VCSEL with integrated electrodes
    11.
    发明授权

    公开(公告)号:US11973315B2

    公开(公告)日:2024-04-30

    申请号:US17706651

    申请日:2022-03-29

    Applicant: APPLE INC.

    Abstract: An optoelectronic device includes a carrier substrate and a lower distributed Bragg-reflector (DBR) stack disposed on an area of the substrate and including alternating first layers. A set of epitaxial layers disposed over the lower DBR includes a quantum well structure. An upper DBR stack disposed over the set of epitaxial layers includes alternating second layers. Electrodes apply an excitation current to the quantum well structure. At least one of the electrodes includes a metal ring disposed at an inner side of at least one of the DBR stacks in proximity to the quantum well structure. One or more metal vias pass through the at least one of the DBR stacks so as to connect the metal ring at the inner side of the at least one of the DBR stacks to an electrical contact on an outer side of the at least one of the DBR stacks.

    Laser Emitters with Integrated Thermal Sensors

    公开(公告)号:US20240106203A1

    公开(公告)日:2024-03-28

    申请号:US18078819

    申请日:2022-12-09

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    CPC classification number: H01S5/423 H01S5/024 H01S5/125 H01S5/183

    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure relate to an optoelectronic device having an epitaxial stack, an array of laser emitters, and a thermal sensor. The epitaxial stack includes a set of epitaxial layers. The array of laser emitters is formed in the set of epitaxial layers. The thermal sensor is coupled to the epitaxial stack at a location adjacent to a laser emitter of the array of laser emitters. The optoelectronic device further includes a controller configured to receive an output of the thermal sensor and determine a temperature at a junction between an active region and an inactive region in the laser emitter by in-situ measurements.

    Hybrid interferometric and scatterometric sensing using in-plane sensors

    公开(公告)号:US11543235B2

    公开(公告)日:2023-01-03

    申请号:US17219779

    申请日:2021-03-31

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: An optical sensor system including a semiconductor substrate; a self-mixing interferometry (SMI) sensor formed on the semiconductor substrate and including a semiconductor laser having a resonant cavity; and an array of photodetectors formed on the semiconductor substrate. The SMI sensor is configured to generate an SMI signal responsive to a retro-reflection of electromagnetic radiation emitted by the semiconductor laser and received into the resonant cavity. The array of photodetectors is configured to generate a set of angular-resolved scatter signals responsive to a scatter of the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the semiconductor laser.

    VCSEL with integrated electrodes
    15.
    发明申请

    公开(公告)号:US20220224078A1

    公开(公告)日:2022-07-14

    申请号:US17706651

    申请日:2022-03-29

    Applicant: APPLE INC.

    Abstract: An optoelectronic device includes a carrier substrate and a lower distributed Bragg-reflector (DBR) stack disposed on an area of the substrate and including alternating first layers. A set of epitaxial layers disposed over the lower DBR includes a quantum well structure. An upper DBR stack disposed over the set of epitaxial layers includes alternating second layers. Electrodes apply an excitation current to the quantum well structure. At least one of the electrodes includes a metal ring disposed at an inner side of at least one of the DBR stacks in proximity to the quantum well structure. One or more metal vias pass through the at least one of the DBR stacks so as to connect the metal ring at the inner side of the at least one of the DBR stacks to an electrical contact on an outer side of the at least one of the DBR stacks.

    Indium-phosphide VCSEL with dielectric DBR

    公开(公告)号:US11322910B2

    公开(公告)日:2022-05-03

    申请号:US16792317

    申请日:2020-02-17

    Applicant: APPLE INC.

    Abstract: An optoelectronic device includes a carrier substrate, with a lower distributed Bragg-reflector (DBR) stack disposed on an area of the substrate and including alternating first dielectric and semiconductor layers. A set of epitaxial layers is disposed over the lower DBR, wherein the set of epitaxial layers includes one or more III-V semiconductor materials and defines a quantum well structure and a confinement layer. An upper DBR stack is disposed over the set of epitaxial layers and includes alternating second dielectric and semiconductor layers. Electrodes are coupled to apply an excitation current to the quantum well structure.

    Indium-phosphide VCSEL with dielectric DBR
    17.
    发明申请

    公开(公告)号:US20200274328A1

    公开(公告)日:2020-08-27

    申请号:US16792317

    申请日:2020-02-17

    Applicant: APPLE INC.

    Abstract: An optoelectronic device includes a carrier substrate, with a lower distributed Bragg-reflector (DBR) stack disposed on an area of the substrate and including alternating first dielectric and semiconductor layers. A set of epitaxial layers is disposed over the lower DBR, wherein the set of epitaxial layers includes one or more III-V semiconductor materials and defines a quantum well structure and a confinement layer. An upper DBR stack is disposed over the set of epitaxial layers and includes alternating second dielectric and semiconductor layers. Electrodes are coupled to apply an excitation current to the quantum well structure.

    PHOTONIC CRYSTAL SURFACE-EMITTING LASER DIODES AND RELATED DEVICES FOR SELF-MIXING INTERFERENCE OR FREQUENCY MODULATED CONTINUOUS WAVE SENSING

    公开(公告)号:US20250102628A1

    公开(公告)日:2025-03-27

    申请号:US18763961

    申请日:2024-07-03

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: Disclosed herein are self-mixing interference (SMI) sensors, frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) sensors, and electronic devices that include SMI and FMCW sensors. Both types of sensors include a photonic crystal surface-emitting laser diode. The SMI sensors include a photonic crystal surface-emitting laser diode configured to undergo SMI between a primary emitted light from the photonic crystal surface-emitting laser diode and reflections thereof from an object. The SMI sensor includes a photodetector configured to receive a secondary light emission from the photonic crystal surface-emitting laser diode and detect a parameter related to the SMI, from which distance or motion to the object may be inferred. The FMCW sensors include a photonic crystal surface-emitting laser diode configured to emit a primary light emission toward the object and a secondary light emission toward a light beam combiner. The light beam combiner also receives reflections from the object and detects distances and/or motion of the object based on the frequency modulations of the two light beams.

    Dynamic control of laser transverse mode

    公开(公告)号:US20240396301A1

    公开(公告)日:2024-11-28

    申请号:US18321016

    申请日:2023-05-22

    Applicant: APPLE INC.

    Abstract: An optoelectronic apparatus includes a semiconductor substrate, an electrically activated spatial light modulator disposed on the semiconductor substrate, and a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) disposed over the spatial light modulator on the semiconductor substrate. A controller is coupled to actuate the VCSEL to emit a beam of optical radiation and to control the spatial light modulator so as to modify an optical property of the beam.

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