Structure and method for asymmetric waveguide nitride laser diode

• US 6,430,202 B1
• Filed: 04/09/1999
• Issued: 08/06/2002
• 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:
  US09/288,879
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• Field of Search: 372/45
• US Class Current: 372/45.01
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 2301/18 Semiconductor lasers with special structural design for influencing the near- or far-field
• 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;

a transition layer less than approximately twenty nanometers thick in contact with said first surface of said active layer;

a p-cladding layer disposed adjacent to said transition layer; and

an n-type layer in contact with said second surface of said active layer.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said n-type layer is a waveguiding layer.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein said waveguide layer is comprised of silicon.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein said p-cladding layer is comprised of magnesium.

5. The structure of claim 1 wherein said p-cladding layer is in contact with a cap layer acting as an ohmic contact.

6. The structure of claim 2 wherein an n-cladding layer is in contact with said waveguiding layer.

7. The structure of claim 1 wherein said transition layer has a thickness less than 0.01 μ

m.

8. The structure of claim 1 wherein said transition layer is undoped.

9. The structure of claim 6 wherein said n-cladding layer comprises more aluminum than said p-cladding layer.

10. The structure of claim 1 wherein said p-cladding layer has a thickness less than 0.005 μ

m.

11. The asymmetric waveguide nitride laser diode structure of claim 1 wherein the transition layer is less than six nanometers thick.

12. The asymmetric waveguide nitride laser diode structure of claim 1 wherein the transition layer is undoped GaN.

13. The asymmetric waveguide nitride laser diode structure of claim 1 wherein the transition layer is between two and six nanometers thick.