Vertical cavity surface emitting laser including indium in the active region

• US 6,922,426 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2001
• Issued: 07/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: II-VI Delaware, Inc. (Coherent Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Finisar Corporation (II-VI Incorporated)
• Inventors: Johnson, Ralph H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey, Minsun Oh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Dung T.
• Application Number:
  US10/026,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20030118069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• Field of Search: 372/43, 372/45, 372/44, 372/46
• US Class Current: 372/43.01
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/183 having only vertical cavities, e.g. vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers [VCSEL]
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/3211 characterised by special cladding layers, e.g. details on band-discontinuities
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/32366 (In)GaAs with small amount of N
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/34306 emitting light at a wavelength longer than 1000nm, e.g. InP based 1300 and 1500nm lasers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/34313 with a well layer having only As as V-compound, e.g. AlGaAs, InGaAs
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/34353 based on (AI)GaAs

Abstract

Quantum wells and associated barriers layers can be grown to include nitrogen (N), aluminum (Al), antimony (Sb), phosphorous (P) and/or indium (In) placed within or about a typical GaAs substrate to achieve long wavelength VCSEL performance, e.g., within the 1260 to 1650 nm range. In accordance with features of the present invention, a vertical cavity surface emitting laser is described that includes at least one quantum well comprised of InGaAs; GaAsN barrier layers sandwiching said at least one quantum well; and GaAsN confinement layers sandwiching said barrier layers. GaAsN barrier layers sandwiching the quantum well and AlGaAs confinement layers sandwiching the barrier layers can also be provided with a InGaAs quantum well. AlGaAs barrier layers sandwiching the at least one quantum well and GaAsN confinement layers sandwiching the barrier layers can also be provided with a InGaAs quantum well. Quantum wells can be developed up to and including 50 Å in thickness. Quantum wells can also be developed with a depth of at least 40 meV.

Claims

1. A vertical cavity surface emitting laser, comprising:

an active region further comprising at least one quantum well having a depth of at least 40 meV, wherein said depth is defined using the difference between a valence band offset and a conduction band offset, said quantum well being comprised of InGaAs and further including GaAsN barrier layers sandwiching said at least one quantum well; and

GaAsN confinement layers sandwiching said active region.

2. The vertical cavity surface emitting laser of claim 1 wherein said at least one quantum well is up to and including 50 Å

in thickness.

3. A vertical cavity surface emitting laser, comprising:

an active region further comprising at least one quantum well having a depth of at least 40 meV, wherein said depth is defined using the difference between a valence band offset and a conduction band offset, said quantum well being comprised of InGaAs and further including GaAsN barrier layers sandwiching said at least one quantum well; and

AIGaAs confinement layers sandwiching said active region.

4. The vertical cavity surface emitting laser of claim 3 wherein said at least one quantum well is up to end including 50 Å

in thickness.

5. A vertical cavity surface emitting laser, comprising:

an active region further comprising at least one quantum well having a depth of at least 40 meV, wherein said depth is defined using the difference between a valence band offset and a conduction band offset, said quantum well being comprised of InGaAs and further including AIGaAs barrier layers sandwiching said at least one quantum well; and

GaAsN confinement layers sandwiching said active region.

6.The vertical cavity surface emitting laser of claim 5 wherein said at least one quantum well is up to and including 50 Å

in thickness.