Surface-emission semiconductor laser device

• US 7,368,316 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2006
• Issued: 05/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Furukawa Electric Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Furukawa Electric Company Limited
• Inventors: Iwai, Norihiro, Yokouchi, Noriyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): LOUIE, WAI SING
• Application Number:
  US11/392,493
• Publication Number:
  US 20060223209A1
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: 438/22, 438/24, 438/36, 438/37, 438/46, 438/47, 438/493, 438/503, 438/507, 438/98, 438/597, 438/952, 257/79, 257/94, 257/98, 257/99
• US Class Current: 438/98
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/04252 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/04257 having positive and negative electrodes on the same side of the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18313 by oxidizing at least one of the DBR layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18325 Between active layer and substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18341 Intra-cavity contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18369 based on dielectric materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/34313 with a well layer having only As as V-compound, e.g. AlGaAs, InGaAs

Abstract

A method for fabricating a surface-emission semiconductor laser on a p-type substrate includes the step of interposing an Au film between an AuGeNi film or AuGe film of an n-side electrode and a compound semiconductor layer of an n-type DBR, followed by annealing to form an Au alloy in the n-side electrode. The presence of the Au alloy film improves the adherence between the n-side electrode and the compound semiconductor layer to improve an injection current vs. applied voltage characteristic.

Claims

1. A method for fabricating a surface-emission semiconductor laser device comprising:

consecutively forming on a p-type substrate a bottom multilayer reflector, a p-type cladding layer, an active layer structure for emitting laser, an n-type cladding layer and a top multilayer reflector;

forming an n-side electrode on the n-type cladding layer, the n-side electrode forming step including forming a substantially uniform Au film on the n-type cladding layer, followed by forming an AuGeNi film or AuGe film on the Au film; and

forming an alloy between the Au film and the AuGeNi film or AuGe film, wherein the top multilayer reflector includes a semi-insulating semiconductor or dielectric material.

2. A method for fabricating a surface-emission semiconductor laser device comprising:

consecutively forming on a p-type substrate a bottom multilayer reflector, a p-type cladding layer, an active layer structure for emitting laser, an n-type cladding layer and a top multilayer reflector;

forming a p-side electrode on the p-type cladding layer or the bottom multilayer reflector;

forming an n-side electrode on the n-type cladding layer or the top multilayer reflector, the n-side electrode forming step including forming a substantially uniform Au film on the n-type cladding layer, followed by forming an AuGeNi film or AuGe film on the Au film; and

forming an alloy between the Au film and the AuGeNi film or AuGe film, wherein the n-side electrode is formed on the n-type cladding layer, and the multilayer reflector includes a semi-insulating semiconductor or dielectric material.

3. A method for fabricating a surface-emission semiconductor laser device comprising:

consecutively forming on a semiconductor substrate a bottom multilayer reflector, an n-type cladding layer, an active layer structure for emitting laser, a p-type cladding layer and a top multilayer reflector;

forming an n-side electrode on the n-type cladding layer or the bottom multilayer reflector;

forming a p-side electrode on the p-type cladding layer or the top multilayer reflector, the n-side electrode forming step including forming a substantially uniform Au film on the n-type cladding layer, followed by forming an AuGeNi film or AuGe film on the Au film; and

forming an alloy between the Au film and the AuGeNi film or AuGe film, wherein the p-side electrode is formed on the p-type cladding layer, and the multilayer reflector includes a semi-insulating semiconductor or dielectric material.