Surface-emitting light emitting device
AssigneeNorthern Telecom Limited
InventorMikelis N. Svilans
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Abstract
A surface-emitting, light emitting device has a columnar active region of one direct bandgap semiconductor and a surrounding confining region of a higher bandgap semiconductor. Contacts are made to the active and confining regions and a window is formed in the device in alignment with the active region to permit light emission from the device. The semiconductors are doped to establish a pn junction within a carrier diffusion length of the heterojunction between the active and confining regions, the pn junction extending the length of the active region. In use, light is emitted along the axis of the columnar active region in response to current passing radially across the pn junction.
Claims15
In a surface-emitting light emitting device, a heterojunction comprising a columnar active region of a first direct bandgap semiconductor material and a confining region of a second semiconductor material surrounding the active region, first and second contacts formed respectively on the active and confining regions, a window in general alignment with the columnar active region to permit light emission from the device, the second material being a higher bandgap material than the first material whereby to confine light and generated current carriers within the active region, the semiconductor materials doped to establish a pn junction within a carrier diffusion length of said heterojunction formed between the active and confining regions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.