Indium free vertical cavity surface emitting laser

• US 7,058,112 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2001
• Issued: 06/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2001
• 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 (Michael) T.
• Application Number:
  US10/026,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20030123511A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,622 Days
• Field of Search: 372/96, 372/46, 372/45, 372/43, 372/44
• US Class Current: 372/96
• 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 5/32358 containing very small amounts, usually less than 1%, of an additional III or V compound to decrease the bandgap strongly in a non-linear way by the bowing effect
• 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 5/34346 characterised by the materials of the barrier layers

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 (VCSEL), can include at least one quantum well comprised of GaAsSb; barrier layers sandwiching said at least one quantum well; and confinement layers sandwiching said barrier layers. Barrier and confinement layers can comprise of AlGaAs. Barrier layers can also be comprised of GaAsP. Nitrogen can be placed in quantum wells. 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 (VCSEL), 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 and wherein said at least one quantum well comprises of material that is free of indium and is comprised of GaAsSb;

barrier layers sandwiching said at least one quantum well; and

confinement layers comprising GaAsP sandwiching said barrier layers.

2. The VCSEL of claim 1 wherein said barrier layers are comprised of GaAs and at least one of Al, N and P.

3. The VCSEL of claim 1 wherein said confinement layers are comprised of GaAs and at least one of Al, N and P.

4. The VCSEL of claim 1 wherein said confinement layers are comprised of AlGaAs.

5. The VCSEL of claim 1 wherein said barrier layers are comprised of AlGaAs.

6. The VCSEL of claim 1 wherein said barrier layers are comprised of GaAsP.

7. The VCSEL of claim 1 wherein said at least one quantum well further comprises greater than 1% N.

8. The VCSEL of claim 1 wherein said confinement layers are comprised of AlGaAs and said barrier layers are comprised of GaAsN.

9. The VCSEL of claim 6 wherein said confinement layers are comprised of GaAsN.

10. The VCSEL of claim 6 wherein said barrier layers are comprised of GaAsN.

11. The VCSEL of claim 4 wherein said at least one quantum well comprises >

1% N.

12. The VCSEL of claim 1 wherein said quantum well is up to and including 50 Å

in thickness.

13. The VCSEL of claim 12 wherein said barrier layers are comprised of GaAs and at least one of Al, N and P.

14. The VCSEL of claim 12 wherein said confinement layers are comprised of GaAs and at least one of Al, N and P.

15. The VCSEL of claim 12 wherein said confinement layers are comprised of AlGaAs and said barrier layers are comprised of GaAsP.

16. The VCSEL of claim 12 wherein said barrier layers are comprised of AlGaAs.

17. The VCSEL of claim 12 wherein said barrier layers are comprised of AlGaAs.

18. The VCSEL of claim 12 wherein said at least one quantum well comprises N.

19. The VCSEL of claim 18 wherein said barrier layers are comprised of GaAsP.

20. The VCSEL of claim 18 wherein said confinement layers are comprised of AlIGaAs.

21. The VCSEL of claim 19 wherein said confinement layers are comprised of AlGaAs.

22. The VCSEL of claim 20 wherein said barrier layers are comprised of AlGaAs.

23. The VCSEL of claim 18 wherein said barrier layers are comprised of AlGaAs.

24. The VCSEL of claim 12 wherein said at least one quantum well comprises >

1% N.

25. The VCSEL of claim 24 wherein said barrier layers are comprised of GaAsP.

26. The VCSEL of claim 24 wherein said confinement layers are comprised of AlGaAs.

27. The VCSEL of claim 25 wherein said confinement layers are comprised of AlGaAs.

28. The VCSEL of claim 26 wherein said barrier layers are comprised of AlGaAs.

29. The VCSEL of claim 24 wherein said barrier layers are comprised of AlGaAs.

30. A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL), comprising:

at least one indium free quantum well comprised of GaAsSb, wherein the depth of said quantum well is defined using the difference between a valence band offset and a conduction band offset;

GaAs barrier layers sandwiching said at least one quantum well; and

confinement layers comprising GaAsP sandwiching said barrier layers.

31. The VCSEL of claim 30 wherein said barrier layers are comprised of GaAs and at least one of Sb, N, Al, P.

32. The VCSEL of claim 30 wherein said confinement layers are comprised of GaAs and at least one of Sb, N, Al, P.

33. The VCSEL of claim 30 wherein said confinement layers are comprised of AlGaAs and said barrier layers are comprised of GaAsN.

34. The VCSEL of claim 30 wherein said barrier layers are comprised of AlGaAs.

35. The VCSEL of claim 30 wherein said barrier layers are comprised of AlGaAs.

36. The VCSEL of claim 30 wherein said at least one quantum well further comprises >

1% N.

37. The VCSEL of claim 30 wherein said barrier layers are comprised of GaAsP.

38. The VCSEL of claim 30 wherein said confinement layers are comprised of AlGaAs.

39. The VCSEL of claim 30 wherein said quantum well is up to and including 50 A in thickness.

40. A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL), comprising:

at least one quantum well comprising GaAsSbN, wherein the depth of said quantum well is defined using the difference between a valence band offset and a conduction band offset;

GaAs barrier layers sandwiching said at least one quantum well; and

confinement layers, comprising at least GaAsP, sandwiching said barrier layers.

41. The VCSEL of claim 40 wherein said barrier layers are further comprised of GaAsP.

42. The VCSEL of claim 40 wherein said barrier layers are further comprised of GaAsN.

43. The VCSEL of claim 40 wherein said at least one quantum well further comprises >

1% N.

44. The VCSEL of claim 43 wherein said barrier layers are comprised of GaAsP.

45. The VCSEL of claim 43 wherein said barrier layers are comprised of AlGaAs.

46. The VCSEL of claim 40 wherein said quantum well is up to and including 50 Å

in thickness.

47. The VCSEL of claim 46 wherein said barrier layers are comprised of GaAsP.

48. The VCSEL of claim 46 wherein said barrier layers are comprised of AlGaAs.

49. The VCSEL of claim 46 wherein said at least one quantum well further comprises >

1% N.

50. The VCSEL of claim 40, wherein said confinement layers comprise AlGaAs.