Optical line printhead and an LED chip used therefor

• US 5,684,523 A
• Filed: 06/06/1995
• Issued: 11/04/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited, Ricoh Research Institute Of General Electronics Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited, Ricoh Research Institute Of General Electronics Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Iwata, Hirokazu, Takahashi, Takashi, Iechi, Hiroyuki, Satoh, Shunichi, Yoshida, legal representative, Chizuru, Yoshida, deceased, Tomoaki, Miyashita, Takaaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Reinhart, Mark J.
• Application Number:
  US08/468,351
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 347/246, 347/247, 347/236, 347/237, 372/45, 372/46, 372/44, 372/43
• US Class Current: 347/247
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/45 using light-emitting diode [LED] or laser arrays

Abstract

A light emitting diode chip includes a substrate carrying thereon a number of light emitting diodes aligned in a row to form an array for producing a number of optical beams parallel to each other in a first direction, and monitoring element provided monolithically on the substrate for detecting the power of the optical beams produced by the light emitting diodes, wherein the monitoring element includes: a reference light emitting diode having a structure identical to the light emitting diodes in the array for producing an optical beam in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and a photodiode having a structure identical to the light emitting diodes in the array and separated from the reference light emitting diode by an isolation groove for detecting the optical beam produced by the reference light emitting diode.

Claims

1. A light emitting diode chip, comprising:

a substrate of a single crystal semiconductor material doped to a first conductivity type and having upper and lower principal surfaces;

a bottom electrode covering said lower principal surface of said substrate;

a plurality of light emitting diodes disposed on said upper principal surface of said substrate so as to be aligned in a row, said plurality of light emitting diodes thereby forming a light emitting diode array;

each of said light emitting diodes having an identical construction and comprising;

a first cladding layer doped to said first conductivity type and provided on said substrate epitaxially with respect to said substrate, said first cladding layer having a first bandgap;

an active layer of undoped semiconductor material provided on said first cladding layer epitaxially with respect to said first cladding layer, said active layer having a second bandgap smaller than said first bandgap;

a second cladding layer doped to a second, opposite conductivity type and provided on said active layer epitaxially with respect to said active layer, said second cladding layer having a third bandgap larger than said second bandgap; and

a top electrode provided on said second cladding layer for injecting carriers of a first polarity thereto;

each of said light emitting diodes having a front edge facing a common, first direction perpendicular to a direction of a hypothetical normal drawn to said upper principal surface of said substrate and a rear edge opposing said front edge, each of said light emitting diodes emitting an optical beam at said front edge in said first direction, in response to electric energization applied across said top electrode and said bottom electrode; and

monitoring means provided on said upper principal surface of said substrate for monitoring an optical power of said optical beams produced by said light emitting diodes forming said light emitting diode array, said monitoring means comprising;

a monitoring-purpose light emitting diode having a construction substantially identical with the construction of said light emitting diodes that form said light emitting diode array, said monitoring-purpose light emitting diode having a front edge for emitting an optical beam therethrough, said monitoring-purpose light emitting diode being disposed on said upper principal surface of said substrate such that said front edge of said monitoring-purpose light emitting diode faces a second direction perpendicular to said first direction so that said optical beam produced by said monitoring-purpose light emitting diode is emitted in said second direction through said front edge of said monitoring-purpose light emitting diode; and

a photodiode having a construction substantially identical with the construction of said light emitting diodes forming said light emitting diode array, said photodiode having a front edge facing said front edge of said monitoring-purpose light emitting diode for receiving said optical beam emitted from said monitoring-purpose light emitting diode, said photodiode producing an output signal indicative of an optical power of said optical beam produced by said monitoring-purpose light emitting diode, said output signal being produced across said top electrode of said photodiode and said bottom electrode;

said monitoring means being disposed behind said rear edges of said light emitting diodes forming said light emitting diode array.

2. A light emitting diode chip as claimed in claim 1, wherein said substrate has a front edge and an opposing rear edge, said light emitting diodes forming said light emitting diode array being disposed along said front edge of said substrate, said monitoring means being disposed in the vicinity of said rear edge, such that said front edges of said light emitting diodes forming said light emitting diode array and said front edge of said substrate face said first direction.

3. A light emitting diode chip as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said light emitting diodes forming said light emitting diode array are isolated, spatially and electrically, from each other by a groove.

4. A light emitting diode chip as claimed in claim 1, wherein said monitoring means comprises:

a plurality of monitoring-purpose light emitting diodes each having a construction substantially identical with the construction of said light emitting diodes that form said light emitting diode array and disposed at respective, different locations on said upper principal surface of said substrate, each of said monitoring-purpose light emitting diodes having a front edge for emitting an optical beam therethrough, each of said monitoring-purpose light emitting diodes being disposed on said upper principal surface of said substrate such that said front edges of said monitoring-purpose light emitting diodes face said second direction such that said optical beam produced by said monitoring-purpose light emitting diode is emitted in said second direction through said front edge of said monitoring-purpose light emitting diode; and

a plurality of photodiodes each having a construction substantially identical with the construction of said light emitting diodes forming said light emitting diode array and disposed in correspondence to said plurality of monitoring-purpose light emitting diodes, each of said photodiodes having a front edge facing said front edge of a corresponding monitoring-purpose light emitting diode for receiving said optical beam emitted from said corresponding monitoring-purpose light emitting diode, each said photodiode producing an output signal indicative of an optical power of said optical beam produced by said corresponding monitoring-purpose light emitting diode;

said monitoring means being disposed behind said rear edges of said light emitting diodes forming said light emitting diode array.

5. A light emitting diode chip as claimed in claim 1, wherein said substrate carries, on said upper principal surface thereof, an optical shielding wall extending generally in an upward direction from said upper principal surface, said optical shielding wall being surrounded by a side wall and comprising semiconductor epitaxial layers, said optical shielding wall being provided on said upper principal surface of said substrate between said light emitting diodes that form said light emitting diode array and said monitoring means, such that said optical shielding wall shields said monitoring means from said optical beams produced by said light emitting diodes in said light emitting diode array.

6. A light emitting diode chip as claimed in claim 1, wherein said substrate carries, on said upper principal surface thereof:

a first conductor pattern having a first end connected to a top electrode of said photodiode forming said monitoring means, for carrying said output signal of said photodiode therethrough;

a first bonding pad provided on said upper principal surface of said substrate in electrical connection to a second, opposite end of said first conductor pattern for outputting said output signal of said photodiode;

a second bonding pad provided on said upper principal surface of said substrate for receiving a drive current for energizing said monitoring-purpose light emitting diode;

a second conductor pattern provided on said upper principal surface of said substrate and having a first end in electrical connection to said second bonding pad for conducting said drive current from said second bonding pad to said monitoring-purpose light emitting diode, said second conductor pattern having a second opposite end in electrical connection to a top electrode of said monitoring-purpose light emitting diode;

a plurality of third bonding pads each provided on said upper principal surface of said substrate for receiving a drive current for energizing corresponding one of said light emitting diodes forming said light emitting diode array;

a plurality of third conductor patterns each provided on said upper principal surface of said substrate and having a first end connected to corresponding one of said third bonding pads, for conducting said drive current supplied to said third bonding pad, each of said third conductor patterns having a second, opposite end connected to said top electrode of corresponding one of said light emitting diodes that form said light emitting diode array.

7. A light emitting diode chip as claimed in claim 1, wherein said light emitting diode chip comprises a material layer having upper and lower major surfaces provided on said upper principal surface of said substrate behind said rear edges of said light emitting diode array, said material layer carrying, on said upper major surface thereof, said first through third bonding pads and said first through third conductor patterns.

8. A light emitting diode chip as claimed in claim 7, wherein said material layer comprises semiconductor epitaxial layers provided epitaxially on said upper principal surface of said substrate, said material layer having a front edge facing said rear edges of said light emitting diodes that form said light emitting diode array, with a groove separating said material layer from said light emitting diodes in said light emitting diode array, said material layer having a thickness such that said upper principal surface of said material layer has a level generally identical with the level of said top electrode of said light emitting diodes in said light emitting diode array;

said groove being filed by an insulating material having a top surface at a level substantially identical with said upper principal surface of said material layer.

9. A light emitting diode chip as claimed in claim 7, wherein said material layer has a layered structure substantially identical to the layered structure of said monitoring-purpose light emitting diode and the layered structure of said photodiode forming said monitoring means, said monitoring-purpose light emitting diode and said photodiode being isolated from said material layer by a surrounding groove that surrounds said monitoring means, said surrounding groove being filled with an insulating material.

20. A light emitting diode chip as claimed in claim 1, wherein said light emitting diode chip comprising a control circuit for controlling said plurality of light emitting diodes in response to an output signal of said photodiode forming said monitoring means, said control circuit being provided on said upper principal surface of said substrate monolithically.

21. A light emitting diode chip as claimed in claim 20, wherein said control circuit includes a transistor provided monolithically on said upper principal surface of said substrate.

10. An optical beam source for producing a plurality of optical beams, comprising:

a support substrate having an upper major surface;

a plurality of light emitting diode chips provided on said upper major surface of said support substrate so as to be aligned in a row, each of said light emitting diode chips comprising;

a substrate of a single crystal semiconductor material doped to a first conductivity type and having upper and lower principal surfaces;

a bottom electrode covering said lower principal surface of said substrate;

a plurality of light emitting diodes disposed on said upper principal surface of said substrate so as to be aligned in a row, said plurality of light emitting diodes thereby forming a light emitting diode array;

each of said light emitting diodes having an identical construction and comprising;

a first cladding layer doped to said first conductivity type and provided on said substrate epitaxially with respect to said substrate, said first cladding layer having a first bandgap;

an active layer of undoped semiconductor material provided on said first cladding layer epitaxially with respect to said first cladding layer, said active layer having a second bandgap smaller than said first bandgap;

a second cladding layer doped to a second, opposite conductivity type and provided on said active layer epitaxially with respect to said active layer, said second cladding layer having a third bandgap larger than said second bandgap; and

a top electrode provided on said second cladding layer for injecting carriers of a first polarity thereto;

each of said light emitting diodes having a front edge facing a common, first direction perpendicular to a direction of a hypothetical normal drawn to said upper principal surface of said substrate and a rear edge opposing said front edge, each of said light emitting diodes emitting an optical beam at said front edge in said first direction, in response to electric energization applied across said top electrode and said bottom electrode; and

monitoring means provided on said upper principal surface of said substrate for monitoring the optical power of said optical beams produced by said light emitting diodes forming said light emitting diode array, said monitoring means comprising;

a monitoring-purpose light emitting diode having a construction substantially identical with the construction of said light emitting diodes that form said light emitting diode array, said monitoring-purpose light emitting diode having a front edge for emitting an optical beam therethrough, said monitoring-purpose light emitting diode being disposed on said upper principal surface of said substrate such that said front edge of said monitoring-purpose light emitting diode faces a second direction perpendicular to said first direction and the direction of the hypothetical normal drawn to said upper principal surface of said substrate so that said optical beam produced by said monitoring-purpose light emitting diode is emitted in said second direction through said front edge of said monitoring-purpose light emitting diode; and

a photodiode having a construction substantially identical to the construction of said light emitting diodes forming said light emitting diode array, said photodiode having a front edge facing said front edge of said monitoring-purpose light emitting diode for receiving said optical beam emitted from said monitoring-purpose light emitting diode, said photodiode producing an output signal indicative of the optical power of said optical beam produced by said monitoring-purpose light emitting diode, said output signal being produced across said top electrode of said photodiode and said bottom electrode;

said monitoring means being disposed behind said rear edges of said light emitting diodes forming said light emitting diode array;

said plurality of light emitting diode chips being disposed on said support substrate so as to produce said optical beam in a common direction; and

a plurality of feedback control circuits provided in a one-to-one correspondence with said plurality of light emitting diode chips, said feedback control circuit drives, in each of said plurality of light emitting diode chips, said monitoring-purpose light emitting diode with energization determined in response to said output signal of said photodiode, such that said optical beam produced by said monitoring-purpose light emitting diode has a predetermined optical power, said feedback control circuit driving said light emitting diodes forming said light emitting diode array on said light emitting diode chip by energization corresponding to the energization of said monitoring-purpose light emitting diode.

11. An optical beam source as claimed in claim 10, wherein each of said feedback control circuits comprises:

non-volatile memory means for storing a value of desired power of the optical beams produced by said light emitting diodes;

comparator means supplied with an output signal from said non-volatile memory means indicative of said desired power of said optical beam stored therein and further with said output signal of said photodiode indicative of the power of the optical beam produced by the monitoring-purpose light emitting diode, for producing an output signal in response to the difference between said output signal of said comparator means and said output signal of said photodiode, such that said difference is reduced; and

driver means supplied with said output signal of said comparator means for producing a drive current, said comparator means energizing said monitoring-purpose light emitting diode by said drive current, said comparator means further energizing said light emitting diodes forming said light emitting diode array by said drive current.

12. An optical beam source as claimed in claim 10, wherein said optical beam source further includes an optical system for focusing said optical beams on a recording surface, said optical system comprising:

first reflection means for deflecting said optical beams produced by said light emitting diodes on said light emitting diode chips in a direction generally perpendicular to said upper major surface of said support substrate;

second reflection means for causing first and second successive reflections of said optical beams that have been deflected by said first reflection means, such that said optical beams are deflected first in a direction generally parallel to said upper major surface of said support substrate in correspondence to said first reflection and next in a direction generally perpendicular to said upper major surface of said support substrate in correspondence to said second reflection such that said optical beams travel toward said support substrate after said second reflection;

third reflection means for deflecting said optical beams having undergone said first and second reflections in said second reflection means toward said recording surface; and

a plurality of lenses aligned, with a predetermined pitch, in a direction in which said light emitting diode chips are aligned to form a lens array, said plurality of lenses being disposed in a path of said optical beams traveling from said first reflection means to said third reflection means via said second reflection means.

13. An optical beam source as claimed in claim 12, wherein said optical system includes another lens array including a plurality of lenses each being aligned coaxially with respect to the lenses forming said first mentioned lens array.

14. An optical beam source as claimed in claim 12, wherein said third reflection means comprises a plurality of roof mirrors each having a pair of mutually inclined mirror surfaces that cause said first and second reflections of said optical beams, said roof mirrors being disposed with a pitch corresponding to said predetermined pitch of said plurality of lenses.

15. An optical beam source as claimed in claim 12, wherein said optical system includes optical louver means including a plurality of apertures each forming a passage for said optical beams, said apertures being aligned with a pitch corresponding to the pitch of said lenses.

16. An optical beam source as claimed in claim 10, wherein said support substrate has a lower major surface on which a cooling fin fixture including a plurality of cooling fins is provided for radiating heat.

17. An optical beam source as claimed in claim 10, wherein said third reflection means deflects said optical beam in a direction that is inclined with respect to said upper major surface of said support substrate.

18. An optical beam source as claimed in claim 10, wherein said optical beam source further includes an optical system for focusing said optical beams on a recording surface, said optical system comprising:

first reflection means for deflecting said optical beams produced by said light emitting diodes on said light emitting diode chips, in a direction generally perpendicular to said upper principal surface of said substrate;

second reflection means for deflecting said optical beams deflected by said first reflection means in a direction generally parallel to said upper major surface of said support substrate such that said optical beams travel away from said recording surface;

third reflection means for causing first and second successive reflections in said optical beams that have been deflected by said second reflection means, such that said optical beams are deflected by substantially 90 degrees generally along a plane parallel to said upper major surface of said support substrate in each of said first and second reflections, such that said optical beams travel toward said recording surface after said second reflection; and

a plurality of lenses aligned, with a predetermined pitch, in a direction in which said light emitting diode chips are aligned to form a lens array, said plurality of lenses being disposed in a path of said optical beams traveling from said third reflection means to said recording surface.

22. An optical beam source as claimed in claim 10, wherein each of said plurality of feedback control circuits includes a transistor provided monolithically on a corresponding light emitting diode chip.

19. A light emitting diode, comprising:

a substrate having upper and lower major surfaces, said substrate comprising a semiconductor material doped to a first conductivity type;

first electrode means provided on said lower major surface of said substrate;

a first cladding layer having upper and lower major surfaces and provided on said substrate, said first cladding layer comprising a semiconductor material doped to said first conductivity type and having a first bandgap;

an active layer having upper and lower major surfaces and provided on said first cladding layer, said active layer comprising an undoped semiconductor material having a second bandgap smaller than said first bandgap, said active layer producing optical radiation as a result of recombination of carriers, said active layer having an edge surface generally perpendicular to said upper major surface of said substrate for emitting said optical radiation as a first optical beam;

a second cladding layer having upper and lower major surfaces and provided on said active layer, said second cladding layer comprising a semiconductor material doped to a second, opposite conductivity type and having a third bandgap larger than said second bandgap; and

second electrode means provided on said upper major surface of said second cladding layer and having upper and lower major surfaces, said second electrode means passing said optical radiation produced in said active layer generally in a direction perpendicular to said upper major surface of said second electrode means, as a second optical beam.

23. An optical beam source for producing a plurality of optical beams, which comprises:

a case member having a first substrate positioned therein;

at least one light emitting diode chip positioned on said first substrate, said at least one light emitting diode chip having;

a second substrate of a single crystal semiconductor material doped to a first conductivity type and having upper and lower principal surfaces;

a bottom electrode covering said lower principal surface of said second substrate;

a plurality of light emitting diodes disposed on said upper principal surface of said second substrate so as to be aligned in a row;

each of said light emitting diodes having a first cladding layer doped to said first conductivity type and provided on said substrate epitaxially with respect to said substrate, said first cladding layer having a first bandgap;

an active layer of undoped semiconductor material provided on said first cladding layer epitaxially with respect to said first cladding layer, said active layer having a second bandgap smaller than said first bandgap;

a second cladding layer doped to a second, opposite conductivity type and provided on said active layer epitaxialy with respect to said active layer, said second cladding layer having a third bandgap larger than said second bandgap; and

a top electrode provided on said second cladding layer for injecting carriers of a first polarity thereto;

each of said light emitting diodes having a front edge facing a common, first direction perpendicular to a direction of a hypothetical normal drawn to said upper principal surface of said substrate and a rear edge opposing said front edge, each of said light emitting diodes emitting an optical beam at said front edge in said first direction in response to electric energization applied across said top electrode and said bottom electrode; and

monitoring means provided on said upper principal surface of said second substrate for monitoring an optical power of said optical beams produced by said light emitting diodes forming said light emitting diode array, said monitoring means further including at least one monitoring-purpose light emitting diode having a front edge for emitting an optical beam therethrough, said at least one monitoring-purpose light emitting diode being disposed on said upper principal surface of said second substrate such that said front edge of said at least one monitoring-purpose light emitting diode faces a second direction perpendicular to said first direction so that said optical beam produced by said at least one monitoring-purpose light emitting diode is emitted in said second direction through said front edge of said at least one monitoring-purpose light emitting diode; and

at least one photodiode associated with said at least one monitoring-purpose light emitting diode, said at least one photodiode having a front edge facing said front edge of said at least one monitoring-purpose light emitting diode for receiving said optical beam emitted from said at least one monitoring-purpose light emitting diode, said at least one photodiode producing an output signal indicative of an optical power of said optical beam produced by said at least one monitoring-purpose light emitting diode, said output signal being produced across said top electrode of said at least one photodiode and said bottom electrode; and

means positioned within said case member for focusing and directing light emitted from said at least one light emitting diode chip to a recording surface.

24. An optical beam source for producing a plurality of optical beams, comprising:

a substrate having upper and lower major surfaces;

a plurality of light emitting diodes provided on said upper major surface of said substrate so as to align in a row in a first direction, each of said plurality of light emitting diodes having an edge surface facing a common, second direction substantially perpendicular to said first direction for emitting a first optical beam generally in said second direction, each of said light emitting diodes further having an upper principal surface for emitting a second optical beam therethrough generally in a third direction perpendicular to said upper principal surface of said light emitting diode;

an optical system for focusing said optical beams on a recording surface, said optical system comprising;

first reflection means for deflecting said first optical beams produced by said light emitting diodes in a fourth direction which is different from said second direction and which is generally perpendicular to said first direction;

second reflection means for deflecting said first optical beams deflected by said first reflection means in a fifth direction which is generally perpendicular to said first direction and which is generally opposite to said second direction, said second reflection means further deflecting said second optical beams in a sixth direction which is generally perpendicular to said first direction and which is generally opposite to said second direction;

third reflection means for causing first and second successive reflections in said first optical beams that have been deflected by said second reflection means, such that said first optical beams are deflected by substantially 90 degrees in each of said first and second reflections, such that said first optical beams travel in a seventh direction generally perpendicular to said first direction and generally opposite to said fifth direction, said third reflection means further causing third and fourth successive reflections in said second optical beams that have been deflected by said second reflection means, such that said second optical beams are deflected by substantially 90 degrees in each of said third and fourth reflections, such that said second optical beams travel in an eighth direction generally perpendicular to said first direction and generally opposite to said sixth direction;

a plurality of lenses aligned, with a predetermined pitch, in said first direction to form a lens array, said plurality of lenses being disposed in a path of said first and second optical beams traveling away from said third reflection means for focusing the same on an image plane; and

fourth reflection means disposed in a path of said first optical beams passed through said lens array after reflection by said third reflection means, for deflecting said first optical beams in a ninth direction that is generally perpendicular to said first direction and pointing towards said image plane, such that said first optical beams are focused at respective, corresponding focal points of said second optical beams.

25. An optical beam source as claimed in claim 24, wherein said first reflection means and said fourth reflection means have respective mechanisms for adjusting a reflection angle of said first optical beams.

26. An optical beam source as claimed in claim 24, wherein each of said light emitting diodes carries a beam shaping mask on said edge surface, for reducing a width of said first optical beam emitted therefrom, such that each of said first optical beams produced by said light emitting diodes has a reduced width in said first direction.

27. An optical beam source as claimed in claim 24, wherein each of said light emitting diodes carries a beam shaping mask on said upper principal surface, for reducing a width of said second optical beam emitted therefrom, such that each of said second optical beams produced by said light emitting diodes has a reduced width in said first direction.

28. An optical beam source as claimed in claim 24, wherein said optical system comprises optical path modification means provided in a path of said first optical beams for modifying an optical path length.

29. An optical beam source as claimed in claim 28, wherein said optical path modification means comprises a cylindrical surface provided on said first reflection means for reflecting said first optical beams with a negative power.

30. An optical beam source as claimed in claim 28, wherein said optical path modification means comprises a convex lens provided on a path of said second optical beams for reducing the path length of said second optical beams.

31. An optical beam source as claimed in claim 28, wherein said optical system includes a moving mechanism for moving said optical path modification means for changing the optical path of said first optical beams with respect to the optical path of said second optical beams.

32. An optical beam source as claimed in claim 24, wherein said optical system includes optical shielding means for separating said first optical beams and said second optical beams from each other.

33. An optical beam source as claimed in claim 24, wherein said light emitting diodes are disposed on said substrate such that said upper principal surface of said light emitting diodes is oriented substantially perpendicularly to a path of said second optical beams passed through said lens array and traveling toward said image plane.

34. An optical beam source as claimed in claim 24, wherein each of said light emitting diodes carries a transparent electrode on said upper principal surface for injecting carriers therein.

35. An optical beam source as claimed in claim 24, wherein said optical system includes shutter means for selectively interrupting one of said first and second optical beams.

36. An optical beam source as claimed in claim 35, wherein said shutter means includes a concave lens such that said concave lens is inserted into the path of said first optical beams when said shutter means is activated to interrupt said second optical beams.

37. A light emitting diode for emitting optical beams in mutually different directions, comprising:

a substrate of a semiconductor material having upper and lower major surfaces and doped to a first conductivity type;

first cladding layer of a semiconductor material doped to said first conductivity type and having a first bandgap, said first cladding layer having upper and lower major surfaces and provided on said upper major surface of said substrate;

an active layer of an undoped semiconductor material having a second bandgap smaller than said first bandgap, said active layer having upper and lower major surfaces and provided on said upper major surface of said first cladding layer, said active layer producing optical radiation as a result of recombination of carriers taking place in said active layer;

second cladding layer of a semiconductor material doped to a second, opposite conductivity type and having a third bandgap larger than said second bandgap, said second cladding layer having upper and lower major surfaces and provided on said upper major surface of said active layer;

said first cladding layer and said second cladding layer forming, together with said active layer, a layered structure having an upper major surface and an edge surface extending substantially perpendicularly to said upper major surface of said substrate, said layered structure outputting a first optical beam from said active layer at said edge surface as a result of said optical radiation produced in said active layer;

lower electrode means provided on said lower major surface of said substrate for injecting carriers of a first polarity into said active layer; and

upper electrode means provided on said upper major surface of said layered structure for injecting carriers of a second, opposite polarity into said active layer, said upper electrode means being substantially transparent to said optical radiation produced in said active layer for emitting a second optical beam therethrough in a direction generally perpendicular to said upper major surface of said layered structure.

38. A light emitting diode as claimed in claim 37, wherein said upper electrode means comprises a metal film having upper and lower major surfaces, said metal film having a thickness small enough to allow passage of said second optical beam therethrough.

39. A light emitting diode as claimed in claim 38, wherein said metal film has a thickness smaller than 200 Å

.

40. A light emitting diode as claimed in claim 38, wherein said metal film is formed of a metal selected from a group consisting of Au, Al, Rh, Cu, Cr, Pt and Ag.

41. A light emitting diode as claimed in claim 38, wherein said upper electrode means further comprises first and second oxide films respectively having upper and lower major surfaces and sandwiching said metal film from below and above, said first oxide film being provided below said metal film and formed of an oxide selected from a group consisting of Ga₂ O₃, In₂ O₃, Bi₂ O₃ and TiO₂, said second oxide film being provided above said metal film and formed of an oxide selected from a group consisting of SiO₂, TiO₂ and Al₂ O₃.

42. A light emitting diode as claimed in claim 37, wherein said upper electrode means comprises an oxide having an n-type conductivity.

43. A light emitting diode as claimed in claim 42, wherein said upper electrode means comprises a layer of oxide selected from a group consisting of SnO₂, In₂ O₃, CdO, Cd₂ SnO₄ and a solid solution thereof.

44. A light emitting diode as claimed in claim 42, wherein said upper electrode means comprises an electrode layer having upper and lower major surfaces and formed of a material substantially transparent to said optical radiation formed in said active layer for contacting with an external lead pattern and a carrier diffusion layer having upper and lower major surfaces and provided between said electrode layer and said second cladding layer for causing a diffusion of carriers injected via said electrode layer, said carrier diffusion layer being doped to a carrier concentration level exceeding a carrier concentration level of said second cladding layer.

45. A light emitting diode as claimed in claim 37, wherein said light emitting diode further comprises a optical reflection layer having upper and lower major surface and provided between said substrate and said first cladding layer, said reflection layer having an alternate repetition of refractive index from said lower major surface to said upper major surface of said reflection layer for causing a Bragg reflection of said optical radiation produced in said active layer in a direction substantially perpendicularly to said optical reflection layer.

46. A light emitting diode as claimed in claim 45, wherein said optical reflection layer comprises an alternate repetition of a first layer and a second layer both having a composition represented as Al_x Ga_1-x As wherein the compositional parameter x is changed in said first and second layers in a range from zero to one.