Efficient semiconductor light-emitting device and method
First Claim
1. A semiconductor light-emitting device comprising:
- (a) a substrate;
(b) a plurality of semiconductor layers grown on the substrate, the semiconductor layers forming a first mirror stack having a first doping type above the substrate, an active region above the first mirror stack, at least one control layer proximate to the active region and including an oxidized portion therein, and a second mirror stack above the active region and having a second doping type and further having a composition different from the non-oxidized portion of the at least one control layer;
(c) a mesa extending downward through the semiconductor layers at least to the control layer; and
(d) an upper electrode above the second mirror stack.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A semiconductor light-emitting device and method. The semiconductor light-emitting device is provided with at least one control layer or control region which includes an annular oxidized portion thereof to channel an injection current into the active region, and to provide a lateral refractive index profile for index guiding the light generated within the device. A periodic composition grading of at least one of the mirror stacks in the device provides a reduced operating voltage of the device. The semiconductor light-emitting device has a high efficiency for light generation, and may be formed either as a resonant-cavity light-emitting diode (RCLED) or as a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL).
341 Citations
46 Claims
-
1. A semiconductor light-emitting device comprising:
-
(a) a substrate; (b) a plurality of semiconductor layers grown on the substrate, the semiconductor layers forming a first mirror stack having a first doping type above the substrate, an active region above the first mirror stack, at least one control layer proximate to the active region and including an oxidized portion therein, and a second mirror stack above the active region and having a second doping type and further having a composition different from the non-oxidized portion of the at least one control layer; (c) a mesa extending downward through the semiconductor layers at least to the control layer; and (d) an upper electrode above the second mirror stack. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
-
23. A semiconductor light-emitting device comprising:
-
(a) a substrate; (b) a plurality of semiconductor layers grown on the substrate, the semiconductor layers forming a first mirror stack having a first doping type above the substrate, an active region above the first mirror stack, and a second mirror stack having a second doping type above the active region, at least one of the mirror stacks including a control portion therein adjacent to the active region, the control portion having at least one oxidized layer with an aluminum composition higher than any aluminum composition of any of the other semiconductor layers in the mirror stack and having a lateral oxidation extent greater than any lateral oxidation extent of the other semiconductor layers in the mirror stack; (c) a mesa extending downward through the semiconductor layers at least to the control portion; and (d) an upper electrode above the second mirror stack. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
-
-
45. A semiconductor light-emitting device comprising:
-
(a) a semiconductor substrate; (b) a plurality of semiconductor layers grown on the substrate, the semiconductor layers forming a first mirror stack having a first doping type above the substrate, an active region above the first mirror stack, a second mirror stack having a second doping type above the active region, and at least one control layer proximate to the active region and comprising a semiconductor alloy with an aluminum composition higher than any aluminum composition of any of the semiconductor layers of the second mirror stack; (c) a mesa extending downward through the semiconductor layers at least to the control layer; and (d) an upper electrode above the second mirror stack.
-
-
46. A semiconductor light-emitting device comprising:
-
(a) a substrate; (b) a plurality of semiconductor layers grown on the substrate, the semiconductor layers forming a first mirror stack having a first doping type above the substrate, an active region above the first mirror stack, and a second mirror stack having a second doping type above the active region, at least one of the mirror stacks including a control portion therein adjacent to the active region, the control portion comprising a semiconductor alloy with an aluminum composition higher than any aluminum composition of any of the other semiconductor layers of the mirror stack; (c) a mesa extending downward through the semiconductor layers at least to the control portion; and (d) an upper electrode above the second mirror stack.
-
Specification