Vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser diode device

• US 7,573,929 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2006
• Issued: 08/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Otoma, Hiromi
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey; Minsun
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stafford; Patrick
• Application Number:
  US11/580,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20090168819A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 372/50.124, 372/34
• US Class Current: 372/50.124
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0071 for beam steering, e.g. using a mirror outside the cavity to change the beam direction
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02251 using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02257 using windows, e.g. specially adapted for back-reflecting light to a detector inside the housing
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/026 Monolithically integrated components, e.g. waveguides, monitoring photo-detectors, drivers stabilisation of output H01S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0261 Non-optical elements, e.g. laser driver components, heaters H01S5/0265 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0264 for monitoring the laser-output
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/04256 characterised by the configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0609 acting on an absorbing region, e.g. wavelength convertors
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0612 controlled by temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/06837 Stabilising otherwise than by an applied electric field or current, e.g. by controlling the temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18311 using selective oxidation
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/2063 obtained by particle bombardment
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/2081 using special etching techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/423 having a vertical cavity

Abstract

A vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser diode (VCSEL) device, including a laser element portion formed on a substrate, the laser element portion comprising a multi-layer reflective mirror of a first conductivity type, an active layer, and a multi-layer reflective mirror of a second conductivity type, and a light absorbing heat converting region at a position thermally connected to the laser element portion on the substrate, the light absorbing heat converting region absorbing light and generating heat.

Claims

1. A vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser diode (VCSEL) device, comprising:

a laser element portion formed on a substrate, the laser element portion comprising a multi-layer reflective mirror of a first conductivity type, an active layer, and a multi-layer reflective mirror of a second conductivity type; and

a light absorbing heat converting region at a position thermally connected to the laser element portion on the substrate, the light absorbing heat converting region absorbing light and generating heat;

the light absorbing heat converting region comprising a compound that absorbs light and converts it into heat and is of any one of Ge—

Sb—

Te alloy, Sb metal, Ag—

In—

Sb—

Te alloy, Ag—

In—

Sb—

Te—

alloy, lithium niobate, or methyl nitroaniline;

the light absorbing heat converting region being formed, in a groove by removing a portion of a semiconductor layer of the laser element portion, and the light absorbing heat converting region being monolithically formed with the laser element portion on the substrate.

2. The VCSEL device according to claim 1, further comprising an optical component that projects a portion of laser light emitted from the laser element portion onto the light absorbing heat converting region.

3. The VCSEL device according to claim 1, further comprising a laser element for projection that emits laser light to the light absorbing heat converting region.

4. The VCSEL device according to claim 3, the laser element for projection being formed on a same substrate as the substrate the laser element portion is formed on.

5. The VCSEL device according to claim 3, further comprising an optical component that projects light from the laser element for projection onto the light absorbing heat converting region.

6. The VCSEL device according to claim 4, the laser element for projection being connected in parallel with a thermistor.

7. The VCSEL device according to claim 4, the laser element for projection being connected in series with a resistor.

8. The VCSEL device according to claim 2, the optical component comprising a reflective mirror.

9. The VCSEL device according to claim 4, the optical component comprising a condensing lens.

10. The VCSEL device according to claim 1, the compound having a layer thickness of about 50 to 100 nanometers.

11. The VCSEL device according to claim 1, the light absorbing heat converting region being a region in which the substrate or a semiconductor layer is altered by ion implantation.

12. The VCSEL device according to claim 1, the light absorbing heat converting region being a region in which the substrate or a semiconductor layer is made in a mixed crystal state.

13. The VCSEL device according to claim 1, the light absorbing heat converting region comprising a via formed by removing a semiconductor layer on the substrate.

14. The VCSEL device according to claim 13, the via having a depth that reaches an active layer on the substrate.

15. The VCSEL device according to claim 13, the laser element portion having a post structure formed on a substrate, and the via being adjacent to the post structure.

16. The VCSEL device according to claim 1, the substrate being formed of a GaAs semiconductor, the multi-layer reflective mirror of a first conductivity type and the multi-layer reflective mirror of a second conductivity type comprising an AlGaAs semiconductor layer.

17. A light transmission device comprising;

a VCSEL device; and

a transmitting component that transmits laser light emitted from the VCSEL device by an optical medium,

the VCSEL device including a laser element portion formed on a substrate, the laser element portion comprising a multi-layer reflective mirror of a first conductivity type, an active layer, and a multi-layer reflective mirror of a second conductivity type and including a light absorbing heat converting region at a position thermally connected to the laser element portion on the substrate, the light absorbing heat converting region absorbing light and generating heat;

the light absorbing heat converting region comprising a compound that absorbs light and converts it into heat and is of any one of Ge—

Sb—

Te alloy, Sb metal, Ag—

In—

Sb—

Te alloy, Ag—

In—

Sb—

Te—

alloy, lithium niobate, or methyl nitroaniline;

the light absorbing heat converting region being formed, in a groove by removing a portion of a semiconductor layer of the laser element portion, and the light absorbing heat converting region being monolithically formed with the laser element portion on the substrate.

18. An optical spatial transmission unit comprising;

a VCSEL device; and

a transmission component that spatially transmits light emitted from the device,

the VCSEL device including a laser element portion formed on a substrate, the laser element portion comprising a multi-layer reflective mirror of a first conductivity type, an active layer, and a multi-layer reflective mirror of a second conductivity type and including a light absorbing heat converting region at a position thermally connected to the laser element portion on the substrate, the light absorbing heat converting region absorbing light and generating heat;

the light absorbing heat converting region comprising a compound that absorbs light and converts it into heat and is of any one of Ge—

Sb—

Te alloy, Sb metal, Ag—

In—

Sb—

Te alloy, Ag—

In—

Sb—

Te—

alloy, lithium niobate, or methyl nitroaniline;

the light absorbing heat converting region being formed, in a groove by removing a portion of a semiconductor layer of the laser element portion, and the light absorbing heat converting region being monolithically formed with the laser element portion on the substrate.

19. A light sending system comprising;

a VCSEL device; and

a transmitting component that transmits laser light emitted from the device,

the VCSEL device including a laser element portion formed on a substrate, the laser element portion comprising a multi-layer reflective mirror of a first conductivity type, an active layer, and a multi-layer reflective mirror of a second conductivity type and including a light absorbing heat converting region at a position thermally connected to the laser element portion on the substrate, the light absorbing heat converting region absorbing light and generating heat;

the light absorbing heat converting region comprising a compound that absorbs light and converts it into heat and is of any one of Ge—

Sb—

Te alloy, Sb metal, Ag—

In—

Sb—

Te alloy, Ag—

In—

Sb—

Te—

alloy, lithium niobate, or methyl nitroaniline;

the light absorbing heat converting region being formed, in a groove by removing a portion of a semiconductor layer of the laser element portion, and the light absorbing heat converting region being monolithically formed with the laser element portion on the substrate.

20. An optical spatial transmission system comprising;

a VCSEL device; and

a transmission component that spatially transmits light emitted from the device,

the VCSEL device including a laser element portion formed on a substrate, the laser element portion comprising a multi-layer reflective mirror of a first conductivity type, an active layer, and a multi-layer reflective mirror of a second conductivity type and including a light absorbing heat converting region at a position thermally connected to the laser element portion on the substrate, the light absorbing, heat converting region absorbing light and generating heat;

the light absorbing heat converting region comprising a compound that absorbs light and converts it into heat and is of any one of Ge—

Sb—

Te alloy, Sb metal, Ag—

In—

Sb—

Te alloy, Ag—

In—

Sb—

Te—

alloy, lithium niobate, or methyl nitroaniline;

the light absorbing heat converting region being formed, in a groove by removing a portion of a semiconductor layer of the laser element portion, and the light absorbing heat converting region being monolithically formed with the laser element portion on the substrate.