MANUFACTURABLE MULTI-EMITTER LASER DIODE

• US 20150229108A1
• Filed: 01/20/2015
• Published: 08/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera SLD Laser Incorporated (Kyocera Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Soraa Laser Diode, Inc. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Inventors: Steigerwald, Dan, McLaurin, Melvin, Goutain, Eric, Sztein, Alexander, Hsu, Po Shan, Rudy, Paul, Raring, James W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,520,697 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/005 Optical components external to the laser cavity, specially adapted therefor, e.g. for homogenisation or merging of the beams or for manipulating laser pulses, e.g. pulse shaping H01S5/026, H01S5/18388 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0087 for illuminating phosphorescent or fluorescent materials, e.g. using optical arrangements specifically adapted for guiding or shaping laser beams illuminating these materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0202 Cleaving
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0203 Etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0215 Bonding to the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0216 using an intermediate compound, e.g. a glue or solder
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0217 Removal of the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0218 Substrates comprising semiconducting materials from different groups of the periodic system than the active layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/04253 having specific optical properties, e.g. transparent electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/04256 characterised by the configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/04257 having positive and negative electrodes on the same side of the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/22 having a ridge or stripe structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/34333 with a well layer based on Ga(In)N or Ga(In)P, e.g. blue laser
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4012 Beam combining, e.g. by the use of fibres, gratings, polarisers, prisms
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4031 Edge-emitting structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4056 emitting light in more than one direction
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4087 emitting more than one wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4093 Red, green and blue [RGB] generated directly by laser action or by a combination of laser action with nonlinear frequency conversion

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a multi-emitter laser diode device includes providing a substrate having a surface region and forming epitaxial material overlying the surface region, the epitaxial material comprising an n-type cladding region, an active region comprising at least one active layer overlying the n-type cladding region, and a p-type cladding region overlying the active layer region. The epitaxial material is patterned to form a plurality of dice, each of the dice corresponding to at least one laser device, characterized by a first pitch between a pair of dice, the first pitch being less than a design width. Each of the plurality of dice are transferred to a carrier wafer such that each pair of dice is configured with a second pitch between each pair of dice, the second pitch being larger than the first pitch.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a multi-emitter laser device, the method comprising:

providing a substrate having a surface region;

forming an epitaxial material overlying the surface region, the epitaxial material comprising a release material region, an n-type cladding region overlying the release material region, an active region comprising at least one active layer overlying the n-type cladding region, and a p-type cladding region overlying the active layer region; and

an interface region overlying the epitaxial material;

forming a plurality of dice by at least patterning the epitaxial material and defining a mesa region to form a plurality of epitaxial mesa dice regions, each pair of epitaxial mesa dice being characterized by a first pitch between the pair of dice, each of the dice corresponding to at least one laser diode stripe region;

subjecting the release material to an energy source to fully or partially remove the release material;

bonding the interface region associated with at least one of the plurality of epitaxial mesa dice regions to a carrier wafer to form a bonded structure wherein at least a pair of the transferred epitaxial mesa dice are arranged in a substantially parallel configuration on the carrier wafer with a lateral spacing defined by a second pitch;

initiating the release of the gallium and nitrogen containing substrate member to complete the transfer process of the one or more plurality of epitaxial mesa dice regions to the carrier wafer at the second pitch;

processing the plurality of epitaxial mesa dice regions on the carrier wafer to form a plurality of laser stripe regions within the epitaxial mesa dice regions;

processing the carrier wafer with the plurality of epitaxial dice regions comprising laser stripe regions to form a plurality of laser diode die regions configured as a multi-emitter laser diode region having a multi-emitter laser diode device;

wherein at least a pair of laser diode regions provided in the multi-emitter laser diode die region is spaced by a third pitch in between the pair of the laser diode regions provided in the multi-emitter laser diode region; and

singulating each of the laser diode regions in the multi-emitter laser diode region from the carrier wafer to form individual laser diode devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first pitch of the epitaxial mesa dice on the substrate is less than the second pitch of the epitaxial mesa dice regions transferred to the one or more carrier substrates and wherein the second pitch of the epitaxial mesa dice regions transferred to the one or more carrier substrates is less than the third pitch provided between the pair of the laser diode regions in the multi-emitter laser diode die region.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each die is shaped as a mesa formed from a patterning and etching process;

wherein each pair of die having a first pitch ranging between 1 μ

m and 10 μ

m and a second pitch ranging between 10 μ

m and 50 μ

m, or a first pitch ranging between 10 μ

m and 50 μ

m and a second pitch ranging between 25 μ

m and 150 μ

m or a first pitch ranging between 50 μ

m and 200 μ

m and a second pitch ranging between 100 μ

m and 400 μ

m with a length of 50 μ

m to 5000 μ

m.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the third pitch defining the laser diode region is between 150 microns and 500 microns, or between 500 microns and 5 millimeters, or between 5 millimeters and 2 centimeters.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each laser diode region further comprising forming one or more components overlying a space defined by the third pitch, the one or more components being selected from one or more of a metal contact region, a metal interconnect region, or a metal bonding pad.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a pair of laser diode region formed on adjacent epitaxial mesa dice regions are electrically connected in series via a metal interconnect region or a metal contact region.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a pair of the laser diode regions formed on adjacent epitaxial mesa dice regions are electrically connected in parallel via a metal interconnect region or a metal contact region.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the transferring comprises selectively bonding one or more die to the carrier substrate, each of the die being configured to a bonding pad on the carrier substrate;

whereupon the carrier substrate has a larger diameter than the substrate;

whereupon each of the bonds is at least one of metal-metal pairs, oxide-oxide pairs, spin-on-glass, soldering alloys, polymers, photoresists, or wax, and further comprising releasing each of the die during each selective bonding by separating a release region associated with each die while a portion of the epitaxial material remains intact.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the epitaxial material is gallium and nitrogen containing and grown on a polar, non-polar, or semi-polar plane.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the epitaxial material comprises at least one of GaN, AlN, InN, InGaN, AlGaN, InAlN, InAlGaN, AlAs, GaAs, GaP, InP, AlP, AlGaAs, AlInAs, InGaAs, AlGaP, AlInP, InGaP, AlInGaP, AlInGaAs, or AlInGaAsP;

wherein the energy source comprises a selective etching process to fully or partially remove the release region comprising a portion of epitaxial material.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the epitaxial material comprises at least one of GaN, AlN, InN, InGaN, AlGaN, InAlN, InAlGaN;

wherein the energy source comprises a bandgap selective photoelectricalchemical (PEC) etching process to fully or partially remove the release region comprising a portion of epitaxial material.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the epitaxial material comprises at least one of AlAs, GaAs, GaP, InP, AlP, AlGaAs, AlInAs, InGaAs, AlGaP, AlInP, InGaP, AlInGaP, AlInGaAs, or AlInGaAsP;

wherein the energy source comprises a selective etching process using a compositionally selective wet etching to full or partially remove the release region comprising a portion of epitaxial material.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the release region is comprises at least one of AlGaAs, InGaAs, InGaAP, GaAs, InAlAs, InGaAlAs, InP, AlSb, GaAsSb, AlInP, AlInGaAs, AlInGaP or AlInGaAsP;

whereupon the selective etch chemistry comprises at least one of HF, HF;

H₂O, HCl;

H₂O, NH₄OH;

H₂O₂, succinic acid;

NH₄OH, C₆H₆O₇;

H₂O₂;

H₂O or HF;

H₂OO₂;

H₂O.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the selective etching selectively removes substantially all of the release region while leaving intact a portion to provide structure before selectively bonding the one or more die and configured to separate after bonding the one or more die.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the selective etching selectively removes the release region while leaving an anchor region in tact to support the die before the selective bonding of the one or more die, and the anchor region separates after the selective bonding of the one or more die.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising forming a metal material overlying the one or more die before transferring, while leaving exposed one or more anchor regions, which are configured to selectively break and separate from each of the die after selectively bonding.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the laser diode regions comprising a pair of facets configured from a cleaving process or an etching process, the etching process being selected from inductively coupled plasma etching, chemical assisted ion beam etching, or reactive ion beam etching.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is reclaimed and prepared for reuse after transferring each of the plurality of dice to one or more carrier substrates.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the carrier wafer comprises at least one of silicon carbide, aluminum nitride, diamond, sapphire, gallium arsenide, indium phosphide, silicon, beryllium oxide, gold, silver, copper, or graphite, carbon nanotubes or graphene or composites thereof.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-emitter laser diode device is configured as a laser bar having the multi-laser diode.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a gallium and nitrogen containing substrate such as a GaN substrate and the epitaxial layers are gallium and nitrogen containing epitaxial layers;

wherein the multi-emitter laser diode device emits in the 350 to 450 nm range or in the 450 to 550 nm range.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a gallium and arsenic containing substrate such as a GaAs substrate and the epitaxial layers are gallium and arsenic containing epitaxial layers;

wherein the multi-emitter laser diode device emits in the 600 to 700 nm range, or in the 700 to 800 nm range, or in the 800 to 900 nm range, or in the 900 to 1000 nm range, or in the 1000 to 1100 nm range.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is an indium and phosphorous containing substrate such as an InP substrate and the epitaxial layers are indium and phosphorous containing epitaxial layers;

wherein the multi-emitter laser diode device emits in the 1100 to 1300 nm range, or in the 1300 to 1400 nm range, or in the 1500 to 1600 nm range.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-emitter laser diode device is configured with an optical combiner to combine the optical output of the multi-emitters.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-emitter laser diode device is configured with collimating optics to collimate the output beams from the multi-emitters;

wherein the collimating optics comprise a common fast axis collimating lens and/or a common slow axis collimating lens to collimate the multiple emitted beams.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-emitter laser diode device is configured with collimating optics to collimate the output beams from the multi-emitters;

wherein the collimating optics comprise a lens array.

27. A multi-emitter laser diode device, the laser diode device comprising:

a carrier chip singulated from a carrier wafer, the carrier chip being characterized by a length and a width;

wherein the width defines a first pitch;

a plurality of epitaxial mesa dice regions transferred to the carrier chip from a substrate and attached to the carrier chip at a bond region;

each of the epitaxial mesa dice regions arranged on the carrier chip in a substantially parallel configuration and positioned at a second pitch defining the distance between adjacent epitaxial mesa dice regions, each of the plurality of epitaxial mesa dice regions comprising epitaxial material;

the epitaxial material comprising an n-type cladding region, an active region comprising at least one active layer overlying the n-type cladding region, and a p-type cladding region overlying the active layer region;

one or more laser diode stripe regions formed in the plurality of epitaxial mesa dice regions; and

each of the laser diode stripe regions configured with a pair of facets wherein the first facet is configured on a first end of the stripe and second facet is configured on the second end of the stripe region to form a cavity region.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the pair of facets are configured from a cleaving process or an etching process, the etching process being selected from inductively coupled plasma etching, chemical assisted ion beam etching, or reactive ion beam etching.

29. The device of claim 27, wherein the first pitch defining the width of the carrier chip is between 150 microns and 500 microns, or between 500 microns and 1 millimeter, or between 1 millimeter and 10 millimeters, or greater than 10 millimeters.

30. The device of claim 27, wherein the second pitch defining the distance between the adjacent epitaxial dice regions configured with laser stripes is between 10 microns and 50 microns, or between 50 microns and 150 microns, or between 150 microns and 500 microns.

31. The device of claim 27, wherein each multi-emitter laser device further comprising forming one or more components overlying the carrier chip, the one or more components being selected from one or more of a metal contact region, a metal interconnect region, or a metal bonding pad.

32. The device of claim 27, wherein at least a pair of laser diode regions formed on adjacent epitaxial mesa dice regions are electrically connected in series via a metal interconnect region or a metal contact region.

33. The device of claim 27, wherein at least a pair of laser diode regions formed on adjacent epitaxial mesa dice regions are electrically connected in parallel via a metal interconnect region or a metal contact region.

34. The device of claim 27, wherein the bond region is comprised of a metal, an oxide, a glass, a soldering alloy, a polymer, or a wax.

35. The device of claim 27, wherein the epitaxial material is gallium and nitrogen containing and grown on a polar, non-polar, or semi-polar plane.

36. The device of claim 27, wherein the epitaxial material comprises at least one of GaN, AlN, InN, InGaN, AlGaN, InAlN, InAlGaN, AlAs, GaAs, GaP, InP, AlP, AlGaAs, AlInAs, InGaAs, AlGaP, AlInP, InGaP, AlInGaP, AlInGaAs, or AlInGaAsP.

37. The device of claim 27, wherein the carrier wafer comprises at least one of silicon carbide, aluminum nitride, diamond, sapphire, gallium arsenide, indium phosphide, silicon, beryllium oxide, gold, silver, copper, or graphite, carbon nanotubes or graphene or composites thereof.

38. The device of claim 27, wherein the multi-emitter laser diode device is configured as a laser bar.

39. The device of claim 27, wherein the substrate is a gallium and nitrogen containing substrate such as a GaN substrate and the epitaxial layers are gallium and nitrogen containing epitaxial layers;

wherein the multi-emitter laser diode device emits in the 350 to 450 nm range or in the 450 to 550 nm range.

40. The device of claim 27, wherein the substrate is a gallium and arsenic containing substrate such as a GaAs substrate and the epitaxial layers are gallium and arsenic containing epitaxial layers;

wherein the multi-emitter laser diode device emits in the 600 to 700 nm range, or in the 700 to 800 nm range, or in the 800 to 900 nm range, or in the 900 to 1000 nm range, or in the 1000 to 1100 nm range.

41. The device of claim 27, wherein the substrate is an indium and phosphorous containing substrate such as an InP substrate and the epitaxial layers are indium and phosphorous containing epitaxial layers;

wherein the multi-emitter laser diode device emits in the 1100 to 1300 nm range, or in the 1300 to 1400 nm range, or in the 1500 to 1600 nm range.

42. The device of claim 27, wherein the multi-emitter laser diode device is configured with an optical combiner to combine the optical output of the multi-emitters.

43. The device of claim 27, wherein the multi-emitter laser diode device is configured with collimating optics to collimate the output beams from the multi-emitters;

wherein the collimating optics comprise a common fast axis collimating lens and/or a common slow axis collimating lens to collimate the multiple emitted beams.

44. The device of claim 27, wherein the multi-emitter laser diode device is configured with collimating optics to collimate the output beams from the multi-emitters;

wherein the collimating optics comprise a lens array.

45. The device of claim 27, where the carrier substrate has a thermal conductivity greater than about 150 K/mW.

46. The device of claim 27, wherein a bond pad is located on the side of the carrier opposite the bonded epitaxial material;

wherein the laser diode device comprises one or more gallium and nitrogen containing violet or blue emitting laser diodes operable at optical output powers above about 1 W;

wherein the carrier chip resulting from the carrier substrate has a thermal conductivity of greater than about 150 K/mW and is comprised of one or more of silicon carbide, aluminum nitride, beryllium oxide, gold, silver, copper, or graphite, carbon nanotubes or grapheme or composites thereof; and

wherein the optical output is configured to excite a wavelength conversion material such as a phosphor material.

47. The device of claim 27, wherein the carrier chip is configured to bond directly to the package.