Monolithic scanning light emitting devices using micromachining

• US 6,180,428 B1
• Filed: 10/15/1998
• Issued: 01/30/2001
• 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: Fork, David K., Maeda, Patrick Y., Floyd, Philip D., Kubby, Joel A., Peeters, Eric, Sun, Decai, Apte, Raj B., Paoli, Thomas L., Bringans, Ross D., Connell, G. A. Neville
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, DUNG ANH
• Application Number:
  US09/172,883
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 438/22, 438/34, 438/39, 438/42, 438/43, 438/46
• US Class Current: 438/22
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/15 including semiconductor components having potential barriers, specially adapted for light emission
• 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 5/183 having only vertical cavities, e.g. vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers [VCSEL]
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/423 having a vertical cavity

Abstract

A micro-machined movable light emitting assembly is formed on or from an undoped or pure III-V substrate or formed on or from a doped III-V substrate. The movable light emitting assemblies are to be actuated using force generators, to generate the various mechanical degrees of freedom depending on the type of stage suspension and actuation.

Claims

1. A method of making a moving a micro-machined movable light emitting assembly, comprising:

depositing light source forming layers on an undoped III-V substrate;

etching a back side of the substrate to produce a III-V membrane with a thickness equal to the thickness of a light source support and a plurality of light source support suspension members;

etching a front side of the substrate to perforate the shape of the light source support and the plurality of light source support suspension members thereby releasing the light source support from the substrate,

wherein etching the front side of the substrate further comprises;

perforating the shape of actuator combs having a fixed finger set and a movable finger set,

further comprising;

depositing an oxidation layer beneath the light source forming layers; and

oxidizing the oxidation layer beneath the fixed finger set thereby electrically isolating the fixed finger set from the movable finger set.