Vertical cavity surface emitting device with a buried index guiding current confinement layer
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsConstance J. Chang-Hasnain, Jiaxing Wang, Kevin T. Cook, Jonas H. Kapraun, Emil Kolev
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Abstract
A vertical cavity surface emitter device (e.g., VCSEL or RC-LED) containing a buried index-guiding current confinement aperture layer which is grown, and lithographically processed to define position, shape and dimension of an inner aperture. In a regrowth process, the aperture is filled with a single crystalline material from the third contact layer. The aperture provides for both current and optical confinement, while allowing for higher optical power output and improved thermal conductivity.
Claims23
A vertical cavity surface emitting optoelectronic apparatus comprising:
- (a) a top reflector and bottom reflector;
- (b) a first contact layer above said bottom reflector and having a first type of doping;
- (c) an active region located above said first contact layer and containing one or more quantum well layers;
- (d) a second contact layer above said active region and having a second type of doping;
- (e) a current blocking ring with a center aperture above said second contact layer and having a first type of doping;
- (f) a third contact layer, located above and filling the center aperture of said current blocking ring, and having a second type of doping;
- (g) wherein the refractive index of the material of the current blocking ring is lower than the refractive index of the material of the third contact layer;
- (h) wherein said second contact layer and said third contact layer interface with each other inside the center aperture of the current blocking ring;
- (i) wherein said third contact layer is injecting current into the second contact layer through the center aperture;
- (j) wherein said second contact layer and said third contact layer as well as the current blocking ring are material which remains free of ion-implantation, is unoxidized, single crystalline, and contains in-situ doped epitaxial materials;
- (k) wherein the material of the current blocking ring has been etched selectively over the material of the second contact layer;
- and
- (l) wherein the third contact layer and subsequent layers provide for increasing planarization of the center aperture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.