Grown photonic crystals in semiconductor light emitting devices
First Claim
1. A device comprising:
- a semiconductor structure comprising a light emitting layer configured to emit light of wavelength λ
, the light emitting layer being disposed between an n-type region and a p-type region, the semiconductor structure having a top surface and a bottom surface; and
a photonic crystal disposed within the semiconductor structure, the photonic crystal comprising;
a plurality of posts of semiconductor material having a first refractive index arranged in an array, each post being located less than 5λ
from a nearest neighbor post; and
a region of a material having a second refractive index surrounding the posts, wherein the second refractive index is different from the first refractive index, the region of material having a second refractive index having a first end and a second end opposite the first end;
wherein the first end of the region of the material having a second refractive index comprises inverted pyramids that connect to form a planar semiconductor layer over the plurality of posts and the region of the material having a second refractive index, and the second end of the region of the material having a second refractive index comprises a mask layer disposed between the posts;
wherein the region of the material having a second refractive index does not extend to the top surface or the bottom surface such that the top surface and the bottom surface of the semiconductor structure are uninterrupted by the photonic crystal, and wherein the top surface and the bottom surface are continuous, planar surfaces.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A photonic crystal is grown within a semiconductor structure, such as a III-nitride structure, which includes a light emitting region disposed between an n-type region and a p-type region. The photonic crystal may be multiple regions of semiconductor material separated by a material having a different refractive index than the semiconductor material. For example, the photonic crystal may be posts of semiconductor material grown in the structure and separated by air gaps or regions of masking material. Growing the photonic crystal, rather than etching a photonic crystal into an already-grown semiconductor layer, avoids damage caused by etching which may reduce efficiency, and provides uninterrupted, planar surfaces on which to form electric contacts.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A device comprising:
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a semiconductor structure comprising a light emitting layer configured to emit light of wavelength λ
, the light emitting layer being disposed between an n-type region and a p-type region, the semiconductor structure having a top surface and a bottom surface; anda photonic crystal disposed within the semiconductor structure, the photonic crystal comprising; a plurality of posts of semiconductor material having a first refractive index arranged in an array, each post being located less than 5λ
from a nearest neighbor post; anda region of a material having a second refractive index surrounding the posts, wherein the second refractive index is different from the first refractive index, the region of material having a second refractive index having a first end and a second end opposite the first end; wherein the first end of the region of the material having a second refractive index comprises inverted pyramids that connect to form a planar semiconductor layer over the plurality of posts and the region of the material having a second refractive index, and the second end of the region of the material having a second refractive index comprises a mask layer disposed between the posts; wherein the region of the material having a second refractive index does not extend to the top surface or the bottom surface such that the top surface and the bottom surface of the semiconductor structure are uninterrupted by the photonic crystal, and wherein the top surface and the bottom surface are continuous, planar surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification