Method for nitride based laser diode with growth substrate removed

• US 6,448,102 B1
• Filed: 03/26/1999
• Issued: 09/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Bour, David P., Romano, Linda T., Mei, Ping, Kneissl, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chaudhuri, Olik
• Assistant Examiner(s): MENZ, LAURA MARY
• Application Number:
  US09/277,328
• Time in Patent Office: 1,264 Days
• Field of Search: 438/458, 438/46, 438/29, 438/33, 438/68, 438/455, 438/459, 438/967, 438/977, 438/464, 438/93, 438/94, 372/46, 372/50, 257/190
• US Class Current: 438/46
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/2007 Bonding of semiconductor wafers to insulating substrates or to semiconducting substrates using an intermediate insulating layer H01L21/2011 takes precedence; bonding of semiconductor wafers to semiconductor wafers for junction formation H01L21/187
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6835 using temporarily an auxiliary support
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/68359 used as a support during manufacture of interconnect decals or build up layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/68368 used in a transfer process involving at least two transfer steps, i.e. including an intermediate handle substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/83192 wherein the layer connectors are disposed only on another item or body to be connected to the semiconductor or solid-state body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/83895 between electrically conductive surfaces, e.g. copper-copper direct bonding, surface activated bonding
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/153 in a repetitive configuration, e.g. LED bars
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01079 Gold [Au]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0093 Wafer bonding; Removal of the growth substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0217 Removal of the substrate
• 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 5/4025 Array arrangements, e.g. constituted by discrete laser diodes or laser bar H01S5/42 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4031 Edge-emitting structures

Abstract

A method for placing nitride laser diode arrays on a thermally conducting substrate is described. The method uses an excimer laser to detach the nitride laser diode from the sapphire growth substrate after a thermally conducting substrate has been bonded to the side opposite the sapphire substrate.

Claims

1. A method for making a nitride laser diode array structure comprising the operations of:

providing a semiconductor membrane having an insulating substrate attached on a first side of said semiconductor membrane;

attaching a metallic interlayer to a second side of said semiconductor membrane;

attaching a thermally conducting substrate to said metallic interlayer;

removing said insulating substrate from said first side of said semiconductor membrane by exposing said insulating substrate to laser light; and

placing a metal layer on said first side of said semiconductor membrane.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said insulating substrate is comprised of sapphire.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the metallic interlayer is a solder layer, the operation.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said solder layer includes a material selected from the group consisting of In, PbSn, and AuSn.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the operation of removing said insulating substrate includes polishing a surface of said insulating substrate prior to exposure to laser light of said surface.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said semiconductor membrane is comprised of In, Ga, Al and N.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said thermally conducting substrate includes a material selected from the group consisting of silicon, silicon carbide, copper and diamond.

8. A method for making a nitride laser diode array comprising the operations of:

providing a semiconductor membrane having a first crystal plane, said semiconductor membrane having an insulating substrate attached to a first side of said semiconductor membrane and having a plurality of metal electrodes attached to a second side of said semiconductor membrane;

attaching a thermally conducting substrate having a second crystal plane to said first side of said semiconductor membrane such that said first and said second crystal planes are aligned;

removing said insulating substrate from said first side of said semiconductor membrane by exposing said insulating substrate to laser light; and

placing a metal layer on said first side of said semiconductor membrane.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the operation of:

cleaving said thermally conducting substrate along said second crystal plane and cleaving said semiconductor membrane along said first crystal plane to make facets in said laser diode array.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein said thermally conducting substrate is silicon.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said second crystal plane is the {111} plane.

12. A method for making a nitride laser diode array comprising the operations of:

providing a semiconductor membrane having a first crystal plane, said semiconductor membrane having an insulating substrate attached to a first side of said semiconductor membrane and having a plurality of metal electrodes attached to a second side of said semiconductor membrane;

attaching a thermally conducting substrate having a second crystal plane to said first side of said semiconductor membrane such that first and said second crystal planes are aligned;

removing said insulating substrate from said first side of said semiconductor membrane by exposing said insulating substrate to laser light;

placing a metal layer on said first of said semiconductor membrane, said trench dividing said metal layer and said semiconductor membrane into two separate sections.