Array of surface-emitting laser diodes having reduced device resistance and capable of performing high output operation and method of fabricating the surface-emitting laser diode

• US 7,787,511 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2005
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Takahashi, Takashi, Sato, Shunichi, Jikutani, Naoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey; Minsun
• Assistant Examiner(s): FORDE, DELMA ROSA
• Application Number:
  US11/224,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20060007979A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,813 Days
• Field of Search: 372/46.01, 372/46.013, 372/50.1, 372/92, 372/96, 372/99, 372/50.121, 372/50.122, 372/50.124
• US Class Current: 372/50.1
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 2301/166 Single transverse or lateral mode
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 2304/04 MOCVD or MOVPE
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02251 using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18313 by oxidizing at least one of the DBR layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/1833 with more than one structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18341 Intra-cavity contacts
• 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 5/3095 Tunnel junction
• 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 5/3432 the whole junction comprising only (AI)GaAs
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/34326 with a well layer based on InGa(Al)P, e.g. red laser
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/423 having a vertical cavity

Abstract

A surface-emitting laser diode device that oscillates in a direction perpendicular to the substrate is provided. This surface-emitting laser diode device includes: an active layer; a resonator structure including a first distributed Bragg reflector and a second distributed Bragg reflector that face each other and sandwich the active layer; a hole passage that extends from a first electrode to the active layer; an electron passage that extends from a second electrode to the active layer; a hole restricting structure that is located in the hole passage and defines a region for confining holes to the active layer; and an optical mode control structure that includes a non-oxide region provided in the resonator structure and an oxide region surrounding the non-oxide region, each region containing Al as a constituent element. In this surface-emitting laser diode, the area of the non-oxide region is smaller than the area of the hole restricting structure.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a surface-emitting laser diode device that includes:

an active layer;

a resonator structure including a first distributed Bragg reflector and a second distributed Bragg reflector that face each other and sandwich the active layer;

a hole passage that extends from a first electrode to the active layer;

an electron passage that extends from a second electrode to the active layer;

a hole restricting structure that is located in the hole passage and includes a non-oxide region that defines a region for confining holes to the active layer, and an oxide region surrounding the non-oxide region, each region containing Al as a constituent element; and

an optical mode control structure that includes a non-oxide region provided in the resonator structure and an oxide region surrounding the non-oxide region, each region containing Al as a constituent element, and the area of the non-oxide region being smaller than the area of the hole restricting structure,

the method comprising the steps of;

forming the hole restricting structure including the oxide region and the non-oxide region by selectively oxidizing a semiconductor layer that contains Al as a constituent element; and

forming the optical mode control structure including the oxide region and the non-oxide region by selectively oxidizing a semiconductor layer that contains Al as a constituent element,

the step of forming the hole restricting structure and the step of forming the optical mode control structure being performed simultaneously, and

the thickness of the semiconductor layer that is to form the hole restricting structure and contains Al as a constituent element being different from the thickness of the semiconductor layer that is to form the optical mode control structure and contains Al as a constituent element.

2. A method of fabricating a surface-emitting laser diode device that includes:

an active layer;

a resonator structure including a first distributed Bragg reflector and a second distributed Bragg reflector that face each other and sandwich the active layer;

a hole passage that extends from a first electrode to the active layer;

an electron passage that extends from a second electrode to the active layer;

a hole restricting structure that is located in the hole passage and includes a non-oxide region that defines a region for confining holes to the active layer, and an oxide region surrounding the non-oxide region, each region containing Al as a constituent element; and

an optical mode control structure that includes a non-oxide region provided in the resonator structure and an oxide region surrounding the non-oxide region, each region containing Al as a constituent element, and the area of the non-oxide region being smaller than the area of the hole restricting structure,

the method comprising the steps of;

forming the hole restricting structure including the oxide region and the non-oxide region by selectively oxidizing a semiconductor layer that contains Al as a constituent element; and

forming the optical mode control structure including the oxide region and the non-oxide region by selectively oxidizing a semiconductor layer that contains Al as a constituent element,

the step of forming the hole restricting structure and the step of forming the optical mode control structure being performed simultaneously, and

the Al composition of the semiconductor layer that is to form the hole restricting structure and contains Al as a constituent element being different from the Al composition of the semiconductor layer that is to form the optical mode control structure and contains Al as a constituent element.

3. A method of fabricating a surface-emitting laser diode device that includes:

an active layer;

a resonator structure including a first distributed Bragg reflector and a second distributed Bragg reflector that face each other and sandwich the active layer;

a hole passage that extends from a first electrode to the active layer;

an electron passage that extends from a second electrode to the active layer;

a hole restricting structure that is located in the hole passage and includes a non-oxide region that defines a region for confining holes to the active layer, and an oxide region surrounding the non-oxide region, each region containing Al as a constituent element; and

an optical mode control structure that includes a non-oxide region provided in the resonator structure and an oxide region surrounding the non-oxide region, each region containing Al as a constituent element, and the area of the non-oxide region being smaller than the area of the hole restricting structure,

the method comprising the steps of;

forming a first mesa that includes a semiconductor layer that contains Al as a constituent element and is to form, through selective oxidation, the hole restricting structure including the oxide region and the non-oxide region;

forming a second mesa that includes a semiconductor layer that contains Al as a constituent element and is to form, through selective oxidation, the optical mode control structure including the oxide region and the non-oxide region;

forming the hole restricting structure including the oxide region and the non-oxide region by selectively oxidizing the semiconductor layer that contains Al as a constituent element; and

forming the optical mode control structure including the oxide region and the non-oxide region by selectively oxidizing the semiconductor layer that contains Al as a constituent element,

the step of forming the hole restricting structure and the step of forming the optical mode control structure being performed simultaneously, and

the size of the first mesa being different from the size of the second mesa.

4. A method of fabricating a surface-emitting laser diode array that is formed with devices each including:

an active layer;

a resonator structure including a first distributed Bragg reflector and a second distributed Bragg reflector that face each other and sandwich the active layer;

a hole passage that extends from a first electrode to the active layer;

an electron passage that extends from a second electrode to the active layer;

a hole restricting structure that is located in the hole passage and includes a non-oxide region that defines a region for confining holes to the active layer, and an oxide region surrounding the non-oxide region, each region containing Al as a constituent element; and

an optical mode control structure that includes a non-oxide region provided in the resonator structure and an oxide region surrounding the non-oxide region, each region containing Al as a constituent element, and the area of the non-oxide region being smaller than the area of the hole restricting structure,

the areas of the non-oxide regions of the optical mode control structures being different from one another among the devices that form the surface-emitting laser diode array, and

oscillation wavelengths being also different from one another among the devices,

the method comprising the steps of;

forming a first mesa that includes a semiconductor layer that contains Al as a constituent element and is to form, through selective oxidation, the hole restricting structure including the oxide region and the non-oxide region;

forming a second mesa that includes a semiconductor layer that contains Al as a constituent element and is to form, through selective oxidation, the optical mode control structure including the oxide region and the non-oxide region;

forming the hole restricting structure including the oxide region and the non-oxide region by selectively oxidizing the semiconductor layer that contains Al as a constituent element; and

forming the optical mode control structure including the oxide region and the non-oxide region by selectively oxidizing the semiconductor layer that contains Al as a constituent element,

the step of forming the hole restricting structure and the step of forming the optical mode control structure being performed simultaneously, and

the sizes of the second mesas being different from one another among the devices that have different wavelengths.