Thickness tailoring of wafer bonded AlxGayInzN structures by laser melting

• US 6,280,523 B1
• Filed: 02/05/1999
• Issued: 08/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lumileds LLC (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Lumileds Lighting US LLC (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Krames, Michael R., Martin, Paul S., Kish, Fred A. Jr., Kern, R. Scott, Coman, Carrie Carter
• Primary Examiner(s): KUNEMUND, ROBERT M
• Application Number:
  US09/245,448
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: 117/915, 117/90, 117/94, 117/97, 117/101
• US Class Current: 117/101
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/007 comprising nitride compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0075 comprising nitride compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0093 Wafer bonding; Removal of the growth substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/105 with a resonant cavity structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/465 with a resonant cavity structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0216 using an intermediate compound, e.g. a glue or solder
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0217 Removal of the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18341 Intra-cavity contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18361 Structure of the reflectors, e.g. hybrid mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/1838 Reflector bonded by wafer fusion or by an intermediate compound
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/32341 blue laser based on GaN or GaP
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 117/915 Separating from substrate

Abstract

Light emitting devices having a vertical optical path, e.g. a vertical cavity surface emitting laser or a resonant cavity light emitting or detecting device, having high quality mirrors may be achieved using wafer bonding or metallic soldering techniques. The light emitting region interposes one or two reflector stacks containing dielectric distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs). The dielectric DBRs may be deposited or attached to the light emitting device. A host substrate of GaP, GaAs, InP, or Si is attached to one of the dielectric DBRs. Electrical contacts are added to the light emitting device.

Claims

1. A method for fabricating a Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure, comprising the steps of:

attaching a host substrate to a first mirror stack;

fabricating a Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure on a sacrificial growth substrate;

creating a wafer bond interface;

removing the sacrificial growth substrate by laser melting; and

depositing electrical contacts to the Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure.

2. A method for fabricating an Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure, as defined in claim 1, wherein the step of removing the sacrificial growth substrate by laser melting comprises the steps of:

repeating N times, where N≧

1,

growing a sacrificial layer, having a decomposition temperature, between the Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure and the sacrificial growth substrate, and

adjoining a stopper layer having a higher decomposition temperature than the sacrificial layer; and

applying a laser at a selected laser wavelength, wherein the sacrificial growth substrate is transparent to the laser wavelength.

3. A method for fabricating an Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure, as defined in claim 2, wherein the N sacrificial layers have a thickness such that the layer is decomposed.

4. A method for fabricating an Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure, as defined in claim 3, further comprising the step of etching the N stopper layers.

5. A method for fabricating an Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure, as defined in claim 2, wherein the sacrificial layer is gallium nitride and the stopper layer is Al_xGa_yIn_zN.

6. A method for fabricating an Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure, as defined in claim 1, wherein the step of removing the sacrificial growth substrate by laser melting comprises the steps of:

repeating N times, where N≧

1,

growing a sacrificial layer between the Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure and the sacrificial growth substrate, and

adjoining a stopper layer; and

applying a laser at the selected laser wavelength, wherein the stopper layer has an absorption level at the selected laser wavelength and the sacrificial substrate is transparent to the selected laser wavelength.

7. A method for fabricating an Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure, as defined in claim 6, wherein the N sacrificial layers have a thickness such that the layer is decomposed.

8. A method for fabricating an Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure, as defined in claim 7, further comprising the step of etching the N stopper layers.

9. A method for fabricating an Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure, as defined in claim 6, wherein the sacrificial layer is gallium nitride and the stopper layer is Al_xGa_yIn_zN.

10. A method for fabricating a Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure comprising the steps of:

fabricating a Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure to a sacrificial growth substrate;

depositing a first mirror stack on top of a Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure;

wafer bonding a host substrate to the first mirror stack to create a wafer bond interface;

removing the sacrificial growth substrate by laser melting; and

depositing electrical contacts to the Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure.

11. A method for fabricating an Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure, as defined in claim 10, wherein the step of removing the sacrificial growth substrate by laser melting comprises the steps of:

repeating N times, where N≧

1,

growing a sacrificial layer, having a decomposition temperature, between the Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure and the sacrificial growth substrate, and

adjoining a stopper layer having a higher decomposition temperature than the sacrificial layer; and

applying a laser at a selected wavelength, wherein the sacrificial substrate is transparent to the laser wavelength.

12. A method for fabricating an Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure, as defined in claim 11, wherein the N sacrificial layers have a thickness such that the layer is decomposed.

13. A method for fabricating an Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure, as defined in claim 12, further comprising the step of etching the N stopper layers.

14. A method for fabricating an Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure, as defined in claim 11, wherein the sacrificial layer is gallium nitride and the stopper layer is Al_xGa_yIn_zN.

15. A method for fabricating an Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure, as defined in claim 10, wherein the step of removing the sacrificial growth substrate by laser melting comprises the steps of:

repeating N times, where N≧

1,

growing a sacrificial layer between the Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure and the sacrificial substrate, and

adjoining a stopper layer; and

applying a laser with a selected laser wavelength, wherein the stopper layer has an absorption level at the selected wavelength and the sacrificial growth substrate is transparent to the laser wavelength.

16. A method for fabricating an Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure, as defined in claim 15, wherein the N sacrificial layers have a thickness such that the layer is decomposed.

17. A method for fabricating an Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure, as defined in claim 16, further comprising the step of etching the N stopper layers.

18. A method for fabricating an Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure, as defined in claim 15, wherein the sacrificial layer is gallium nitride and the stopper layer is Al_xGa_yIn_zN.