Nitride-based VCSEL or light emitting diode with p-n tunnel junction current injection
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorsMichael A. Kneissl, Peter Kiesel, Christian G. Van de Walle
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Abstract
A p-n tunnel junction between a p-type semiconductor layer and a n-type semiconductor layer provides current injection for an nitride based vertical cavity surface emitting laser or light emitting diode structure. The p-n tunnel junction reduces the number of p-type semiconductor layers in the nitride based semiconductor VCSEL or LED structure which reduces the distributed loss, reduces the threshold current densities, reduces the overall series resistance and improves the structural quality of the laser by allowing higher growth temperatures.
Claims6
A semiconductor laser structure comprising:
- a substrate;
- a plurality of III-V nitride semiconductor layers formed on said sapphire substrate, at least one of said plurality of III-V nitride semiconductor layers forms an active region;
- a first semiconductor layer being p-type III-V nitride semiconductor, a second semiconductor layer formed on said first semiconductor layer, said a second semiconductor layer being n-type oxide semiconductor, tunnel junction means disposed between said first semiconductor layer and said second semiconductor layer for injecting current into said active region;
- and
- wherein a sufficient forward bias is applied to said active region to cause lasing from a surface of said semiconductor laser structure.
A semiconductor light emitting diode structure comprising:
- a substrate;
- a plurality of III-V nitride semiconductor layers formed on said sapphire substrates at least one of said plurality of III-V nitride semiconductor layers forms an active region;
- a fist semiconductor layer being p-type III-V nitride semiconductor, a second semiconductor layer formed on said first semiconductor layer, said a second semiconductor layer being n-type oxide semiconductor, tunnel junction means disposed between said first semiconductor layer and said second semiconductor layer for injecting current into said active region;
- and
- wherein a sufficient forward bias is applied to said active region to cause light emission from a surface of said semiconductor light emitting diode structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.