Monolithically integrated laser-diode-waveguide combination

• US 5,208,878 A
• Filed: 10/02/1991
• Issued: 05/04/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Thulke, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): Ullah, Akm E.
• Application Number:
  US07/769,972
• Time in Patent Office: 580 Days
• Field of Search: 385/14, 372/45, 372/46, 372/50, 372/96, 357/17
• US Class Current: 385/14
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/15 including semiconductor components having potential barriers, specially adapted for light emission
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0208 Semi-insulating substrates
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/026 Monolithically integrated components, e.g. waveguides, monitoring photo-detectors, drivers stabilisation of output H01S5/06
• 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 5/06206 Controlling the frequency of the radiation, e.g. tunable twin-guide lasers [TTG]
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/2275 mesa created by etching

Abstract

A monolithically integrated laser diode waveguide combination on a semi-insulating substrate has in an active region thereof a laser diode with a waveguide layer, an intermediate layer, an active layer, and a grating layer arranged between portions of a lower cover layer. Above this laser strip, an upper cover layer with a central contact layer is located thereupon together with a central contact. An activation of the active layer occurs via the lower cover layer, a lateral contact layer applied on the coating layer, and lateral contacts.

Claims

1. A monolithically integrated laser diode waveguide system, comprising:

a semi-insulating substrate;

a passive waveguide layer coupled with a strip-shaped laser diode active layer adjacent a main surface of the substrate;

a strip-shaped upper cover layer of first conductivity type at a side of the active layer not facing the substrate, and a central contact layer applied on the cover layer;

a strip-shaped intermediate layer of second conductivity type at a side of the active layer facing the substrate and which is defined by two main surfaces parallel to the main surface of the substrate and two longitudinal sides and two narrow end sides;

a lower cover layer bordering the two longitudinal sides of the intermediate layer at a region of the laser diode and which is doped as a second conductivity type at least at one longitudinal side of the intermediate layer;

a lateral contact layer applied on said lower cover layer;

a central contact applied on the central contact layer and a lateral contact applied on the lateral contact layer;

the lower cover layer being doped on one side of the intermediate layer as first conductivity type;

a tuning layer at a surface of the intermediate layer facing the substrate;

a region doped of the first conductivity type and bordering a main side of the adjustment layer facing the substrate and which is connected with a portion of the lower cover layer which is doped as first conductivity type;

the lateral contact layer having a first portion on a first portion of the lower cover layer doped as first conductivity type, and a second portion separated therefrom on a second portion of the lower cover layer doped as the second conductivity type; and

the separated first and second portions of the lateral contact layer each being provided with a separate lateral contact.

2. A laser diode waveguide system according to claim 1 including a DFB grating means in a grating layer arranged between the upper cover layer and the active layer for optical feedback of laser light of the laser diode.

3. A laser diode waveguide system according to claim 1 including a DFB grating means between the intermediate layer and the substrate for optical feedback of laser light.

4. A laser diode waveguide system according to claim 1 wherein the first and second portions of the lateral contact layer which are applied on the respective first and second portions of the lower cover layer have different material compositions at least in respective uppermost layer portions provided with the respective lateral contacts.

5. A laser diode according to claim 1 wherein

the first conductivity type is p-type and the second conductivity type is n-type, and

at least one layer portion of the central contact layer bordering the central contact is doped p⁺ -conductive and at least one layer portion of the lateral contact layer bordering the lateral contact provided for an n-conductive doped portion of the lower cover layer is doped n⁺ -conductive.

6. A monolithically integrated laser diode waveguide system, comprising:

a semi-insulating substrate;

a passive waveguide layer coupled with a strip-shaped laser diode active layer adjacent a main surface of the substrate;

a strip-shaped upper cover layer at a side of the active layer not facing the substrate, and a central contact layer applied on the cover layer;

a strip-shaped intermediate layer at a side of the active layer facing the substrate and which is defined by two longitudinal sides;

a lower cover layer adjacent the two longitudinal sides of the intermediate layer at a region of the laser diode;

a lateral contact layer applied on said lower cover layer;

a central contact applied on the central contact layer and a lateral contact applied on the lateral contact layer;

the lower cover layer being doped on one side of the intermediate layer as first conductivity type;

a tuning layer at a surface of the intermediate layer facing the substrate;

a region doped of the first conductivity type and bordering a main side of the adjustment layer facing the substrate and which is connected with a portion of the lower cover layer which is doped as first conductivity type;

the lateral contact layer having a first portion on a first portion of the lower cover layer doped as first conductivity type, and a second portion separated therefrom on a second portion of the lower cover layer doped as the second conductivity type; and

the separated first and second portions of the lateral contact layer each being provided with a separate lateral contact.