Structures for light emitting devices with integrated multilayer mirrors

• US 7,151,284 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2004
• Issued: 12/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shangjr Gwo
• Original Assignee: Shangjr Gwo
• Inventors: Gwo, Shangjr
• Primary Examiner(s): Baumeister, B. William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Reames, Matthew L
• Application Number:
  US10/843,518
• Publication Number:
  US 20050100069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 257/103
• US Class Current: 257/103
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 2304/00 Special growth methods for semiconductor lasers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/021 Silicon based substrates
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/041 Optical pumping
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18358 containing spacer layers to adjust the phase of the light wave in the cavity
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18369 based on dielectric materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18388 Lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18397 Plurality of active layers vertically stacked in a cavity for multi-wavelength emission
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/3072 Diffusion blocking layer, i.e. a special layer blocking diffusion of dopants
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/34333 with a well layer based on Ga(In)N or Ga(In)P, e.g. blue laser

Abstract

A substrate for supporting epitaxial growth of light emitting semiconductor devices having a non-crystalline multilayer reflection controlling stack under a thin layer of single crystal silicon is shown. A III-Nitride or other semiconductor stimulated emission device is grown on the thin layer of silicon.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising;

a III-N light emission device, comprising;

a thick substrate, then;

a first multilayer high reflectivity stack attached to the substrate, at least one layer of the first multilayer stack comprising a non-single-crystalline layer;

a thin layer of single crystal silicon attached to the first multilayer high reflectivity stack, a thin layer of single crystal AIN attached in epitaxial relationship to the thin layer of single crystal silicon;

a thin single crystal diffusion barrier attached in epitaxial relationship between the thin layer of single crystal silicon and the thin layer of AIN, where the diffusion barrier is Si₃N;

₄;

a thin III-N light emission device attached in epitaxial relationship to the single crystal layer of AIN; and

a second multilayer high reflectivity stack attached above the thin III-N light emission device.

2. An apparatus, comprising in order from the bottom to the top of the apparatus:

a thick substrate;

a first multilayer controlled reflectivity stack attached to the substrate, at least one layer of the first multilayer stack comprising a non-single-crystalline layer;

a thin layer of single crystal silicon attached to the first multilayer stack; and

a thin single crystal diffusion barrier attached in epitaxial relationship to the thin layer of single crystal silicon, where the diffusion barrier is Si₃N₄.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a layer of single crystalline direct bandgap semiconductor material attached to the thin single crystal diffusion barrier in epitaxial relationship with the thin single crystal diffusion barrier and the thin layer of single crystal silicon.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the direct bandgap semiconductor material comprises III-Nitride material.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a thin layer of single crystal AIN material interposed between the thin layer of single crystal silicon and the thin single crystal diffusion barrier, wherein the thin layer of single crystal AIN material is in epitaxial relationship to the thin layer of single crystal silicon and the thin single crystal diffusion barrier.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the direct bandgap semiconductor material comprises III-V material.

7. An apparatus, comprising in order from the bottom to the top of the apparatus;

a thick substrate, then;

a first multilayer controlled reflectivity stack attached to the substrate, at least one layer of the first multilayer stack comprising a non-single-crystalline layer;

a thin layer of single crystal silicon attached to the first multilayer controlled reflectivity stack;

a thin single crystal diffusion barrier attached in enitaxial relationship to the thin lever of single crystal silicon, where the diffusion barrier is Si₃N₄; and

a light emission device attached in epitaxial relationship to the a thin single crystal diffusion barrier and the single crystal layer of silicon.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a second multilayer controlled reflectivity stack attached above the light emission device, wherein the light emission device is a stimulated light emission device.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein two electrical contacts are made to the light emission device from the top of the apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein at least one electrical contact is made from the substrate through the first multilayer controlled reflectivity stack to provide electrical contact to the light emission device.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the bottom side of the substrate has a lens shape opposite the light emission device.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the light emission device is a III-V light emission device.

13. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the light emission device is a III-Nitride light emission device.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a layer of single crystal AlN material interposed between the a thin single crystal diffusion barrier and the and the III-Nitride light emission device.