Semiconductor Light-Emitting Source for
Increased Power Levels
INVENTORS • Dan Botez, Iulian Petrescu-Prahova, Luke Mawst
WARF: P97085US
View U.S. Patent No. 6,167,073 in PDF format.
Since its founding in 1925 as the patenting and
licensing organization for the University of Wisconsin-
The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) is seeking commercial
partners interested in developing an improved semiconductor light-emitting
source that can be applied to antiguided diode lasers and amplifiers.
Madison, WARF has been working with business and
industry to transform university research into products
that benefit society. WARF intellectual property
managers and licensing staff members are leaders in
the field of university-based technology transfer. They
OVERVIEW
are familiar with the intricacies of patenting, have
worked with researchers in relevant disciplines,
understand industries and markets, and have
Semiconductor diode lasers are formed of multiple layers of semiconductor materials. The
layers surrounding the active structure typically have a lower index of refraction than the
active structure, forming a dielectric waveguide that confines the emitted light
transversely to the active structure.
negotiated innovative licensing strategies to meet the
individual needs of business clients.
The development of high-power coherent diode laser sources has been an area of
continued research efforts. The power in symmetric transverse waveguide lasers can be
increased significantly by increasing the waveguide while maintaining the quantum-well
size; however, since the optical mode hardly penetrates into the cladding layers, it is
practically impossible to obtain effective lateral mode confinement for 2-D spatial-mode
coherence. A semiconductor laser with increased power levels is needed.
THE INVENTION
UW–Madison researchers have developed a semiconductor light-emitting source that
incorporates antiguided lateral confinement of emitted light and an asymmetric
transverse optical waveguiding structure. The semiconductor structure includes a
substrate, an active region, optical confinement and cladding layers on opposite sides of
the active region and at least one core element at which light emission occurs. Means for
providing optical feedback are incorporated in the structure when it is operated as a laser;
facets at the longitudinal edges of the structure are formed to be sufficiently antireflective
when the semiconductor source operates as an amplifier.
APPLICATIONS
• Semiconductor light-emitting sources such as antiguided diode lasers and amplifiers
Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation | 614 Walnut Street, 13th Floor | Madison, WI 53726 | [email protected] | www.warf.org
WARF: P97085US
KEY BENEFITS
• Allows larger core elements to be utilized compared to conventional cores
• Significantly increases light emission spot size
• Provides five times more emission power levels for semiconductor lasers and five times higher saturated power levels for semiconductor
amplifiers
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Tech Fields
Analytical Instrumentation - Lasers
Semiconductors & Integrated Circuits - Components & materials
CONTACT INFORMATION
For current licensing status, please contact Scott Pollyea at [email protected] or 608-890-2930.
Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation | 614 Walnut Street, 13th Floor | Madison, WI 53726 | [email protected] | www.warf.org