Nitride semiconductor laser

• US 8,737,447 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2010
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kawashima, Shoichi, Nagatomo, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): VAN ROY, TOD THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US12/731,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20100246625A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,524 Days
• Field of Search: 372/50.124, 372/99, 372/102, 372/50.11
• US Class Current: 372/99
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/11 Comprising a photonic bandgap structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/185 having only horizontal cavities, e.g. horizontal cavity surface-emitting lasers [HCSEL] comprising a photonic bandgap structure H01S5/11
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/2009 by using electron barrier layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/3063 using Mg
• 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 nitride semiconductor surface-emitting laser includes a two-dimensional photonic crystal layer having a resonant mode in an in-plane direction. The surface-emitting laser includes an active layer, the two-dimensional photonic crystal layer, a semiconductor layer, and an electrode in this order. The two-dimensional photonic crystal layer contains p-type conductive In_xGa_1-xN (0≦x≦1) as a high-refractive-index medium. The semiconductor layer contains p-type conductive In_yGa_1-yN (0≦y≦1). The thickness t_PhC of the two-dimensional photonic crystal layer satisfies the relation of t_PhC≧(λ/n_eff), wherein λ denotes the lasing wavelength, and n_eff denotes the effective refractive index of the resonant mode.

Claims

1. A surface-emitting laser comprising:

an active layer;

a two-dimensional photonic crystal layer having a resonant mode in an in-plane direction;

a semiconductor layer; and

an electrode in this order,

wherein the two-dimensional photonic crystal layer contains p-type conductive In_xGa_1-xN (0≦

x≦

1) as a high-refractive-index medium,

the semiconductor layer contains p-type conductive In_yGa_1-yN (0≦

y≦

1), and

the thickness t_PhC of the two-dimensional photonic crystal layer satisfies the relation of t_PhC≧

(λ

/n_eff), where λ

denotes a lasing wavelength, and n_eff denotes an effective refractive index of the resonant mode; and

the thickness t_semi of the semiconductor layer satisfies the relation of 0.25×

(λ

/n_eff)≦

t_semi≦

1.25×

(λ

/n_eff).

2. The surface-emitting laser according to claim 1, wherein the thickness t_PhC of the two-dimensional photonic crystal layer satisfies the relation of t_PhC≦

3.5×

(λ

/n_eff).

3. The surface-emitting laser according to claim 1, wherein no p-type conductive AlGaN layer is disposed between the two-dimensional photonic crystal layer and the semiconductor layer.

4. The surface-emitting laser according to claim 1, wherein the two-dimensional photonic crystal layer and the semiconductor layer are in contact with each other.