Unitary lens semiconductor device
First Claim
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1. A unitary lens semiconductor device comprising:
- (a) a transparent substrate having at least one semiconductor layer thereon, the semiconductor layer having a composition varying Continuously or in discrete steps in a direction normal to an upper surface of the substrate; and
(b) a lower-refractive-index portion formed in the semiconductor layer and extending downward below the upper surface of the semiconductor layer to form a lens having a curved shape defined, at least in part, by the variation in composition of the semiconductor layer for redirecting or focusing light rays.
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Abstract
A unitary lens semiconductor device and method. The unitary lens semiconductor device is provided with at least one semiconductor layer having a composition varying in the growth direction for unitarily forming one or more lenses in the semiconductor layer. Unitary lens semiconductor devices may be formed as light-processing devices such as microlenses, and as light-active devices such as light-emitting diodes, photodetectors, resonant-cavity light-emitting diodes, vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers, and resonant cavity photodetectors.
263 Citations
50 Claims
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1. A unitary lens semiconductor device comprising:
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(a) a transparent substrate having at least one semiconductor layer thereon, the semiconductor layer having a composition varying Continuously or in discrete steps in a direction normal to an upper surface of the substrate; and (b) a lower-refractive-index portion formed in the semiconductor layer and extending downward below the upper surface of the semiconductor layer to form a lens having a curved shape defined, at least in part, by the variation in composition of the semiconductor layer for redirecting or focusing light rays. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5)
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2. A unitary lens semiconductor device comprising:
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(a) a transparent substrate having an upper surface; (b) at least one semiconductor layer above the substrate, the semiconductor layer having a composition varying continuously or stepwise in a direction normal to the upper surface; and (c) a mesa formed within the semiconductor layer, the mesa having at least one sidewall wherefrom a lower-refractive-index portion of the semiconductor layer extends laterally inward to form a lens having a curved shape defined, at least in part, by the variation in composition of the semiconductor layer. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A unitary lens semiconductor device comprising:
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(a) a semiconductor substrate; (b) a plurality of semiconductor layers grown above the substrate further comprising a light-active region having a semiconductor junction therein and at least one lens-forming region, the lens-forming region having a semiconductor composition varying continuously or stepwise in the growth direction and including a lower-refractive-index portion having a curved shape to define a unitary lens; and (c) electrodes above and below the semiconductor junction for electrically activating the light-active region. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A unitary lens semiconductor device comprising:
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(a) a transparent substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface; (b) at least one semiconductor layer above the upper surface of the substrate, the semiconductor layer having a composition varying continuously or stepwise along an optical axis normal to the upper surface and a lower-refractive-index portion extending downward into the semiconductor layer to provide a curved surface that defines at least one unitary lens for redirecting light rays; (c) a light-active region formed below the lower surface of the substrate and having a semiconductor junction therein, the light-active region having at least one light-active area centered about an optical axis of each unitary lens; and (d) electrodes above and below the semiconductor junction for electrically activating the light-active region. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A unitary lens semiconductor device comprising:
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(a) a transparent substrate having a semiconductor layer thereon; and (b) a lens formed in the semiconductor layer below a substantially planar outer surface of the layer and further having a curved shape defined, at least in part, by a continuous or stepwise variation in composition of the layer in a direction normal to the outer surface of the layer. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45)
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46. A unitary lens semiconductor device comprising:
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(a) a transparent substrate; and (b) a semiconductor layer disposed on the substrate and including a lower-refractive-index portion therein, the lower-refractive-index portion having an outer surface that is substantially planar and an inner surface that is curved to define a lens within the semiconductor layer. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification