Semiconductor laser and method of making the same

• US 6,067,310 A
• Filed: 09/05/1997
• Issued: 05/23/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Fukui, Jiro, Ikoma, Nobuyuki, Hashimoto, Jun-ichi, Murata, Michio
• Primary Examiner(s): Bovernick, Rodney
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEUNG, QUYEN PHAN
• Application Number:
  US08/924,502
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 372/45, 372/46, 372/49, 438/29, 438/45
• US Class Current: 372/49.01
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/162 with window regions made by diffusion or disordening of the active layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/164 with window regions comprising semiconductor material with a wider bandgap than the active layer

Abstract

In the present method, at the time when a semiconductor laser is being made, nitrogen or phosphorus element is introduced into an active layer comprising a GaAs based compound from an end face thereof, thereby changing the region of the active layer in the vicinity of the end face into a GaN or GaP based compound. Accordingly, the energy band gap of this region is made wider than the energy band gap within the active layer, and thus substituted region is changed into a layer transparent to the laser light generated within the active layer. Thus, the end face can be prevented from deteriorating upon the temperature rise caused by laser light absorption at the end face.

Claims

1. A semiconductor laser having a pair of end faces and a resonator defined by said pair of end faces, said laser comprising:

an active layer for said resonator having a GaAs based compound; and

a GaN or GaP based compound at said pair of end faces,

wherein said GaN or GaP based compound is formed by irradiation with plasma containing N or P element so as to substitute N or P element for As element in said GaAs based compound.

2. A method of making a semiconductor laser having an active layer comprising a GaAs based compound, comprising:

providing a semiconductor laser having an active layer comprising a GaAs based compound;

producing plasma including N or P element with an interaction between a magnetic field and a microwave;

irradiating both end faces of a resonator in said active layer with said plasma; and

substituting N or P element for As element in said GaAs based compound at both end faces of a resonator.