Optoelectronic device with controlled temperature dependence of the emission wavelength and method of making same

摘要

A device representing a reflector, for example an evanescent reflector or a multilayer interference reflector, with at least one reflectivity stopband is disclosed. A medium with means of generating optical gain is introduced into the layer or several layers of the reflector. The optical gain spectrum preferably overlaps with the spectral range of the reflectivity stopband. This reflector is attached to multilayer passive cavity structure made of semiconducting, and/or dielectric, and/or metallic materials with the inserted tools of achieving wavelength selection of the optical modes. For example, volume Bragg gratings, distributed feedback gratings or patterns, using of vertical optical cavities surrounded by multilayer Bragg reflectors can be applied. The optical modes of the passive optical cavity partially penetrate into the gain region of the reflector. As a result of the interaction of the gain medium in the reflector region and the passive cavity modes, photons are generated or amplified in the passive cavity at wavelengths defined by the passive cavity modes. The materials selected for the passive cavity layers are chosen to provide the necessary temperature dependence of the effective index of refraction of the related optical modes of the passive cavity and serve as a tool to achieve the controlled temperature dependence of the wavelength of the emitted photons. In particular a complete suppression of the wavelength to temperature variations can be achieved. In another case a strong shift of the resonant wavelength or wavelengths with temperature may be realized. Thus the structure represents an optoelectronic device with controlled temperature dependence of the emission wavelength.