Semiconductor laser apparatus and manufacturing method thereof

• US 20050271107A1
• Filed: 11/18/2004
• Published: 12/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Business Innovation Corp. (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Teiichi, Ishii, Ryoji, Nakayama, Hideo, Kuwata, Yasuaki, Murakami, Akemi
• Granted Patent: US 7,995,636 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 372/50.100
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48247 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48257 connecting the wire to a die pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49107 on the semiconductor or solid-state body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1301 Thyristor
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0261 Non-optical elements, e.g. laser driver components, heaters H01S5/0265 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/06825 Protecting the laser, e.g. during switch-on/off, detection of malfunctioning or degradation
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18311 using selective oxidation
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18341 Intra-cavity contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/2009 by using electron barrier layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/979 Tunnel diodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/983 Zener diodes

Abstract

A semiconductor laser apparatus has a Zener diode containing a first semiconductor region of a first conduction type and a second semiconductor region of a second conduction type joined with the first semiconductor region, and a vertical-cavity surface-emitting semiconductor laser diode stacked above the Zener diode and containing at least a first mirror layer of a first conduction type, a second mirror layer of a second conduction type and an active region sandwiched between the first and second mirror layers. The first semiconductor region and the second mirror layer are electrically connected and the second semiconductor region and the first mirror layer are electrically connected.

Claims

1. A semiconductor laser apparatus comprising:

a Zener diode containing a first semiconductor region of a first conduction type and a second semiconductor region of a second conduction type joined with the first semiconductor region; and

a vertical-cavity surface-emitting semiconductor laser diode stacked above the Zener diode and containing at least a first mirror layer of a first conduction type, a second mirror layer of a second conduction type and an active region sandwiched between the first and second mirror layers, wherein

the first semiconductor region and the second mirror layer are electrically connected and the second semiconductor region and the first mirror layer are electrically connected.

2. The semiconductor laser apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first semiconductor region contains a substrate of a first conduction type and the second semiconductor region is an epitaxial layer formed over the substrate.

3. The semiconductor laser apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a first electrode layer is formed on a back surface of the substrate and electrically connected with the substrate, a second electrode layer is formed on the second mirror layer and electrically connected with the second mirror layer, and the first and second electrode layers are electrically connected.

4. The semiconductor laser apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first semiconductor region contains a substrate of a first conduction type and the second semiconductor layer is formed by diffusing or implanting impurities in the substrate.

5. The semiconductor laser apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first mirror layer, the active region and the second mirror layer are epitaxial layers formed above the second semiconductor region.

6. The semiconductor laser apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a high resistance film is interposed between the second semiconductor region and the first mirror layer.

7. The semiconductor laser apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the vertical-cavity surface-emitting semiconductor laser diode contains a selectively oxidized region at a position adjacent with the active region, and the high resistance film is an oxide film formed simultaneously with the selectively oxidized region.

8. The semiconductor laser apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the vertical-cavity surface-emitting semiconductor laser diode contains a post above the Zener diode and an oxidation rate of the oxide film is higher than that of the selectively oxidized region in the post.

9. The semiconductor laser apparatus according to claim 8, wherein, when the oxide film comprises Al_xGa_1-xAs and the selectively oxidized region comprises Al_yGa_1-yAs, X and Y satisfy the following inequality:

X>

Y.

10. The semiconductor laser apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a Zener voltage of the Zener diode is higher than a driving voltage of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting semiconductor laser diode.

11. The semiconductor laser apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the Zener voltage is about 3 V or higher.

12. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor laser apparatus comprising:

forming a plurality of semiconductor layers including at least a first semiconductor layer of a first conduction type, a second semiconductor layer of a second conduction type joined with the first semiconductor layer, a third semiconductor layer of a first conduction type formed on the second semiconductor layer, an active region formed on the third semiconductor layer and a fourth semiconductor layer of a second conduction type formed on the active region;

etching a portion of the plurality of semiconductor layers to form a post on the second semiconductor layer;

selectively oxidizing a portion of a current confining layer contained in the post; and

electrically connecting the first semiconductor layer with the fourth semiconductor layer and electrically connecting the second semiconductor layer with the third semiconductor layer.

13. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor laser apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the first semiconductor layer contains a substrate of a first conduction type and the second to fourth semiconductor layers are formed by epitaxial growing.

14. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor laser apparatus according to claim 12, wherein a high resistance layer is formed between the second semiconductor layer and the third semiconductor layer.

15. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor laser apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the high resistance layer is an oxide layer formed simultaneously with formation of a selectively oxidized region of the current confining layer.

16. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor laser apparatus according to claim 15, wherein, when the oxide layer comprises Al_xGa_s-xAs and the current confining layer comprises Al_yGa_1-yAs, X and Y satisfy the following inequality:

X>

Y.