US 2011/0299560 A1Published application

Group-iii nitride semiconductor laser device, and method for fabricating group-iii nitride semiconductor laser device

AssigneeSumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.

InventorsShimpei TAKAGI, Yusuke YOSHIZUMI, Koji KATAYAMA, Masaki UENO, Takatoshi IKEGAMI

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Abstract

In the method for fabricating a III-nitride semiconductor laser device, a substrate product is formed, and the substrate product has a laser structure including a substrate that is made of a hexagonal III-nitride semiconductor and has a semipolar primary surface, and the semiconductor region is formed on the semipolar primary surface, and thereafter a first surface of the substrate product is scribed to form a scribed mark extending in a direction of the a-axis of the hexagonal III-nitride semiconductor. After forming the scribed mark, breakup of the substrate product is carried out by press against a second region of the substrate product while supporting a first region of the substrate product but not supporting the second region. This step results in forming another substrate product and a laser bar. The substrate product is divided into two, the first region and the second region, by a predetermined reference line, and the first and second regions are adjacent to each other. The laser bar has first and second end faces that extend from the first surface to a second surface and are formed by the breakup. The first and second end faces form a laser cavity of the III-nitride semiconductor laser device. The c-axis of the hexagonal III-nitride semiconductor of the substrate is inclined at an angle ALPHA with respect to a normal axis toward the m-axis of the hexagonal III-nitride semiconductor. The first and second end faces intersect with an m-n plane defined by the m-axis of the hexagonal III-nitride semiconductor and the normal axis.

Claims35

Dependent claims

A method of fabricating a III-nitride semiconductor laser device, comprising the steps of:

preparing a substrate product, the substrate product having a laser structure, the laser structure including a semiconductor region and a substrate of a hexagonal III-nitride semiconductor, the substrate having a semipolar primary surface, and the semiconductor region being formed on the semipolar primary surface;
scribing a first surface of the substrate product to form a scribed mark, the scribed mark extending in a direction of an a-axis of the hexagonal III-nitride semiconductor;
and
after forming the scribed mark, carrying out breakup of the substrate product by press against a second region of the substrate product while supporting a first region of the substrate product but not supporting the second region thereof, to form another substrate product and a laser bar,
the substrate product being divided into the first region and the second region by a predetermined reference line,
the first and second regions being adjacent to each other,
the press being implemented against a second surface of the substrate product,
the first surface being opposite to the second surface,
the semiconductor region being located between the first surface and the substrate,
the laser bar having first and second end faces, the first and second end faces extending from the first surface to the second surface and being made by the breakup,
the first and second end faces constituting a laser cavity of the III-nitride semiconductor laser device,
the substrate product including an anode electrode and a cathode electrode, the anode electrode and the cathode electrode being provided on the laser structure,
the semiconductor region including a first cladding layer comprised of a first conductivity type GaN-based semiconductor, a second cladding layer comprised of a second conductivity type GaN-based semiconductor, and an active layer provided between the first cladding layer and the second cladding layer,
the first cladding layer, the second cladding layer, and the active layer being arranged along an axis normal to the semipolar primary surface,
a c-axis of the hexagonal III-nitride semiconductor of the substrate being inclined at an angle ALPHA with respect to the normal axis toward an m-axis of the hexagonal III-nitride semiconductor, and
the first and second end faces intersecting with an m-n plane defined by the normal axis and the m-axis of the hexagonal III-nitride semiconductor.

13 more elements

A III-nitride semiconductor laser device comprising:

a laser structure including a support base and a semiconductor region, the support base comprising a hexagonal III-nitride semiconductor and having a semipolar primary surface, and the semiconductor region being provided on the semipolar primary surface of the support base;
and
an electrode provided on the semiconductor region of the laser structure,
the semiconductor region including a first cladding layer comprised of a first conductivity type GaN-based semiconductor, a second cladding layer comprised of a second conductivity type GaN-based semiconductor, and an active layer provided between the first cladding layer and the second cladding layer,
the first cladding layer, the second cladding layer, and the active layer being arranged along an axis normal to the semipolar primary surface,
a c-axis of the hexagonal III-nitride semiconductor of the support base being inclined at an angle ALPHA with respect to the normal axis toward an m-axis of the hexagonal III-nitride semiconductor,
the laser structure including first and second fractured faces, the first and second fractured faces intersecting with an m-n plane, the m-n plane being defined by the normal axis and the m-axis of the hexagonal III-nitride semiconductor,
a laser cavity of the III-nitride semiconductor laser device including the first and second fractured faces,
the laser structure including first and second surfaces,
the first surface being opposite to the second surface,
each of the first and second fractured faces extending from an edge of the first surface to an edge of the second surface, and
each of the first and second fractured faces having a stripe structure on an end face of the support base, the stripe structure extending in a direction from one to the other of the first and second surfaces.

9 more elements

A III-nitride semiconductor laser device comprising:

a laser structure including the support base and a semiconductor region, the support base comprising a hexagonal III-nitride semiconductor and having a semipolar primary surface, and the semiconductor region being provided on the semipolar primary surface of the support base;
and
an electrode provided on the semiconductor region of the laser structure,
the semiconductor region including a first cladding layer comprised of a first conductivity type GaN-based semiconductor, a second cladding layer comprised of a second conductivity type GaN-based semiconductor, and an active layer provided between the first cladding layer and the second cladding layer,
the first cladding layer, the second cladding layer, and the active layer being arranged along an axis normal to the semipolar primary surface,
a c-axis of the hexagonal III-nitride semiconductor of the support base being inclined at an angle ALPHA with respect to the normal axis toward an m-axis of the hexagonal III-nitride semiconductor,
the laser structure including first and second fractured faces, the first and second fractured faces intersecting with an m-n plane defined by the m-axis of the hexagonal III-nitride semiconductor and the normal axis,
a laser cavity of the III-nitride semiconductor laser device including the first and second fractured faces,
the laser structure including first and second surfaces,
the first surface being opposite to the second surface,
each of the first and second fractured faces extending from an edge of the first surface to an edge of the second surface, and
an end face of the support base in each of the first and second fractured faces including a sheared surface.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/837,291Filed 15 Jul 2010
Priority: JP 2010-1314048 Jun 2010
Published: 8 Dec 2011
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

H01S 5/1085
With a special facet structure, e.g. structured, non planar, oblique: oblique facets
B82Y 20/00
Nanooptics
H01S 5/0202
Separation of the wafer into individual elements, e.g. by dicing, cleaving, etching or directly during growth: cleaving
H01S 5/34333
In AIIIBV compounds, e.g. AlGaAs-laser , InP-based laser: with a well layer based on GaN or GaP, e.g. blue laser