Patent ID: 6806114
Filing Date: 2004-10-19
Classification: B82Y,H01S

Abstract:
A process for creating a broadly tunable Distributed Bragg Reflector (DBR) structure with a low spontaneous recombination rate at operating temperatures comprising the steps of:creating a first cladding layer of a first conductivity type; creating an optical waveguide disposed on top of said first cladding layer comprising the steps of creating one or more hole confinement regions and creating one or more electron confinement regions wherein energy barriers of greater than the thermal energy, kT, separate adjacent confinement regions; creating a second cladding layer of a second conductivity type disposed on top of said optical waveguide; a conduction band energy barrier greater than the thermal energy, kT, is created by establishing an effective conduction band offset between adjacent confinement regions; a valence band energy barrier greater than the thermal energy, kT, is created by establishing an effective valence band offset between adjacent confinement regions; the band gap of said first cladding layer and the band gap of said second cladding layer are greater than the effective band gaps of said hole confinement regions; the band gap of said first cladding layer and the band gap of said second cladding layer are greater than the effective band gaps of said electron confinement regions; a first cladding layer conduction band energy barrier greater than the thermal energy, kT, is created by establishing an effective conduction band offset between the conduction band of said first cladding layer and the conduction band of the adjacent confinement layer; a second cladding layer conduction band energy barrier greater than the thermal energy, kT, is created by establishing an effective conduction band offset between the conduction band of said second cladding layer and the conduction band of the adjacent confinement layer; a first cladding layer valence band energy barrier greater than the thermal energy, kT, is created by establishing an effective valence band offset between the valence band of said first cladding layer and the valence band of the adjacent confinement layer; and a second cladding layer valence band energy barrier greater than the thermal energy, kT, is created by establishing an effective valence band offset between the valence band of said second cladding layer and the valence band of the adjacent confinement layer.