Light emitting devices having wafer bonded aluminum gallium indium nitride structures and mirror stacks

• US 6,320,206 B1
• Filed: 02/05/1999
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• 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: Kish, Fred A. Jr., Nurmikko, Arto V., Kern, R. Scott, Coman, Carrie Carter, Krames, Michael R, Song, Yoon-Kyu
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Minh Loan
• Application Number:
  US09/245,435
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 257/13, 257/94, 257/96, 257/98, 257/103, 372/45, 372/46, 372/50
• US Class Current: 257/94
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• 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 5/34333 with a well layer based on Ga(In)N or Ga(In)P, e.g. blue laser
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/977 Thinning or removal of 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 device comprising

a substrate;

an Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure including an n-type layer, a p-type layer, and an active region positioned proximate to the substrate;

a first mirror stack, interposing the substrate and a bottom side of the Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure, said first mirror stack selected from the group consisting of dielectric distributed Bragg reflectors and composite distributed Bragg reflectors;

a wafer bonded interface, interposing the first mirror stack and a selected one of the substrate and Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure, having a bonding temperature; and

a p contact and an n contact, the p contact electrically connected to the p-type layer, the n contact electrically connected to the n-type layer.

2. A device, as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

at least one intermediate bonding layer, adjacent the wafer bonded interface;

wherein at least one of the intermediate bonding layer and the substrate is selected to be compliant.

3. A device, as defined in claim 2, wherein the Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure is included in a vertical cavity optoelectronic structure.

4. A device, as defined in claim 2, wherein the substrate is compliant and is selected from the group consisting of gallium phosphide (GaP), gallium arsenide (GaAs), indium phosphide (InP), and silicon (Si).

5. A device, as defined in claim 2, wherein the intermediate bonding layer is compliant and selected from the group consisting of dielectrics and alloys containing halides, ZnO, indium, tin, chrome (Cr), gold, nickel, and copper, and II-VI materials.

6. A device, as defined in claim 2, further comprising a second mirror stack positioned adjacent a top side of the Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure.

7. A device, as defined in claim 6, wherein the second mirror stack is selected from the group consisting of dielectric distributed Bragg reflectors and composite distributed Bragg reflectors.

8. A device, as defined in claim 1, further comprising a second mirror stack positioned adjacent the Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure.

9. A device, as defined in claim 8, wherein the second mirror stack is selected from the group consisting of dielectric distributed Bragg reflectors and composite distributed Bragg reflectors.

10. A device, as defined in claim 1, wherein the substrate is compliant and is selected from the group consisting of gallium phosphide (GaP), gallium arsenide (GaAs), indium phosphide (InP), and silicon (Si).

11. A device, as defined in claim 1, wherein the Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure is included in a vertical cavity optoelectronic structure.

12. A device comprising

a substrate;

an Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure including an n-type layer, a p-type layer, and an active region positioned proximate to the substrate;

a first mirror stack, interposing the substrate and a bottom side of the Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure;

a wafer bonded interface, interposing the first mirror stack and the Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure, having a bonding temperature; and

a p contact and an n contact, the p contact electrically connected to the p-type layer, the n contact electrically connected to the n-type layer.

13. A device, as defined in claim 12, further comprising:

at least one intermediate bonding layer, adjacent the wafer bonded interface;

wherein at least one of the intermediate bonding layer and the substrate is selected to be compliant.

14. A device, as defined in claim 13, wherein the Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure is included in a vertical cavity optoelectronic structure.

15. A device, as defined in claim 13, wherein the substrate is compliant and is selected from the group consisting of gallium phosphide (GaP), gallium arsenide (GaAs), indium phosphide (InP), and silicon (Si).

16. A device, as defined in claim 13, wherein the intermediate bonding layer is compliant and selected from the group consisting of dielectrics and alloys containing halides, ZnO, indium, tin, chrome (Cr), gold, nickel, and copper, and II-VI materials.

17. A device, as defined in claim 13, further comprising a second mirror stack positioned adjacent a top side of the Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure.

18. A device, as defined in claim 17, wherein at least one of the first and second mirror stacks is selected from the group consisting of dielectric distributed Bragg reflectors and composite distributed Bragg reflectors.

19. A device, as defined in claim 12, further comprising a second mirror stack positioned adjacent the Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure.

20. A device, as defined claim 19, wherein at least one of the first and second mirror stacks is selected from the group consisting of dielectric distributed Bragg reflectors and composite distributed Bragg reflectors.

21. A device, as defined in claim 12, wherein the substrate is compliant and is selected from the group consisting of gallium phosphide (GaP), gallium arsenide (GaAs), indium phosphide (InP), and silicon (Si).

22. A device, as defined in claim 12, wherein the Al_xGa_yIn_zN structure is included in a vertical cavity optoelectronic structure.