Optoelectronic semiconductor element

• US 8,351,479 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2007
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH (Ams-Osram AG)
• Original Assignee: Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH (Ams-Osram AG)
• Inventors: Lutgen, Stephan, Brick, Peter, Albrecht, Tony
• Primary Examiner(s): Stultz, Jessica
• Assistant Examiner(s): CARTER, MICHAEL W
• Application Number:
  US12/293,057
• Publication Number:
  US 20090304039A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,126 Days
• Field of Search: 372/70, 372/50.124
• US Class Current: 372/50.124
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/108 using non-linear optical devices, e.g. exhibiting Brillouin or Raman scattering mode locking using a non-linear element H01S3/1112
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/109 Frequency multiplication, e.g. harmonic generation
• 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 5/041 Optical pumping
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/141 using a wavelength selective device, e.g. a grating or etalon H01S5/146 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18388 Lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/227 Buried mesa structure ; Striped active layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4025 Array arrangements, e.g. constituted by discrete laser diodes or laser bar H01S5/42 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4031 Edge-emitting structures

Abstract

An optoelectronic semiconductor component has a semiconductor body (1) comprising a surface emitting vertical emitter region (2) comprising a vertical emitter layer (3), at least one pump source (4) provided for optically pumping the vertical emitter layer (3), and a radiation passage area (26) through which electromagnetic radiation (31) generated in the vertical emitter layer leaves the semiconductor body (1), wherein the pump source (4) and the vertical emitter layer (3) are at a distance from one another in a vertical direction.

Claims

1. An optoelectronic semiconductor component having a semiconductor body comprising:

a surface emitting vertical emitter region comprising a vertical emitter layer;

at least one pump source provided for optically pumping the vertical emitter layer; and

a radiation passage area through which electromagnetic radiation generated in the vertical emitter layer leaves the semiconductor body,

wherein the pump source and the vertical emitter layer are at a distance from one another in a vertical direction, the vertical emitter is arranged in a mesa of the semiconductor body, a material containing a metal is applied to the semiconductor body at least in places in a vicinity of the mesa, the material is applied to the mesa such that the material molds over the mesa, and the material is applied with a thickness to at least a same height as the mesa;

wherein the semiconductor includes a region outside the mesa having a larger lateral extension than a region inside the mesa; and

wherein the pump source is arranged in-line between the vertical emitter layer and the radiation passage area and wherein the pump source is an edge emitting laser.

2. The optoelectronic semiconductor component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pump source is monolithically integrated into the semiconductor body between the vertical emitter layer and the radiation passage area.

3. The optoelectronic semiconductor component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the material is deposited electrolytically in the vicinity of the mesa.

8. The optoelectronic semiconductor component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surface emitting vertical emitter region comprises a Bragg mirror structure that is free of doping material.

9. The optoelectronic semiconductor component as claimed in claim 8, wherein the Bragg mirror structure is arranged on that side of the vertical emitter layer which is remote from the at least one pump source.

10. The optoelectronic semiconductor component as claimed in claim 8, wherein the optoelectronic semiconductor component comprises at least one mirror which, together with the Bragg mirror structure, forms a laser resonator for electromagnetic radiation generated in the vertical emitter layer.

11. The optoelectronic semiconductor component as claimed in claim 10, wherein at least one optical element, which is in thermal contact with the semiconductor body of the optoelectronic semiconductor component, is arranged in the laser resonator.

12. The optoelectronic semiconductor component as claimed in claim 11, wherein the at least one optical element has at least one of the following optical properties:

frequency-selective, frequency-multiplying, reflective and optically refractive.

13. The optoelectronic semiconductor component as claimed in claim 12, wherein the optical element is formed at least in places by one of the following optical basic elements:

etalon, birefringent filter, optically nonlinear crystal, mirror and lens.

14. The optoelectronic semiconductor component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pump source is electrically contact-connected by a transparent contact layer.

15. The optoelectronic semiconductor component as claimed in claim 14, wherein the transparent contact layer contains at least one of the following materials:

Zinc oxide (ZnO) and Indium tin oxide (ITO).

4. The optoelectronic semiconductor component as claimed in 1, wherein a side area that delimits the mesa is formed in a reflective manner for pump radiation.

5. The optoelectronic semiconductor component as claimed in claim 4, wherein the side area of the mesa is coated at least in places with a material having a reflectivity for pump radiation of at least 80 percent.

6. The optoelectronic semiconductor component as claimed in claim 4, wherein the side area of the mesa is formed at least in places in the manner of one of the following optical basic elements:

truncated-cone optical unit, truncated-pyramid optical unit, compound parabolic concentrator (CPC), compound hyperbolic concentrator (CHC) and compound elliptic concentrator (CEC).

7. The optoelectronic semiconductor component as claimed in claim 4, wherein the side area of the mesa is provided at least in places so as to direct pump radiation to the vertical emitter layer.