby preventing optical damage and enhancing output while maintaining single-mode emission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the thickness of the n-type light guide layer is increased to reduce the optical confinement factor, then output power is enhanced and optical damage is prevented, but the light beam transitions from single-mode to multi-mode emission
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a ridge stripe structure that confines the light field to a specific lateral region. The ridge stripe structure (comprising the active layer and portions of adjacent cladding layers) provides localized optical confinement with effective width of 1-3 μm, enabling single-mode emission even when the overall light guide layer thickness is increased for higher output power.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from controlling mode emission through thickness (vertical dimension) to controlling it through lateral confinement (horizontal dimension). By introducing the ridge stripe structure that extends laterally across the light guide layer, the patent achieves single-mode emission control in the lateral dimension while maintaining increased thickness in the vertical dimension for higher output power.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the thickness of the n-type light guide layer is increased to reduce the optical confinement factor, then light density around the active layer is reduced preventing optical damage, but light condensing characteristics deteriorate when used with lenses or optical fibers
Solution Approach 1:
The ridge stripe structure creates a localized region of optimized optical properties. Within the stripe region, the light field is confined to a narrow effective width (1-3 μm), producing a concentrated, well-defined beam profile that maintains excellent light condensing characteristics for lens and optical fiber coupling, while the overall increased light guide layer thickness reduces peak light density to prevent optical damage.
3Power
If the optical confinement factor is reduced to enhance output, then saturation energy of amplified light is increased, but the peak of light field intensity distribution shifts from the active layer causing mode instability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the functions of mode control and power enhancement into different spatial dimensions. The lateral ridge stripe structure (horizontal dimension) maintains mode stability by confining the light field to a narrow effective width, while the increased vertical thickness of the light guide layer (vertical dimension) reduces the optical confinement factor to enhance output power and saturation energy.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The controlled thickness of the light guide layer reduces light density around the active layer, preventing optical damage and achieving output enhancement while ensuring the light beam remains in a single mode, maintaining optimal condensing characteristics even in applications with lenses or optical fibers.
Implementation Method 1
a thickness of the n-type light guide layer made of an n-type compound semiconductor may be increased, and a peak of a light field intensity distribution is thereby moved from the active layer to the n-type light guide layer
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a high-output light-emitting device capable of emitting a light beam in a single mode. The light-emitting device includes a laminate structure body configured by laminating, in order, a first compound semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second compound semiconductor layer on a base substrate, a second electrode, and a first electrode. The first compound semiconductor layer has a laminate structure including a first cladding layer and a first light guide layer in order from the base substrate, and the laminate structure body has a ridge stripe structure configured of the second compound semiconductor layer, the active layer, and a portion in a thickness direction of the first light guide layer. Provided that a thickness of the first light guide layer is t1, and a thickness of the portion configuring the ridge stripe structure of the first light guide layer is t1′, 6×10−7 m<t1 and 0(m)<t1′≦0.5·t1 are satisfied.