Method for manufacture of optically pumped, surface-emitting semiconductor laser device

• US 8,592,236 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2007
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OSRAM OLED GMBH (Ams-Osram AG)
• Original Assignee: OSRAM GmbH (Ams-Osram AG)
• Inventors: Albrecht, Tony, Linder, Norbert, Luft, Johann
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Bradley K
• Assistant Examiner(s): HENRY, CALEB E
• Application Number:
  US11/986,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20080090316A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,191 Days
• Field of Search: 372/75, 372/5, 372/46, 372/96, 438/81, 438/31, 257/E21, 359/344
• US Class Current: 438/31
• 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 3/1062 using a controlled passive interferometer, e.g. a Fabry-Perot etalon
• 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 5/1017 Waveguide having a void for insertion of materials to change optical properties
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/1071 Ring-lasers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/1075 Disk lasers with special modes, e.g. whispering gallery lasers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/1082 with a special facet structure, e.g. structured, non planar, oblique
• 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 5/16 Window-type lasers, i.e. with a region of non-absorbing material between the active region and the reflecting surface H01S5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/183 having only vertical cavities, e.g. vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers [VCSEL]
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18305 with emission through the substrate, i.e. bottom emission
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/1835 Non-circular mesa
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/2022 Absorbing region or layer parallel to the active layer, e.g. to influence transverse modes
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/2214 based on oxides or nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/34313 with a well layer having only As as V-compound, e.g. AlGaAs, InGaAs
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/3432 the whole junction comprising only (AI)GaAs
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4031 Edge-emitting structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4056 : emitting light in more than one direction

Abstract

A method for manufacturing an optically pumped surface-emitting semiconductor laser device, wherein a surface-emitting semiconductor laser layer sequence having a quantum confinement structure is applied onto a common substrate. The surface-emitting semiconductor laser layer sequence outside an intended laser region is removed and a region is exposed. An edge-emitting semiconductor layer sequence is applied onto the exposed region over the common substrate, wherein the exposed region is exposed via the removing step, and the exposed region is suitable for transmitting pump radiation into the quantum confinement structure. A current injection path is then formed in the edge-emitting semiconductor layer sequence.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing an optically pumped surface-emitting semiconductor laser device comprising the steps of:

applying a surface-emitting semiconductor laser layer sequence onto a common substrate by applying a buffer layer onto the common substrate, applying a first confinement layer onto the buffer layer, applying a quantum confinement structure suited for the surface-emitting semiconductor laser onto the first confinement layer, and applying a second confinement layer onto the quantum confinement structure, said surface-emitting semiconductor layer sequence having the quantum confinement structure;

removing the surface-emitting semiconductor laser layer sequence outside an intended laser region and exposing an exposed region by removing the first confinement layer, the second confinement layer and the quantum confinement structure, and partially removing the buffer layer outside the intended laser region;

applying an edge-emitting semiconductor layer sequence onto the exposed region over the common substrate, said exposed region being exposed via said removing step, said edge-emitting semiconductor layer sequence being suitable for transmitting pump radiation into the quantum confinement structure; and

forming a current injection path in the edge-emitting semiconductor layer sequence;

wherein said optically pumped surface-emitting semiconductor laser device comprises an external resonator, and said radiation-generating quantum confinement structure is arranged within said external resonator.

2. The method for manufacturing an optically pumped surface-emitting semiconductor laser device according to claim 1, wherein the step for applying the edge-emitting semiconductor layer sequence comprises the steps of:

successively applying a first cladding layer, a first waveguide layer, an active layer, a second waveguide layer and a second cladding layer onto an uncovered region of a buffer layer, wherein a respective layer thickness is designed such that a pump radiation generated in the active layer proceeds into the quantum confinement structure.

3. The method for manufacturing an optically pumped surface-emitting semiconductor laser device according to claim 1, wherein the radiation generating quantum confinement structure and the pump radiation source are arranged side-by-side such that the radiation-generating quantum confinement structure and the radiation-emitting region of the pump radiation source lie at a same height above the common substrate.

4. The method for manufacturing an optically pumped surface-emitting semiconductor laser device according to claim 1, wherein the radiation generating quantum confinement structure and the pump radiation source are arranged side-by-side such that a pump radiation from the pump radiation source is being laterally coupled into the radiation generating quantum confinement structure during operation of the optically pumped surface emitting semiconductor laser device.

5. The method for manufacturing an optically pumped surface-emitting semiconductor laser device according to claim 1, wherein said external resonator comprises at least one external minor.

6. The method for manufacturing an optically pumped surface-emitting semiconductor laser device according to claim 1, wherein said external resonator comprises at least one frequency-selective element.

7. The method for manufacturing an optically pumped surface-emitting semiconductor laser device according to claim 1, wherein said external resonator comprises at least one frequency doubler.