Nitride-based VCSEL or light emitting diode with p-n tunnel junction current injection

• US 6,515,308 B1
• Filed: 12/21/2001
• Issued: 02/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Kiesel, Peter, Van de Walle, Christian G., Kneissl, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Whitehead, Jr., Carl
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vesperman, William C
• Application Number:
  US10/024,418
• Time in Patent Office: 410 Days
• Field of Search: 257/79, 257/86, 257/104, 372/43
• US Class Current: 257/86
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/04 with a quantum effect structure or superlattice, e.g. tunnel junction
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/105 with a resonant cavity structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/14 with a carrier transport control structure, e.g. highly-doped semiconductor layer or current-blocking structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/465 with a resonant cavity structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0213 Sapphire, quartz or diamond based substrates
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18305 with emission through the substrate, i.e. bottom emission
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18308 having a special structure for lateral current or light confinement
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18341 Intra-cavity contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18369 based on dielectric materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/2009 by using electron barrier layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/3095 Tunnel junction
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/32341 blue laser based on GaN or GaP

Abstract

A p-n tunnel junction between a p-type semiconductor layer and a n-type semiconductor layer provides current injection for an nitride based vertical cavity surface emitting laser or light emitting diode structure. The p-n tunnel junction reduces the number of p-type semiconductor layers in the nitride based semiconductor VCSEL or LED structure which reduces the distributed loss, reduces the threshold current densities, reduces the overall series resistance and improves the structural quality of the laser by allowing higher growth temperatures.

Claims

1. A semiconductor laser structure comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of III-V nitride semiconductor layers formed on said sapphire substrate, at least one of said plurality of III-V nitride semiconductor layers forms an active region;

a first semiconductor layer being p-type III-V nitride semiconductor, a second semiconductor layer formed on said first semiconductor layer, said a second semiconductor layer being n-type oxide semiconductor, tunnel junction means disposed between said first semiconductor layer and said second semiconductor layer for injecting current into said active region; and

wherein a sufficient forward bias is applied to said active region to cause lasing from a surface of said semiconductor laser structure.

2. The semiconductor laser structure of claim 1 wherein one of said plurality of III-V nitride semiconductor layers is an electron blocking layer formed on said active region, said electron blocking layer being p-type III-V nitride semiconductor layer, and said first semiconductor layer is formed on said electron blocking layer.

3. The semiconductor laser structure of claim 1 further comprising a first distributed Bragg reflector between said substrate and said active region, a second distributed Bragg reflector formed on said plurality of III-V nitride semiconductor layers, said lasing being from a surface of said second distributed Bragg reflector.

4. A semiconductor light emitting diode structure comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of III-V nitride semiconductor layers formed on said sapphire substrates at least one of said plurality of III-V nitride semiconductor layers forms an active region;

a fist semiconductor layer being p-type III-V nitride semiconductor, a second semiconductor layer formed on said first semiconductor layer, said a second semiconductor layer being n-type oxide semiconductor, tunnel junction means disposed between said first semiconductor layer and said second semiconductor layer for injecting current into said active region; and

wherein a sufficient forward bias is applied to said active region to cause light emission from a surface of said semiconductor light emitting diode structure.

5. The semiconductor light emitting diode structure of claim 4 wherein one of said plurality of III-V nitride semiconductor layers is an electron blocking layer formed on said active region, said electron blocking layer being p-type III-V nitride semiconductor layer, and said first semiconductor layer is formed on said electron blocking layer.

6. The semiconductor light emitting diode structure of claim 4 further comprising a first distributed Bragg reflector between said substrate and said active region.