Manufacturable laser diode formed on C-plane gallium and nitrogen material

• US 9,368,939 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2014
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera SLD Laser Incorporated (Kyocera Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Soraa Laser Diode, Inc. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Inventors: McLaurin, Melvin, Raring, James W., Sztein, Alexander, Hsu, Po Shan
• Primary Examiner(s): Karimy, Timor
• Application Number:
  US14/559,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20150140710A1
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 438/33, 438/68, 438/113, 438/460, 438/458, 438/91, 438/237
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/18 High density interconnect [HDI] connectors; Manufacturing methods related thereto
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48465 the other connecting portion not on the bonding area being a wedge bond, i.e. ball-to-wedge, regular stitch
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/16152 Cap comprising a cavity for hosting the device, e.g. U-shaped cap
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3512 Cracking
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 2301/173 The laser chip comprising special buffer layers, e.g. dislocation prevention or reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 2301/176 Specific passivation layers on surfaces other than the emission facet
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/005 Optical components external to the laser cavity, specially adapted therefor, e.g. for homogenisation or merging of the beams or for manipulating laser pulses, e.g. pulse shaping H01S5/026, H01S5/18388 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0087 for illuminating phosphorescent or fluorescent materials, e.g. using optical arrangements specifically adapted for guiding or shaping laser beams illuminating these materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0215 Bonding to the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0217 Removal of the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02325 Mechanically integrated components on mount members or optical micro-benches
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02345 Wire-bonding
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/2009 by using electron barrier layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/2081 using special etching techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/22 having a ridge or stripe structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/2201 in a specific crystallographic orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/3202 grown on specifically orientated substrates, or using orientation dependent growth
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/320225 : polar orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/32025 : non-polar orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/3211 : characterised by special cladding layers, e.g. details on band-discontinuities
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/3214 : comprising materials from other groups of the Periodic Table than the materials of the active layer, e.g. ZnSe claddings and GaAs active layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/34333 : with a well layer based on Ga(In)N or Ga(In)P, e.g. blue laser
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4043 : with vertically stacked active layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4056 : emitting light in more than one direction
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4093 : Red, green and blue [RGB] generated directly by laser action or by a combination of laser action with nonlinear frequency conversion

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a laser diode device includes providing a substrate having a surface region and forming epitaxial material overlying the surface region, the epitaxial material comprising an n-type cladding region, an active region comprising at least one active layer overlying the n-type cladding region, and a p-type cladding region overlying the active layer region. The epitaxial material is patterned to form a plurality of dice, each of the dice corresponding to at least one laser device, characterized by a first pitch between a pair of dice, the first pitch being less than a design width. Each of the plurality of dice are transferred to a carrier wafer such that each pair of dice is configured with a second pitch between each pair of dice, the second pitch being larger than the first pitch.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a laser diode device, the method comprising:

providing a gallium and nitrogen containing substrate having a surface region characterized by a polar c-plane or an offcut of a polar c-plane surface;

forming an epitaxial material overlying the surface region, the epitaxial material comprising a release material overlying the surface region, an n-type gallium and nitrogen containing region overlying the release material, an active region comprising at least one quantum well layer overlying the n-type gallium and nitrogen containing region, and a p-type gallium and nitrogen containing region overlying the active region; and

an interface region overlying the p-type gallium and nitrogen containing region, the at least one quantum well layer being characterized by an internal polarization field;

forming a plurality of dice by at least patterning the epitaxial material, each pair of dice being characterized by a first pitch between the pair of dice, each of the dice corresponding to at least one laser diode device;

bonding the interface region associated with at least one of the plurality of dice to a carrier substrate to form a bonded structure;

subjecting the release material to an energy source to initiate the gallium and nitrogen containing substrate member to transfer the one of the plurality of dice to the carrier substrate;

configuring at least a pair of the transferred dice with a second pitch between the pair of dice on the carrier substrate;

processing at least one of the plurality of dice on the carrier substrate to form at least a laser diode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first pitch is less than a design width;

wherein the second pitch is larger than the first pitch and corresponds to the design width;

wherein the bonding is provided before subjecting or the subjecting is provided before bonding.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the interface region is comprised of metal, a semiconductor, or oxide;

wherein the energy source is selected from a light source, a chemical source, a thermal source, or a mechanical source, and their combinations;

wherein the interface region comprises a contact material;

wherein the release material is selected from a semiconductor, a metal, or a dielectric.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the release material is selected from GaN, InGaN, AlInGaN, or AlGaN;

and wherein the substrate is released using photo-electrical-chemical (PEC) etching.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the release material, the n-type gallium and nitrogen containing region, the active region, and the p-type gallium and nitrogen containing region are characterized by a total thickness of less than 1.5 micron, less than 1 micron, or less than 0.5 micron.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein n-type gallium and nitrogen containing region overlying the release material and/or the p-type gallium and nitrogen containing region overlying the active region is free from AlGaN containing cladding layers with thicknesses greater 500 nm and/or AlN compositions greater than 3%.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein each die is shaped as a mesa using an etching process, and each pair of die having the first pitch ranging between 1 μ

m and 10 μ

m or between 10 micron and 50 microns wide or between 50 μ

m and 100 μ

m with a length of 50 μ

m to 3000 μ

m; and

wherein the second pitch on the carrier substrate is between 50 microns and 200 microns, or between 200 microns and 500 microns, or between 500 microns and 1000 microns, or greater than 1000 microns.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising processing each of the die to form at least one laser device on each die after the transferring or further comprising forming one or multiple laser diode cavities on each die of epitaxial material.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the laser diode device comprising a pair of facets configured from a cleaving process or wherein each of the laser diode device comprising a pair of facets configured from an etching process, the etching process being selected from inductively coupled plasma etching, chemical assisted ion beam etching, or reactive ion beam etching.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising separating a plurality of laser dice by initiating a cleaving process, a scribing and breaking, or a sawing process in the carrier substrate.

11. The method of claim 1 whereupon the carrier substrate has a larger diameter than the gallium and nitrogen containing substrate.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the bond interface region is at least one of a metal-metal pairs, oxide-oxide pairs, spin-on-glass, soldering alloys, polymers, photoresists, or wax.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy source comprises a selective photo-electrical-chemical (PEC) etch of the release region.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy source comprises a selective etch chemistry comprising KOH or any of its species.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy source comprises a selective etch to selectively remove the release region while leaving an anchor region in tact to support the die before the selective bonding of the one or more die to the one or more carrier substrate, and the anchor region separates after the selective bonding of the one or more die to the one or more carrier substrate.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy source a selective photo-electrical-chemical (PEC) etch to selectively remove the release region while leaving a metal anchor region in tact to support the die before the selective bonding of the one or more die to the one or more carrier substrate, and the anchor region separates after the selective bonding of the one or more die to the one or more carrier substrate.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the carrier substrate is selected from a silicon wafer, a gallium arsenide wafer, an indium phosphide wafer, a silicon carbide wafer, an aluminum nitride wafer, a sapphire wafer, a diamond wafer, or a gallium nitride wafer;

wherein the bonding comprising thermal bonding, plasma activated bonding, anodic bonding, chemical bonding, or combinations thereof.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the die comprises one or more components, the one or more components being selected from at least one of an electrical contact, a current spreading region, an optical cladding region, a laser ridge, a laser ridge passivation, or a pair of facets, either alone or in any combination.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein a TCO such as ITO or ZnO is configured above and/or below the active region to provide an optical guiding effect.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein a reflective metal such as silver, aluminum, or gold is configured above and/or below the active region to provide an optical guiding effect.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is reclaimed and prepared for reuse after transferring each of the plurality of dice the carrier substrate.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the laser diode device is a gallium and nitrogen containing violet, blue, or green emitting laser diode device.

23. A method for fabricating a laser diode device comprising:

providing a gallium and nitrogen containing substrate member comprising a surface region characterized by a polar c-plane or an offcut of a polar c-plane surface;

forming an epitaxial material overlying the surface region, the epitaxial material comprising a release material overlying the surface region, an n-type gallium and nitrogen containing material overlying the release material;

an active region overlying the n-type gallium and nitrogen containing material, a p-type gallium and nitrogen containing material overlying the active region; and

a first transparent conductive oxide material overlying the epitaxial material, and an interface region overlying the first transparent conductive oxide material;

patterning the epitaxial material to form a plurality of dice, wherein each die is characterized by a first pitch between a pair of dice, each of the dice corresponding to at least one laser diode device;

bonding the interface region associated with at least one of the plurality of dice to a carrier substrate;

and subjecting the release material associated with the one of the plurality of dice to an energy source to initiate release of the gallium and nitrogen containing substrate member to transfer the one a plurality of dice to the one or more carrier substrate;

wherein each pair of the transferred dice is configured with a second pitch between the pair of dice on the carrier substrate; and

processing at least one of the plurality of dice on at least one of the carrier substrates to form at least a laser diode.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising repeating the bonding and subject process with another one of the plurality of dice;

wherein the active region is comprised of at least one quantum well;

wherein the at least one quantum well is characterized by an internal polarization field;

wherein the release material, the n-type gallium and nitrogen containing material, the active region, and the p-type gallium and nitrogen containing material are characterized by a total thickness of less than 1.5 micron, less than 1 micron, or less than 0.5 micron.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the active region is comprised of at least one quantum well;

wherein the at least one quantum well is characterized by an internal polarization field;

wherein n-type gallium and nitrogen containing region overlying the release material and/or the p-type gallium and nitrogen containing material overlying the active region is free from AlGaN containing cladding layers with thicknesses greater 500 nm and/or AlN compositions greater than 3%.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising forming a ridge structure configured with the n-type gallium and nitrogen containing material to form an n-type ridge structure, and forming a dielectric material overlying the n-type gallium and nitrogen containing material, and forming a second transparent conductive oxide material overlying an exposed portion of the n-type gallium and nitrogen containing material such that the active region is configured between the first transparent conductive oxide material and the second conductive oxide material to cause an optical guiding effect within the active region.

27. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

forming an n-type contact region overlying an exposed portion of the n-type gallium and nitrogen containing material;

forming a patterned transparent oxide region overlying a portion of the n-type contact region; and

forming a thickness of metal material overlying the patterned transparent oxide region;

wherein the p-type gallium and nitrogen containing material is configured as a ridge waveguide structure to form a p-type ridge structure; and

wherein the transparent conductive oxide is comprised of indium tin oxide or zinc oxide.

28. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

forming a ridge structure configured with the n-type gallium and nitrogen containing material to form an n-type ridge structure;

forming a dielectric material overlying the n-type gallium and nitrogen containing material; and

forming a reflective n-contact such as aluminum to the exposed portion of the n-type gallium and nitrogen containing material such that the active region is configured between the first transparent conductive oxide material and a reflective metal to cause an optical guiding effect within the active region.

29. The method of claim 23, further comprising forming a second transparent conductive oxide layer overlying the n-type gallium and nitrogen containing material or overlying an exposed portion of an n-type gallium and nitrogen containing material overlying the n-type gallium and nitrogen containing material such that the active region is configured between the first transparent conductive oxide material and the second transparent conductive oxide material to cause an optical guiding influence whereupon the second transparent conductive oxide is formed as a blanket overlying an underlying surface region;

forming a ridge structure, using a lift off process or etching process, configured within at least the second transparent conductive oxide layer to form transparent conductive oxide ridge structure;

forming an contact region to expose a portion of the second transparent oxide layer; and

forming a metal contact material on the exposed portion of the second transparent conductive oxide layer.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein the first pitch is less than a design width;

wherein the second pitch is larger than the first pitch and corresponds to the design width;

wherein the bonding is provided before subjecting or the subjecting is provided before bonding.

31. The method of claim 23, wherein the energy source comprises a selective etch to selectively remove the release region while leaving an anchor region in tact to support the die before the selective bonding of the one or more die to the one or more carrier substrates, and the anchor region separates after the selective bonding of the one or more die to the one or more carrier substrates.

32. The method of claim 23, wherein the energy source a selective photo-electrical-chemical (PEC) etch to selectively remove the release region while leaving a metal anchor region in tact to support the die before the selective bonding of the one or more die to the one or more carrier substrates, and the anchor region separates after the selective bonding of the one or more die to the one or more carrier substrates, the metal anchor region configured to provide an electrical short between the anode and the cathode to enhance the PEC etching process.