Patent attributes
An optical system includes an optical waveguide, a micro light emitting diode (micro-LED) configured to emit at least partially polarized light, and a waveguide coupler configured to couple the at least partially polarized light from the micro-LED into the optical waveguide with a coupling efficiency higher than a coupling efficiency of the waveguide coupler for unpolarized light. The micro-LED includes a substrate including a hexagonal lattice and having a first surface parallel to a semi-polar plane of the hexagonal lattice, and a plurality of layers grown on the first surface. The plurality of layers includes an active layer that includes a III-nitride material and has a top surface parallel to the semi-polar plane and the first surface of the substrate, such that the light emitted by the micro-LED is at least partially polarized and can be more efficiently coupled into the optical waveguide.