Patent ID: 7440180
Filing Date: 2008-10-21
Classification: G02B,H01S

Abstract:
1. An integrated device comprising: (a) a substrate; and (b) a Rare-Earth Doped Semiconductor layer (REDS layer) integrated with the substrate, where the REDS layer comprises one or more rare earth elements incorporated within a semiconductor host and where the REDS layer is patterned so that one or more patterned portions thereof define one or more optical signal processing structures having optical signal guiding abilities and optical signal amplifying and/or optical signal reconditioning and/or optical signal cross modulating abilities, where the optical signal processing structures each has: (b.1) at least a first optical signal port for receiving and confiningly propagating a respective information-carrying, first optical input signal, where said first optical input signal propagates through one or more of the REDS layer portions of the optical signal processing structure; and (b.2) at least one pump energy receiving means for receiving pumping energy in the form of at least one of electrical pump energy and/or optical pump energy, where the received pumping energy is operatively coupled by the at least one pump energy receiving means to one or more of the REDS layer portions of the optical signal processing structure for thereby providing optical signal amplification and/or optical signal reconditioning and/or amplified optical signal cross modulation with another optical signal for the received and confiningly propagated first optical input signal.