Fabrication of scanning III-V compound light emitters integrated with Si-based actuators

• US 6,054,335 A
• Filed: 12/11/1998
• Issued: 04/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Floyd, Philip D., Chua, Christopher L., Kubby, Joel A., Peeters, Eric, Sun, Decai, Tran, Alex T., Bringans, Ross D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bowers, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHRISTIANSON, KEITH ALAN
• Application Number:
  US09/209,866
• Time in Patent Office: 501 Days
• Field of Search: 438/22, 438/23, 438/26, 438/27, 438/34, 438/42, 438/46, 438/47, 438/95 G, 310/308, 310/309, 310/40 MM
• US Class Current: 438/23
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/15 including semiconductor components having potential barriers, specially adapted for light emission
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/021 Silicon based substrates
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02253 using lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02326 Arrangements for relative positioning of laser diodes and optical components, e.g. grooves in the mount to fix optical fibres or lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18308 having a special structure for lateral current or light confinement
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4087 emitting more than one wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/423 having a vertical cavity
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/426 Vertically stacked cavities

Abstract

A III-V compound light emitter is integrated with Si-based actuators. The Proposed devices take advantage of the superior optical properties of III-V compounds and the superior mechanical properties of Si, as well as mature fabrication technologies of Si-Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS). The emitter can be a light emitting diode (LED), a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) or an edge emitting laser. Electro or magnetic based actuation from Si-based actuators provides linear or angular movement of the light emitter.

Claims

1. A method of making a movable light emitting assembly, comprising:

a substrate having a top and a bottom made of semiconductor material, the substrate including a doped layer on the bottom of the substrate, an etch stop layer, a buffer layer, and light source layers and;

forming a light source from the light source layers;

forming a light source support which movably supports the light source;

forming at least one suspension member, each suspension member attached at a first end to the light source support and at a second end to the substrate thereby suspending the light support; and

forming at least one force generator which moves the light support.