Red, infrared, and blue stacked laser diode array by water fusion

• US 6,282,220 B1
• Filed: 06/27/2000
• Issued: 08/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Floyd, Philip D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Arroyo, Teresa M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MENEFEE, JAMES A
• Application Number:
  US09/604,457
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• Field of Search: 372/50, 438/35, 438/34, 438/46, 438/455
• US Class Current: 372/50.1
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0215 Bonding to the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/34326 with a well layer based on InGa(Al)P, e.g. red laser
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/34333 with a well layer based on Ga(In)N or Ga(In)P, e.g. blue laser
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4043 with vertically stacked active layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4087 emitting more than one wavelength

Abstract

An infrared laser structure is stacked on top of a red laser structure with both having an inverted or p-side down orientation. The red/infrared stack laser structure is inverted and wafer fused to a blue laser structure to form a red/infrared/blue monolithic laser structure. The top semiconductor layer of the inverted red/infrared stack laser structure is a GaInP fusion bonding layer which will be wafer fused to the top semiconductor layer of the blue laser structure which is a GaN cladding/contact layer.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a monolithic integrated edge-emitting semiconductor laser structure comprising the steps of:

fabricating an inverted laser structure having a first laser structure for emitting light of a first wavelength and a second laser structure for emitting light of a second wavelength, said second laser structure having a fusion layer as the uppermost semiconductor layer,

fabricating a third laser structure for emitting light of a third wavelength,

wafer fusing said fusion layer of said inverted laser structure to the uppermost semiconductor layer of said third laser structure, and

forming contacts which enable independently addressable biasing of said first laser structure to emit light of said first wavelength, said second laser structure to emit light of said second wavelength and said third laser structure to emit light of said third wavelength.

2. The method of fabricating a monolithic integrated edge-emitting semiconductor laser structure of claim 1 wherein said first wavelength is in the red range, said second wavelength is in the infrared range and said third wavelength is in the blue range.

3. The method of fabricating a monolithic integrated edge-emitting semiconductor laser structure of claim 1 wherein said first wavelength is in the infrared range, said second wavelength is in the red range and said third wavelength is in the blue range.

4. The method of fabricating a monolithic integrated edge-emitting semiconductor laser structure of claim 1 wherein said inverted laser structure is fabricated on a substrate and a substrate removal etch stop layer and further comprising the step after wafer fusing but before forming contacts of:

removing said substrate from said inverted laser structure.

5. The method of fabricating a monolithic integrated edge-emitting semiconductor laser structure of claim 1 wherein said fabricating an inverted laster structure comprises the steps of:

deposition of a p-type first contact layer;

deposition of a p-type first cladding layer on said first contact layer;

deposition of a first confinement layer, a first active layer for emitting light of a first wavelength, and a second confinement layer forming a first active region of said first cladding layer;

deposition of a n-type second cladding layer on said second confinement layer;

deposition of a n-type second contact layer on said second cladding layer;

deposition of a p-type second contact layer on said second contact layer or on a semiconductor layer on said second contact layer;

deposition of a p-type first cladding layer on said second contact layer;

deposition of a third confinement layer, a third active layer for emitting light of a second wavelength, and a fourth confinement layer forming a second active region on said third cladding layer;

deposition of a n-type fourth cladding layer on said fourth confinement layer;

deposition of a n-type fourth contact layer on said fourth cladding layer; and

deposition of said fusion layer on said fourth contact layer.

6. The method of fabricating a monolithic integrated edge-emitting semiconductor laser structure of claim 5 wherein said fabricating said third laser structure comprises the steps of:

deposition of a first substrate;

deposition of a n-type fifth cladding layer on said first substrate;

deposition of a fifth confinement layer, a third active layer for emitting light of a third wavelength, and a sixth confinement layer forming a third active region on said fifth cladding layer;

deposition of a p-type sixth cladding layer on said sixth confinement layer.

7. The method of fabricating a monolithic integrated edge-emitting semiconductor laser structure of claim 6 wherein said fusion layer of said inverted laser structure is wafer fused to said sixth cladding layer of said third laser structure.

8. The method of fabricating a monolithic integrated edge-emitting semiconductor laser structure of claim 7 wherein said first contact layer is deposited on a substrate removal etch stop layer, said substrate removal etch stop layer being deposited on a substrate and further comprising the step after wafer fusing but before forming contacts of:

removing said substrate from said inverted laser structure.