Surface emitting laser element

• US 8,855,157 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2012
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nichia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nichia Corporation
• Inventors: Higuchi, Yu
• Primary Examiner(s): Niu, Xinning
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Vu A
• Application Number:
  US13/413,375
• Publication Number:
  US 20120230360A1
• Time in Patent Office: 945 Days
• Field of Search: 372/45, 372/45.01
• US Class Current: 372/45.01
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02469 Passive cooling, e.g. where heat is removed by the housing as a whole or by a heat pipe without any active cooling element like a TEC
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/04252 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/04253 having specific optical properties, e.g. transparent electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/04254 characterised by the shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18325 Between active layer and substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18327 Structure being part of a DBR H01S5/18391 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18341 Intra-cavity contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/34333 with a well layer based on Ga(In)N or Ga(In)P, e.g. blue laser

Abstract

Disclosed is a surface emitting laser element capable of reducing threshold current. A surface emitting laser element according to an embodiment includes a semiconductor portion having a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer, a first reflector disposed at the first semiconductor layer side of the semiconductor portion, and a second reflector disposed at the second semiconductor layer side of the semiconductor portion. Particularly includes a second electrode disposed between the second semiconductor layer and the second reflector and connected to the second semiconductor layer, a connecting electrode disposed laterally around the second reflector and connected to the second electrode, and a current confinement portion disposed between the second semiconductor layer and the connecting electrode and capable of reflecting light from the semiconductor portion.

Claims

1. A surface emitting laser element comprising:

a semiconductor portion having a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer;

a first reflector disposed at the first semiconductor layer side of the semiconductor portion; and

a second reflector disposed at the second semiconductor layer side of the semiconductor portion;

a first electrode connected to the first semiconductor layer;

a second electrode disposed between the second semiconductor layer and the second reflector, a portion of the second electrode being connected to the second semiconductor layer;

a connecting electrode disposed laterally around the second reflector, the connecting electrode being connected to the second electrode; and

a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) comprising a dielectric multilayer, the DBR being disposed between the second semiconductor layer and the connecting electrode, the DBR being configured to reflect light from the semiconductor portion, and the DBR being disposed laterally around the portion of the second electrode that is connected to the second semiconductor layer.

2. The surface emitting laser element according to claim 1, wherein the first and second semiconductor layers are nitride semiconductors.

3. The surface emitting laser element according to claim 1, wherein the DBR has an opening, the connecting electrode has an opening, and the opening of the is smaller than the opening of the connecting electrode.

4. The surface emitting laser element according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the second electrode is disposed between the DBR and the connecting electrode.

5. The surface emitting laser element according to claim 1, wherein the dielectric multilayer of the DBR contains at least two selected from the group consisting of SiO₂, TiO₂, Nb₂O₅, ZrO₂, Ta₂O₅, HfO₂, AlN, SiN, Al₂O₃, SiC, and MgO.

6. The surface emitting laser element according to claim 1, wherein the dielectric multilayer of the DBR is made of SiO₂/Nb₂O₅, SiO₂/ZrO₂, or SiO₂/AlN.

7. The surface emitting laser element according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the DBR is 0.03 μ

m or more and less than 7.0 μ

m.

8. The surface emitting laser element according to claim 1, wherein each of the first reflector and second reflector is made of SiO₂/Nb₂O₅, SiO₂/ZrO₂, or SiO₂/AlN.

9. The surface emitting laser element according to claim 1, wherein the DBR is made of a material having a refractive index smaller than the refractive index of at least one of the semiconductor portion and the second electrode.

10. The surface emitting laser element according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor portion is made of a nitride semiconductor.

11. The surface emitting laser element according to claim 1, wherein the second electrode is made of ZnO, In₂O₃, SnO₂, ATO, ITO, MgO or Ni/Au.

12. A surface emitting laser element comprising:

a semiconductor portion having a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer;

a first reflector disposed at the first semiconductor layer side of the semiconductor portion; and

a second reflector disposed at the second semiconductor layer side of the semiconductor portion;

wherein the semiconductor portion comprises a protruding portion at the second semiconductor side of the semiconductor portion;

wherein a first electrode is connected to the first semiconductor layer;

wherein a second electrode is disposed between the protruding portion of the semiconductor portion and the second reflector, a portion of the second electrode being connected to the second semiconductor layer;

wherein a connecting electrode is disposed laterally around the second reflector and is connected to the second electrode; and

wherein a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) comprising a dielectric multilayer is disposed between the second semiconductor layer and the connecting electrode, the DBR being configured to reflect light from the semiconductor portion, and the DBR being disposed laterally around the portion of the second electrode that is connected to the second semiconductor layer.

13. The surface emitting laser element according to claim 12, wherein the first and second semiconductor layers are nitride semiconductors.

14. A surface emitting laser element comprising:

a semiconductor portion having a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer;

a first reflector disposed at the first semiconductor layer side of the semiconductor portion; and

a second reflector disposed at the second semiconductor layer side of the semiconductor portion;

a first electrode connected to the first semiconductor layer;

a second electrode disposed between the second semiconductor layer and the second reflector, a portion of the second electrode being connected to the second semiconductor layer;

a connecting electrode disposed laterally around the second reflector, the connecting electrode being connected to the second electrode; and

a current confinement portion disposed between the second semiconductor layer and the connecting electrode, the current confinement portion being configured to reflect light from the semiconductor portion, and the current confinement potion being disposed laterally around the portion of the second electrode that is connected to the second semiconductor layer, wherein the current confinement portion is a DBR comprising a dielectric multilayer,

wherein the dielectric multilayer of the DBR is made of SiO₂/Nb₂O₅, SiO₂/ZrO₂, or SiO₂/AlN, and

wherein each of the first reflector and second reflector is made of SiO₂/Nb₂O₅, SiO₂/ZrO₂, or SiO₂/AlN.