Structure and method for asymmetric waveguide nitride laser diode

• US 6,389,051 B1
• Filed: 06/30/1999
• Issued: 05/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Bour, David P., Romano, Linda T., Van de Walle, Christian G., Kneissl, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Davie, James W.
• Application Number:
  US09/343,939
• Time in Patent Office: 1,049 Days
• Field of Search: 372/45, 372/46, 372/96
• US Class Current: 372/45.01
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/2004 Confining in the direction perpendicular to the layer structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/2009 by using electron barrier layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/2031 characterized by special waveguide layers, e.g. asymmetric waveguide layers or defined bandgap discontinuities
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/305 characterised by the doping materials used in the laser structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/3054 p-doping
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/34333 with a well layer based on Ga(In)N or Ga(In)P, e.g. blue laser

Abstract

A structure and method for an asymmetric waveguide nitride laser diode without need of a p-type waveguide is disclosed. The need for a high aluminum tunnel barrier layer in the laser is avoided.

Claims

1. An asymmetric waveguide nitride laser diode structure comprising:

an active layer having a first and second surface;

an electronic confinement layer interposed between said first surface of said active layer and a p-cladding layer, said electronic confinement layer having a larger band gap than said p-cladding layer; and

an n-type layer adjacent to said second surface of said active layer.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said electronic confinement layer is a high aluminum content tunnel barrier layer.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein said electronic confinement layer is a distributed electron reflector.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein said electronic confinement layer is an n-period superlattice.

5. The structure of claim 4 wherein said n-period superlattice is a five pair period superlattice.

6. The structure of claim 4 wherein said n-period superlattice is displaced from said active layer by a distance that is between about 5 nanometers to 10 nanometers.

7. The structure of claim 4 wherein said n-period superlattice is substantially devoid of aluminum.

8. The structure of claim 4 wherein said n-period superlattice comprises indium.

9. The structure of claim 1 wherein said electronic confinement layer has a higher aluminum content than said p-cladding layer.

10. The structure of claim 1 wherein an undoped transition layer is interposed between said electronic confinement layer and said active layer.

11. An asymmetric waveguide nitride laser diode structure comprising:

an active layer having a first and second surface;

an electronic confinement layer interposed between said first surface of said active layer and a p-cladding layer, said electronic confinement layer having a larger band gap than said p-cladding layer; and

an n-type waveguide layer interposed between said second surface of said active layer and an n-cladding layer.

12. A method for making an asymmetric waveguide nitride laser diode structure comprising the operations of:

forming an n-type layer;

forming an active layer having a first surface adjacent to the n-type layer;

forming an electronic confinement layer, the electronic confinement layer adjacent to a second surface of the active layer; and

,

depositing a p-cladding layer with a band gap smaller than the band gap of the electronic confinement layer, the p-cladding layer in contact with the electronic confinement layer.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the operations of:

forming a high aluminum content tunnel barrier layer in the electronic confinement layer.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the operation of forming the p-cladding layer occurs at higher pressures than the pressures used in the operation of forming said active layer.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the operation of forming the p-cladding layer occurs at higher temperatures than the temperatures used in the operation of forming said active layer.