Multiphase growth sequence for forming a vertical cavity surface emitting laser

A method of forming a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) device using a multiphase growth sequence, comprising:

• forming a first mirror over a substrate using a first metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) process during a first MOCVD phase of the multiphase growth sequence;
• forming, during the first MOCVD phase, a first portion of a first spacer on a surface of the first mirror, wherein the first spacer comprises gallium arsenide (GaAs);
• forming an interim cap over the first spacer, wherein the interim cap comprises at least one of indium arsenide (InAs) or arsenic (As);
• causing the interim cap and at least a portion of the first portion of the first spacer to be removed, such that, after removal, a top surface of the first portion of the first spacer coincides with a local minimum of a standing wave of an optical field of the VCSEL device;
• forming a second portion of the first spacer on the first portion of the first spacer using a molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) process during an MBE phase of the multiphase growth sequence and after removal of the interim cap;
• forming an active region over the first spacer using the MBE process during the MBE phase;
• forming an oxidation aperture (OA) layer over the active region;
• forming a second spacer on a surface of the OA layer;
• and
• forming a second mirror over the second spacer using a second MOCVD process during a second MOCVD phase of the multiphase growth sequence.

A method of forming a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) device using a multiphase growth sequence, comprising:

• forming a first mirror over a substrate;
• forming an active region over the first mirror using a molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) process during an MBE phase of the multiphase growth sequence;
• forming, during the MBE phase, an oxidation aperture (OA) layer over the active region;
• forming, during the MBE phase, a first portion of a spacer on a surface of the OA layer, wherein the spacer comprises gallium arsenide (GaAs);
• forming an interim cap over the spacer, wherein the interim cap comprises at least one of indium arsenide (InAs) or arsenic (As);
• causing the interim cap and at least a portion of the first portion of the spacer to be removed, such that, after removal, a top surface of the first portion of the spacer coincides with a local minimum of a standing wave of an optical field of the VCSEL device;
• forming a second portion of the spacer on the first portion of the spacer using a metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) process during an MOCVD phase of the multiphase growth sequence and after removal of the interim cap;
• forming, during the MOCVD phase, a second mirror over the spacer;
• and
• forming, during the MOCVD phase, a cap layer over the second mirror.