Surface emitting and receiving photonic device

Abstract

A surface-emitting laser, in which light is emitted vertically at one end from a 45°-angled facet, includes a second end having a perpendicular facet from which light is emitted horizontally, for monitoring.

1 . A surface emitting photonic device comprising: 
 a substrate;    an optically transmissive uninterrupted waveguide medium positioned on said substrate;    at least a first etched facet positioned on said medium perpendicular to said substrate; and    at least a second etched facet positioned on said medium at an angle to said substrate.    
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said medium is a semiconductor material incorporating an active region for generating laser light.  
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein said second facet is at an angle of about 45°.  
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein said second facet is internally reflective and angled to cause light generated in said active region to be emitted in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to said substrate.  
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , further including a filter on said medium for filtering said emitted light.  
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein said first facet is partially reflective, and further including a monitoring photo detector adjacent said first facet and axially aligned with said medium.  
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , further including a distributed Bragg reflector element interposed between said first facet and said photo detector.  
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 6 , further including multiple filters interposed between said first facet and said photo detector.  
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , further including a surface area detector on said substrate and fabricated in said medium.  
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , further including an in-plane detector on said substrate and fabricated in said medium.  
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein said detector includes an inlet end incorporating an angled facet for deflecting impinging light into the detector.  
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said optically transmissive medium comprises multiple layers on a top surface of said substrate and providing an active region substantially parallel to said top surface.  
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , further including electrodes on said medium and on said substrate for receiving a bias voltage to activate the medium to produce a laser output beam.  
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein said medium is a ridge laser.  
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein said medium is shaped to form an elongated laser cavity having said first facet at a first end of the cavity and having said second facet at a second end of the cavity.  
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein said medium is shaped to form multiple elongated laser cavities each cavity having a first facet positioned at a first end and having a second facet at a second end, the second ends being clustered to emit light along a common axis.  
     
     
         17 . A photonic device comprising, 
 a first etched facet surface emitting laser emitting at a first wavelength; and    a second etched facet surface emitting laser emitting at a second wavelength.    
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein said first laser output end is adjacent to said second laser output end.  
     
     
         19 . A surface receiving detector comprising: 
 a substrate;    an optically transmissive uninterrupted waveguide medium positioned on said substrate;    at least a first etched facet positioned on said medium perpendicular to said substrate; and    at least a second etched facet positioned on said medium at an angle to said substrate.    
     
     
         20 . A semiconductor chip comprising: 
 an etched facet surface-emitting laser formed on said semiconductor chip; and    a monitoring photo detector monolithically integrated with said laser.    
     
     
         21 . A semiconductor photonic device comprising: 
 a substrate;    a semiconductor structure on said substrate, said structure including a contact layer for providing an ohmic contact to said semiconductor structure;    an optically transmissive medium included in said structure; and    at least one etched facet for said medium at an angle to said substrate; and    said contact layer being removed from said structure to provide an aperture in the region of said facet.    
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 21 , further including a transition layer between said contact layer and said semiconductor structure.  
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 21 , wherein said at least one etched facet directs light from said medium at an angle to said substrate and through said aperture.  
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 23 , further including a second etched facet for said medium at an angle to said substrate, said contact layer being removed from said structure to provide a second aperture in the region of said second facet.  
     
     
         25 . A semiconductor laser comprising: 
 a substrate;    a semiconductor structure on said substrate;    first and second facets etched into said structure;    a ridge waveguide formed in said structure between said first and second facets; and    said ridge waveguide being tapered outwardly at second facet.    
     
     
         26 . The laser of  claim 25 , wherein said second facet is etched at or about 45°.  
     
     
         27 . The laser of  claim 26 , further including an aperture above said second facet.  
     
     
         28 . The laser of  claim 27 , further including a dielectric layer or stack on said aperture.  
     
     
         29 . The laser of  claim 28 , wherein said first facet is etched at or about 90°.  
     
     
         30 . The laser of  claim 29 , further including a dielectric layer or stack on said first facet.  
     
     
         31 . The laser of  claim 30 , further including a monitoring photo detector positioned to receive light from said first facet and axially aligned with said ridge.  
     
     
         32 . The laser of  claim 28 , wherein said ridge waveguide is further tapered outwardly at first facet.  
     
     
         33 . The laser of  claim 32 , wherein said first facet is etched at or about 45°.  
     
     
         34 . The laser of  claim 33 , further including an aperture above said first facet.  
     
     
         35 . The laser of  claim 34 , further including a dielectric layer or stack on said aperture above said first facet.