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US 5,903,589 AGranted
Oxidizable semiconductor device having cavities which allow for improved oxidation of the semiconductor device
AssigneePicolight Incorporated
InventorJack L. Jewell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A conductive element with a lateral oxidation barrier is provided for the control of lateral oxidation processes in semiconductor devices such as lasers, vertical cavity surface emitting lasers and light emitting diodes. The oxidation barrier is formed through modification of one or more layers which initially were receptive to oxidation. The quality of material directly below the oxidation barrier may be preserved. Related applications include the formation of vertical cavity surface emitting lasers on non-GaAs substrates and on GaAs substrates.
Claims50
An electrical current conducting element comprising:
- at least a first oxidizable layer, said first oxidizable layer comprising a III/V semiconductor material;
- said first oxidizable layer being significantly oxidized in a laterally oriented first region, said first region exhibiting high electrical resistance;
- said first oxidizable layer having a laterally oriented second region which is not significantly oxidized and having electrical resistance significantly lower than said first region;
- at least one pit disposed in said electrical current conducting element, said at least one pit disposed proximal to said first region and distal from said laterally oriented second region, said at least one pit not hemming said laterally oriented second region.
1 more element
An electrical current conducting element comprising:
- at least a first layer, said first layer comprising a III/V semiconductor material;
- said first layer being significantly oxidized in a laterally oriented first region, said first region exhibiting high electrical resistance;
- said first layer having a second region which is not significantly oxidized and having electrical resistance significantly lower than said first region, said second region having a center associated therewith;
- at least one basin for allowing said first region to be exposed to an oxidizing agent, said basin disposed in said electrical current conducting element and having a sidewall disposed proximal to at least a portion of said first region and said sidewall distal from said second region;
- wherein said basin sidewall comprises at least a segment circumflexed about said second region and only partially hemming said second region.
2 more elements
An electrical current conducting element comprising:
- at least a first layer, said first layer comprising a III/V semiconductor material;
- said first layer being significantly oxidized in a laterally oriented first region, said first region exhibiting high electrical resistance;
- said first layer having a laterally oriented second region which is not significantly oxidized and having electrical resistance significantly lower than said first region, said second region having a center associated therewith;
- a basin for allowing said first region to be exposed to an oxidizing agent, said basin disposed in said electrical current conducting element, said basin having a sidewall disposed proximal to a portion of said first region and hemming said first region and said sidewall distal from said laterally oriented second region;
- wherein said basin sidewall comprises first and second sidewall regions, said first sidewall region having a portion which is circumflexed about said second region, said second sidewall region having at least two segments having a different separation distance from said center, and wherein said second region is surrounded by said first region, and thereby forming an aperture.
2 more elements
An electrical current conducting element comprising:
- at least a first layer, said first layer comprising a III/V semiconductor material;
- said first layer being significantly oxidized in a laterally oriented first region, said first region exhibiting high electrical resistance;
- said first layer having a second region which is not significantly oxidized and having electrical resistance significantly lower than said first region;
- at least one semiconductor layer residing above a portion of said first region;
- top and bottom electrical contact disposed to communicate with said second region;
- interconnect metallization deposited above at least a portion of said semiconductor layer, and in electrical communication with said top electrical contact, said interconnect metallization for injecting electrical current through said second region;
- and
- at least one pit disposed in said electrical current conducting element, said at least one pit provided for allowing said first region to be exposed to an oxidizing agent.
5 more elements
An electrical current conducting element comprising:
- at least a first layer, said first layer comprising a III/V semiconductor material, said first layer being significantly oxidized in a laterally oriented first region, said first region exhibiting high electrical resistance;
- said first layer having a second region which is not significantly oxidized and having electrical resistance significantly lower than said first region;
- at least one semiconductor layer residing above a portion of said first region;
- top and bottom electrical contact disposed to communicate with said second region;
- interconnect metallization deposited above at least a portion of said semiconductor layer, and in electrical communication with said top electrical contact, said interconnect metallization for injecting electrical current through said second region;
- and
- at least one basin disposed in said electrical current conducting element and having a basin sidewall disposed proximal to at least a portion of said first region and said sidewall distal from said second region, said basin for allowing said first region to be exposed to an oxidizing agent;
- wherein said basin sidewall comprises at least a segment circumflexed about said second region and only partially hemming said second region.
5 more elements
A light emitting device comprising:
- at least a first oxidizable layer;
- said first oxidizable layer being significantly oxidized in a laterally oriented first region, said first region exhibiting high electrical resistance;
- said first oxidizable layer having a laterally oriented second region which is not significantly oxidized and having electrical resistance significantly lower than said first region, said second region further characterized as being a semiconductor of a first conductive type;
- at least one pit disposed in said electrical current conducting element, said at least one pit disposed proximal to said first region and distal from said laterally oriented second region, said at least one pit not hemming said laterally oriented second region;
- said conducting element further comprising another layer of material of a second conductive type residing above or below said second region, said second region and said material of a second conductive type forming an electrical junction;
- a light emitting material disposed between said conducting element and said another layer of material of a second conductive type, forming a light emitting element;
- a substrate;
- a first mirror situated above said substrate;
- a first conductive spacer situated above said first mirror and below said light emitting material;
- a second conductive spacer situated above said light emitting material;
- a second mirror situated above said second conductive spacer;
- said first and second mirrors and all material between forming an optical resonator having an optical resonance at a nominal wavelength;
- and
- means for injecting electrical current into said light emitting material, thereby causing said light emitting device to emit a beam of light.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.