High density, independently addressable, surface emitting semiconductor laser/light emitting diode arrays without a substrate

A high density, surface emitting, semiconductor light emitting diode (LED) array comprising:

• a first semiconductor confinement layer deposited on a first semiconductor contact layer, said first confinement layer and said first contact layer having the same conductivity type,
• an active semiconductor layer deposited on said first confinement layer, said active layer providing lightwave generation and propagation, said active layer having a smaller bandgap than said first confinement layer,
• alternating semiconductor layers deposited on said active layer, said alternating layers forming a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR), said DBR having a conductivity type opposite to said first confinement layer and said first contact layer,
• a second semiconductor contact layer deposited on said DBR, said second contact layer and said DBR having the same conductivity type,
• disordered regions extending through said second contact layer, said DBR, said active layer and at least partially through said first confinement layer, said disordered regions having a conductivity type opposite that of said second contact layer and said DBR,
• at least one contact formed on said first contact layer, and
• light emitting areas formed between said disordered regions, contacts formed on said second contact layer, one of said contacts formed on said second contact layer aligned with each of said light emitting areas such that current injected between one of said contacts on said second contact layer and said at least one contact on said first contact layer will cause light emission from one of said light emitting areas through that portion of the surface of said first contact layer where said contact is not formed on said first contact layer.

A high density, surface emitting, semiconductor laser array comprising:

• alternating semiconductor layers forming a first distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) deposited on a first semiconductor contact layer, said first contact layer and first DBR having the same conductivity type,
• an active semiconductor layer deposited on said first DBR, said active layer providing lightwave generation and propagation under lasing conditions, said active layer having a smaller bandgap than said first DBR,
• alternating semiconductor layers deposited on said active layer, said alternating layers forming a second distributed Bragg reflector (DBR), said second DBR having a conductivity type opposite to said first DBR,
• a second semiconductor contact layer deposited on said second DBR, said second contact layer and said second DBR having the same conductivity type,
• disordered regions extending through said second contact layer, said second DBR, said active layer and at least partially through said first DBR, said disordered regions having a conductivity type opposite that of said second contact layer and said second DBR,
• at least one contact formed on said first contact layer, and
• optical cavities formed between said disordered regions, contacts formed on said second contact layer, one of said contacts formed on said second contact layer aligned with each of said optical cavities such that current injected between one of said contacts on said second contact layer and said at least one contact on said first contact layer will cause light emission from one of said optical cavities through that portion of the surface of said first contact layer where said contact is not formed on said contact layer.

A high density, surface emitting, semiconductor laser array comprising:

• a first semiconductor confinement layer deposited on a first semiconductor contact layer, said first contact layer and said first confinement layer having the same conductivity type,
• an active semiconductor layer deposited on said first confinement layer, said active layer providing lightwave generation and propagation under lasing conditions, said active layer having a smaller bandgap than said first confinement layer,
• alternating semiconductor layers deposited on said active layer, said alternating layers forming a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR), said DBR having a conductivity type opposite to said first confinement layer and said first contact layer,
• a second semiconductor contact layer deposited on said DBR, said second contact layer and said DBR having the same conductivity type,
• disordered regions extending through said second contact layer, said DBR, said active layer and at least partially through said first confinement layer, said disordered regions having a conductivity type opposite that of said second contact layer and said DBR,
• a high reflectivity coating deposited on a portion of surface of said first contact layer,
• at least one contact formed on said first contact layer where said high reflectivity coating is not deposited on said first contact layer, and
• optical cavities formed between said disordered regions, contacts formed on said second contact layer, one of said contacts formed on said second contact layer aligned with each of said optical cavities such that current injected between one of said contacts on said second contact layer and said at least one contact on said first contact layer will cause light emission from one of said optical cavities through that portion of the surface of said first contact layer where said high reflectivity coating is deposited on said first contact layer.