Optical device having mesas

An array of optical devices comprising a plurality of optical devices, each optical device comprising

• a semiconductor material comprising an active layer configured to emit light when an electrical current is applied to the device and/or to generate an electrical current when light is incident on the active layer,
• wherein the semiconductor material comprises a first surface and an opposed second surface, at which light is emitted from and/or received by the device,
• wherein the first surface defines a first structure comprising the active layer and configured to reflect light emitted from the active layer toward the second surface and/or to reflect light received by the device toward the active layer, and the second surface defines a second structure configured to permit light incident on the second surface at an angle outside a critical angle range to the planar normal to pass therethrough, the first and second structures comprising mesas with truncated tops, and
• wherein the mesas have a circular footprint and the footprint of the mesa of the second structure has a larger diameter than the footprint of the mesa of the first structure.

A method of making an optical device, the method comprising:

• providing a semiconductor material comprising an active layer configured to emit light when an electrical current is applied to the device and/or to generate an electrical current when light is incident on the active layer, wherein the semiconductor material comprises a first surface and an opposed second surface, from which light is emitted from and/or received by the device;
• shaping the first surface to define a first structure comprising the active layer and configured to reflect light emitted from the active layer toward the second surface and/or to reflect light received by the device toward the active layer;
• and
• shaping the second surface to define a second structure configured to permit light incident on the second surface at an angle outside a critical angle range to the planar normal to pass therethrough, the first and second structures comprising mesas with truncated tops, and wherein the mesas have a circular footprint and the footprint of the mesa of the second structure has a larger diameter than the footprint of the mesa of the first structure.

An optical device comprising:

• a semiconductor material comprising an active layer configured to emit light when an electrical current is applied to the device and/or to generate an electrical current when light is incident on the active layer,
• wherein the semiconductor material comprises a first surface and an opposed second surface, at which light is emitted from and/or received by the device,
• wherein the first surface defines a first structure comprising the active layer and configured to reflect light emitted from the active layer toward the second surface and/or to reflect light received by the device toward the active layer, and the second surface defines a second structure configured to permit light incident on the second surface at an angle outside a critical angle range to the planar normal to pass therethrough, the first and second structures comprising mesas with truncated tops, and
• wherein the truncated top of the mesa of the second structure has a larger diameter than the truncated top of the mesa of the first structure.