Vertical cavity surface emitting laser including indium, antimony and nitrogen in the active region

• US 7,095,770 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2001
• Issued: 08/22/2006
• 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 (Michael) T.
• Application Number:
  US10/026,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20030118067A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,706 Days
• Field of Search: 372/43, 372/45, 372/46, 372/45.011
• US Class Current: 372/45.011
• 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 5/3403 having a strained layer structure in which the strain performs a special function, e.g. general strain effects, strain versus polarisation
• 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 5/34353 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 (VCSEL) can include at least one quantum well comprised of InGaAsSbN; barrier layers sandwiching said at least one quantum well; and confinement layers sandwiching said barrier layers. Confinement and barrier layers can comprise AlGaAs. Barrier layer, in the alternative, can also comprise GaAsP. Nitrogen can be placed in the 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:

an active region comprising at least one compressed 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 said at least one quantum well is comprised of InGaAsSbN and includes barrier layers sandwiching said at least one quantum well; and

confinement layers sandwiching said active region.

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

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

4. The VCSEL of claim 2 wherein said confinement layers are comprised of AlGaAs.

5. The VCSEL of claim 3 wherein said barrier layers are comprised of AIGaAs.

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

7. The VCSEL of claim 1 wherein said at least one quantum well further comprises >

1% N.

8. The VCSEL of claim 7 wherein said barrier layers are comprised of GaAsP.

9. The VCSEL of claim 7 wherein said confinement layers are comprised of A1GaAs.

10. The VCSEL of claim 8 wherein said confinement layers are comprised of A1GaAs.

11. The VCSEL of claim 7 wherein said barrier layers are comprised of A1GaAs.

12. The VCSEL of claim 9 wherein said barrier layers are comprised of A1GaAs.

13. The VCSEL of claim 1 wherein said at least one quantum well is up to and including 50 Å

in thickness.

14. The VCSEL of claim 13 wherein said barrier layers are comprised of GaAsP.

15. The VCSEL of claim 13 wherein said confinement layers are comprised of A1GaAs.

16. The VCSEL of claim 14 wherein said confinement layers are comprised of A1GaAs.

17. The VCSEL of claim 13 wherein said barrier layers are comprised of AlGaAs.

18. The VCSEL of claim 13 wherein said barrier layers are comprised of AlGaAs.

19. The VCSEL of claim 1 wherein said at least one quantum well further comprises >

1% N.

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

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

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

23. The VCSEL of claim 19 wherein said barrier layers are comprised of AlGaAs.

24. The VCSEL of claim 21 wherein said barrier layers are comprised of AlGaAs.

34. The VCSEL of claim 1 wherein said barrier layers are in tension.

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

an active region comprising at least one compressed 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 said at least one quantum well is comprised of InGaAsSbN and includes barrier layers sandwiching said at least one quantum well; and

AlGaAs confinement layers sandwiching said active region.

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

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

28. The VCSEL of claim 25 wherein said at least one quantum well further comprises >

1% N.

29. The VCSEL of claim 28 wherein said barrier layers are comprised of GaAsP.

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

31. The VCSEL of claim 25 wherein said quantum well is up to and including 50 Å

in thickness.

35. The VCSEL of claim 25 wherein said barrier layers are in tension.

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

an active region comprising at least one compressed quantum well having a well 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 said at least one quantum well is comprised of InGaAsSbN and includes barrier layers sandwiching said at least one quantum well; and

AlGaAs confinement layers sandwiching said active region;

wherein said quantum well contains greater than 1% N.

33. The VCSEL of claim 32 wherein said quantum well is up to and including 50 Å

in thickness.

36. The VCSEL of claim 32 wherein said barrier layers are in tension.