Surface Emitting Laser Patent: Too Early

Sometimes I am asked the question, “What is the patent for surface emitting lasers?” The author also claims that some patents have been filed and patented, but they have been expired since 2000, when it was put into practical use. Speaking of the 1970s, when I started researching, the so-called 1970 university disputes were over. It was a time when university people did not strongly think about industry–academia collaboration or commercialization. No, it was better to say that it was the opposite situation. National universities conduct research for the whole nation, and it was valued more than having one’s own ideas or providing for a specific company. The author was one of the researchers in such a situation, and it was a long time before the university was able to encourage patent applications. Even so, because it was engineering research, I applied for some patents. In my research career, I applied for about 50 patents, including the surface emitting laser.