US 12,413,043 B2
Self-mixing interference device with tunable microelectromechanical system
Tong Chen, Fremont, CA (US); Ahmet Fatih Cihan, San Jose, CA (US); Edward Vail, Menlo Park, CA (US); Weiping Li, Pleasanton, CA (US); Xiaolong Fang, Fremont, CA (US); Xibin Zhou, Palo Alto, CA (US); and Pengfei Qiao, El Cerrito, CA (US)
Assigned to Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed by Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed on Sep. 21, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/480,704.
Prior Publication US 2023/0089141 A1, Mar. 23, 2023
Int. Cl. H01S 5/00 (2006.01); H01S 3/105 (2006.01); H01S 5/026 (2006.01); H01S 5/0687 (2006.01); H01S 5/14 (2006.01); H01S 5/183 (2006.01); H01S 5/42 (2006.01)
CPC H01S 5/0262 (2013.01) [H01S 3/105 (2013.01); H01S 5/0687 (2013.01); H01S 5/14 (2013.01); H01S 5/18311 (2013.01); H01S 5/18361 (2013.01); H01S 5/423 (2013.01); H01S 5/0028 (2013.01); H01S 5/0264 (2013.01); H01S 5/18366 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A self-mixing interferometry (SMI) sensor comprising:
a photodetector comprising a first set of semiconductor layers formed on a substrate;
a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) stacked with the photodetector and comprising a second set of semiconductor layers formed on the first set of semiconductor layers; and
a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) stacked with the VCSEL on a side opposite from the photodetector and comprising an at least partially reflective layer, wherein:
the VCSEL is configured to emit light; and
the MEMS is configured to change a length of a resonant cavity associated with the VCSEL, thereby changing a property of the emitted light.