Contact scheme for intracavity-contacted vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsLarry A. Coldren, Eric M. Hall, Shigeru Nakagawa
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Abstract
A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) includes a semiconductor device having a pair of mirror portions, an active region, a tunnel junction, a pair of cladding layers and a substrate. Heat generated by the VCSEL dissipates through the cladding layers, which utilize an indium phosphide material. The VCSEL also includes selective etches that are used to aperture the active region to allow electric current to be injected into the active region.
Claims61
A semiconductor laser having enhanced thermal characteristics comprising:
- first and second undoped photon reflecting mirrors aligned along a common vertical axis;
- first and second thermally and electrically conductive n-type doped cladding layers sandwiched between the first and second photon reflecting mirrors along the vertical axis;
- an active region sandwiched between the first and second thermally and electrically conductive doped cladding layers along the vertical axis;
- a hole source between the active region and at least one of the cladding layers;
- wherein the hole source generates holes for quantum wells in the active region and allows both of the cladding layers to be n-type doped;
- and
- a first electrical contact attached to the first thermally and electrically conductive doped cladding layer for providing current to the active region to stimulate the active region to lase.
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor laser having enhanced thermal characteristics comprising the steps of:
- placing an active region between first and second thermally and electrically conductive n-type doped cladding layers which are placed between first and second undoped photon reflecting mirrors aligned along a common vertical axis;
- placing a hole source between the active region and at least one of the cladding layers;
- etching the hole source to form an aperture having a lateral cross-sectional area less than a lateral cross-sectional area of the first photon reflecting mirror;
- attaching an electrical contact to the first cladding layer;
- and
- providing current to the active region through a contact layer at the surface of the first cladding layer to stimulate the active region to lase.
The method for manufacturing a semiconductor laser of 17, wherein the n-type layer has a lateral surface extending beyond the lateral surface of the active region to provide lateral conductivity between the cladding layer and the active region.
A semiconductor laser having enhanced thermal characteristics comprising:
- first and second undoped photon reflecting mirrors aligned along a common vertical axis;
- first and second thermally and electrically conductive n-type cladding layers sandwiched between the first and second photon reflecting mirrors along the vertical axis;
- an active region sandwiched between the first and second thermally and electrically conductive doped cladding layers along the vertical axis;
- a hole source between the active region and at least one of the cladding layers, wherein the hole source includes an aperture having a lateral cross-sectional area less than a lateral cross-sectional area of the first undoped photon reflecting mirror;
- wherein the hole source generates holes for quantum wells in the active region and allows both of the cladding layers to be n-type doped;
- and
- a first electrical contact attached to the first thermally and electrically conductive doped cladding layer for providing current to the active region to stimulate the active region to lase.
A semiconductor laser having enhanced thermal characteristics comprising:
- first and second undoped photon reflecting mirrors aligned along a common vertical axis on an InP substrate;
- first and second thermally and electrically conductive n-type cladding layers sandwiched between the first and second photon reflecting mirrors along the vertical axis of the InP substrate;
- an active region sandwiched between the first and second thermally and electrically conductive doped cladding layers along the vertical axis of the InP substrate;
- a hole source between the active region and at least one of the cladding layers;
- and
- a first electrical contact attached to the first thermally and electrically conductive doped cladding layer for providing current to the active region to stimulate the active region to lase.
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor laser having enhanced thermal characteristics comprising the steps of:
- placing an active region between first and second thermally and electrically conductive n-type doped cladding layers which are placed between first and second undoped photon reflecting mirrors aligned along a common vertical axis of an InP substrate;
- placing a hole source between the active region and at least one of the cladding layers, the hole source being aligned along the common vertical axis of an InP substrate;
- attaching an electrical contact to the first cladding layer;
- and
- providing current to the active region through a contact layer at the first cladding layer to stimulate the active region to lase.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.