NITRIDE SEMICONDUCTOR LASER ELEMENT AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SAME

• US 20120033698A1
• Filed: 07/29/2011
• Published: 02/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nichia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nichia Corporation
• Inventors: MORIZUMI, Tomonori
• Granted Patent: US 8,654,808 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 372/45.011
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 2301/176 Specific passivation layers on surfaces other than the emission facet
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0281 Coatings made of semiconductor materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0282 Passivation layers or treatments
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/32341 blue laser based on GaN or GaP

Abstract

A nitride semiconductor laser element has: a nitride semiconductor layer having cavity planes at the ends of a waveguide region, an insulating film formed on an upper face of the nitride semiconductor layer so that the ends on the cavity plane side are isolated from cavity planes, and a first film formed from the cavity plane to the upper face of the nitride semiconductor layer, and covered part of the insulating film surface, the first film has a first region that is in contact with the nitride semiconductor and a second region that is in contact with the insulating film, and is formed from Al_xGa_1-xN (0<x≦1) and a different material from that of the insulating film.

Claims

1. A nitride semiconductor laser element comprising:

a nitride semiconductor layer having cavity planes at the ends of a waveguide region,

an insulating film formed on an upper face of the nitride semiconductor layer so that the ends on the cavity plane side are isolated from cavity planes, and

a first film formed from the cavity plane to the upper face of the nitride semiconductor layer, and covered part of the insulating film surface,

the first film has a first region that is in contact with the nitride semiconductor and a second region that is in contact with the insulating film, and is formed from Al_xGa_1-xN (0<

x≦

1) and a different material from that of the insulating film.

2. The nitride semiconductor laser element according to claim 1, wherein the insulating film is formed in an amorphous state.

3. The nitride semiconductor laser element according to claim 1, wherein the first region and second region within the first film are different in terms of their crystallinity or crystal state.

4. The nitride semiconductor laser element according to claim 2, wherein the first region and second region within the first film are different in terms of their crystallinity or crystal state.

5. The nitride semiconductor laser element according to claim 1, wherein the first film includes single crystals in the first region, and polycrystalline or amorphous in the second region.

6. The nitride semiconductor laser element according to claim 2, wherein the first film includes single crystals in the first region, and polycrystalline or amorphous in the second region.

7. The nitride semiconductor laser element according to claim 3, wherein the first film includes single crystals in the first region, and polycrystalline or amorphous in the second region.

8. The nitride semiconductor laser element according to claim 1, wherein the second region of the first film is thinner than the first region of the first film,

9. The nitride semiconductor laser element according to claim 1, wherein the distance away from the cavity plane of the insulating film is about 1 to 20 μ

m.

10. The nitride semiconductor laser element according to claim 1, wherein the insulating film includes at least one of ZrO₂, HfO₂, SiO₂, Ta₂O₅, SiN, SiON, BN, SiC, and SiOC.

11. The nitride semiconductor laser element according to claim 1, wherein a second film is provided on a first film, and the second film is formed from material which is substantially no absorption of light of the oscillation wavelength.

12. The nitride semiconductor laser element according to claim 11, wherein the second film include at least one of SiO₂, Al₂O₃, Ta₂O₃ and HfO₂.

13. The nitride semiconductor laser element according to claim 11, wherein the second film is formed in an amorphous state.

14. The nitride semiconductor laser element according to claim 11, wherein the total thickness of the end face protective film on the reflecting side is 900 nm or less.

15. The nitride semiconductor laser element according to claim 11, wherein a third film is formed for protecting the second film on the second film.

16. A method of manufacturing a nitride semiconductor laser element comprising:

forming an insulating film on an upper face of a nitride semiconductor layer;

forming cavity planes substantially perpendicular to the upper face of the nitride semiconductor layer such that the cavity planes are apart from the end portions of the insulating film, and

forming a first film from Al_xGa_1-xN (0<

x≦

1) and a different material from that of the insulating film to have a first region that is in contact with the nitride semiconductor and a second region that is in contact with the insulating film.