Integrated VCSEL Micro-Resonators for Multi-Color Visible Light
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing visible light sources, such as LEDs and VCSELs, face challenges in achieving high efficiency, brightness, and compactness for multi-color displays, particularly in manufacturing and integration with photonic integrated circuits, and struggle to meet the requirements of high-resolution, small-pitch, and individually addressable arrays for display applications.
Innovation Solution
The integration of VCSELs with optical resonators configured for optical parametric oscillation (OPO) to convert infrared light into visible light, utilizing micro-resonators and output couplers to achieve efficient, compact, and tunable visible light sources, enabling arrays with different colors and controllable intensity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If traditional LEDs or VCSELs are used for visible light emission, then manufacturing and integration are relatively simple, but achieving high efficiency, brightness, and compactness for multi-color displays is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines an infrared VCSEL with an optical resonator to create an integrated visible light source. The VCSEL emits infrared light that is converted to visible light through optical parametric oscillation in the resonator, merging two functional components into a single device that achieves high efficiency and multi-color emission while maintaining compactness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes optical parametric oscillation to convert infrared light parameters (wavelength, frequency) into visible light parameters. By changing the operational parameters of the optical resonator, the device can emit different visible wavelengths, enabling multi-color display capability from a single infrared pump source.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multi-color visible light sources are implemented using traditional methods, then color variety can be achieved, but compactness and individual addressability for high-resolution displays are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal light source where a single integrated device can emit multiple visible colors through optical parametric oscillation. The optical resonator can be tuned to generate different visible wavelengths from the infrared VCSEL pump, providing multi-color capability in a compact, individually addressable unit suitable for high-resolution displays.
3Reliability
If infrared VCSELs with optical resonators are integrated for visible light emission, then high efficiency and compactness are achieved, but manufacturing precision and integration complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the optical resonator as an intermediary component that bridges the infrared VCSEL and the visible light output. The resonator mediates the energy conversion from infrared to visible wavelengths through optical parametric oscillation, enabling high-performance visible light emission while providing a defined interface for integration and manufacturing.
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 solution enables small-pitch, multi-color pixelated arrays suitable for display applications with local dimming, high contrast, and fast response, providing ITU Recommendation BT.2020 color gamut and scalable manufacturability, suitable for AR/VR applications.
Implementation Method 1
a micro-resonator on the substrate and configured to receive the infrared light emitted by the active region and generate visible light through optical parametric oscillation
Implementation Method 2
a first reflector and a second reflector on the substrate, where the first reflector and the second reflector are configured to reflect infrared light and are arranged vertically to form a vertical cavity
Data Source
AI summary
A visible light source includes a substrate, a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser including an active semiconductor region configured to emit infrared light and a first reflector configured to reflect the infrared light emitted by the active semiconductor region, a second reflector configured to reflect the infrared light and form a vertical cavity for the infrared light with the first reflector, and one or more micro-resonators configured to receive the infrared light and generate visible light in one or more colors using the infrared light through optical parametric oscillation. The visible light source also includes one or more output couplers configured to couple the visible light in one or more colors from the one or more micro-resonators into free space or into a photonic integrated circuit.