Horizontal emitting, vertical emitting, beam shaped, distributed feedback (DFB) lasers fabricated by growth over a patterned substrate with multiple overgrowth

• US 8,227,818 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2010
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Weisbuch, Claude C. A., Nakamura, Shuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Long
• Application Number:
  US12/822,888
• Publication Number:
  US 20100265979A1
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 257/94, 257/98, 257/103, 257/E21.09, 257/E33.068, 438/29, 438/31, 438/35
• US Class Current: 257/94
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/1225 comprising photonic band-gap structures or photonic lattices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02647 Lateral overgrowth
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/007 comprising nitride compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 2304/12 Pendeo epitaxial lateral overgrowth [ELOG], e.g. for growing GaN based blue laser diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/11 Comprising a photonic bandgap structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/12 the resonator having a periodic structure, e.g. in distributed feedback [DFB] lasers comprising a photonic bandgap structure H01S5/11; surface-emitting lasers H01S5/18
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/1206 having a non constant or multiplicity of periods
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/1215 Multiplicity of periods
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/1225 with a varying coupling constant along the optical axis
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/1231 Grating growth or overgrowth details
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18 Surface-emitting [SE] lasers, e.g. having both horizontal and vertical cavities
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/187 using Bragg reflection
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/20 Structure or shape of the semiconductor body to guide the optical wave ; Confining structures perpendicular to the optical axis, e.g. index or gain guiding, stripe geometry, broad area lasers, gain tailoring, transverse or lateral reflectors, special cladding structures, MQW barrier reflection layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/2004 Confining in the direction perpendicular to the layer structure
• 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 structure using integrated optical elements is comprised of a substrate, a buffer layer grown on the substrate, one or more first patterned layers deposited on top of the buffer layer, wherein each of the first patterned layers is comprised of a bottom lateral epitaxial overgrowth (LEO) mask layer and a LEO nitride layer filling holes in the bottom LEO mask layer, one or more active layers formed on the first patterned layers, and one or more second patterned layers deposited on top of the active layer, wherein each of the second patterned layers is comprised of a top LEO mask layer and a LEO nitride layer filling holes in the top LEO mask layer, wherein the top and/or bottom LEO mask layers act as a mirror, optical confinement layer, grating, wavelength selective element, beam shaping element or beam directing element for the active layers.

Claims

1. A structure using integrated optical elements, comprising:

(a) at least one active layer for emitting light;

(b) at least one first patterned layer above or below the active layer, wherein the first patterned layer is comprised of a first mask layer and a first nitride layer filling holes in the first mask layer; and

(c) at least one second patterned above or below the active layer and on an opposite side of the active layer from the first patterned layer, wherein the second patterned layer is comprised of a second mask layer and a second nitride layer filling holes in the second mask layer.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the mask and nitride layers are lateral epitaxial overgrowth (LEO) layers.

3. The structure of claim 1, wherein the mask layer acts as a mirror, optical confinement layer, grating, wavelength selective element, beam shaping element or beam directing element for the active layer.

4. The structure of claim 1, wherein the mask layer confines a laser mode to the active layer, due an index difference with the active layer.

5. The structure of claim 1, wherein the patterned layer provides lateral waveguiding for a laser mode in the active layer.

6. The structure of claim 1, wherein the patterned layer isolates a laser mode from at least one electrode on the structure.

7. The structure of claim 1, wherein the patterned layer provides a current aperture giving a gain guided action.

8. The structure of claim 1, wherein the patterned layer does not diffract light generated by the active layer.

9. A method of fabricating a structure using integrated optical elements, comprising:

(a) forming at least one active layer for emitting light; and

(b) forming at least one first patterned layer above or below the active layer, wherein the first patterned layer is comprised of a first mask layer and a first nitride layer filling holes in the first mask layer; and

(c) forming at least one second patterned layer above or below the active layer and on an opposite side of the active layer from the first optical confinement layer, wherein the second patterned layer is comprised of a second mask layer and a second nitride layer filling holes in the second mask layer.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the mask and nitride layers are lateral epitaxial overgrowth (LEO) layers.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the mask layer acts as a mirror, optical confinement layer, grating, wavelength selective element, beam shaping element or beam directing element for the active layer.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the mask layer confines a laser mode to the active layer, due an index difference with the active layer.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the patterned layer provides lateral waveguiding for a laser mode in the active layer.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the patterned layer isolates a laser mode from at least one electrode on the structure.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the patterned layer provides a current aperture giving a gain guided action.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the patterned layer does not diffract light generated by the active layer.