Method for producing laser with resonant reflector

• US 7,266,135 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2004
• Issued: 09/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: II-VI Delaware, Inc. (Coherent Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Finisar Corporation (II-VI Incorporated)
• Inventors: Morgan, Robert A., Strzelecki, Eva M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey; Minsun Oh
• Assistant Examiner(s): VAN ROY, TOD THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US10/819,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20040191941A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,245 Days
• Field of Search: 372/19, 257/98
• US Class Current: 372/19
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 2301/166 Single transverse or lateral mode
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18308 having a special structure for lateral current or light confinement
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18327 Structure being part of a DBR H01S5/18391 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18358 containing spacer layers to adjust the phase of the light wave in the cavity
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18369 based on dielectric materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18377 comprising layers of different kind of materials, e.g. combinations of semiconducting with dielectric or metallic layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18388 Lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18391 Aperiodic structuring to influence the near- or far-field distribution

Abstract

In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method is employed that is directed to forming a resonant reflector on an optoelectronic device, such as a semiconductor laser for example. The exemplary method involves depositing a first material layer on the top layer of the optoelectronic device, where the first material layer having a refractive index and a thickness of about an odd multiple of a quarter of a wavelength to which the optoelectronic device is tuned. A patterned region is then created that extends at least partially into the first material layer. Selected patterned regions are at least partially filled with a second material that has a refractive index that is greater than the refractive index of the first material layer. Finally, a third layer, having a refractive index greater than the refractive index of the first material layer, is deposited immediately adjacent the first material layer.

Claims

1. A method for forming a resonant reflector on a top layer of an optoelectronic device, the method comprising:

depositing a first material layer on the top layer of the optoelectronic device, the first material layer having a first refractive index and a thickness of about an odd multiple of a quarter of a wavelength to which the optoelectronic device is tuned, wherein the first material layer comprises a top mirror layer of a DBR mirror;

creating at least one patterned region that extends at least partially into the first material layer, the thickness of the first material layer being reduced in the at least one patterned region;

filling, partially at least, at least one selected patterned region with a second material having a second refractive index, one of the first and second refractive indices being greater than the other of the first and second refractive indices; and

depositing a third layer immediately adjacent the first material layer, the third layer having a refractive index greater than the refractive index of the first material layer.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one patterned region is created by etching.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the patterned regions extends completely through the first material layer.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second refractive index is greater than the first refractive index.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second material has a thickness of about an odd multiple of a quarter of the wavelength to which the optoelectronic device is tuned.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second material also extends over at least one non-patterned region of the first material layer.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one patterned region is configured such that reflectivity of the resonant reflector is reduced in the at least one patterned region.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one patterned region is configured and arranged to facilitate mode control for the optoelectronic device.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first material substantially comprises SiO₂, the second material substantially comprises Si₃N₄ or TiO₂, and the third material substantially comprises AlGaAs.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising removing a region of the second material to provide access to a top mirror layer of the optoelectronic device.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising providing a contact layer on the exposed region of the top mirror layer.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the patterned region circumscribes a desired optical cavity of the optoelectronic device.

13. A method for forming a resonant reflector on a top layer of an optoelectronic device, the method comprising:

depositing a first material layer on the top layer of the optoelectronic device, the first material layer having a first refractive index and a thickness of about an odd multiple of a quarter of a wavelength to which the optoelectronic device is tuned;

creating at least one patterned region that extends at least partially into the first material layer, the thickness of the first material layer being reduced in the at least one patterned region;

filling, partially at least, at least one selected patterned region with a second material having a second refractive index, one of the first and second refractive indices being greater than the other of the first and second refractive indices; and

depositing a third layer immediately adjacent the first material layer, the third layer having a refractive index greater than the refractive index of the first material layer, wherein the first and second material layers have a refractive index that is less than a refractive index of a top mirror layer of the optoelectronic device.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the top mirror layer comprises AlGaAs.

15. A method for forming a resonant reflector on a top layer of an optoelectronic device, the method comprising:

depositing a first material layer on the top layer of the optoelectronic device, the first material layer having a first refractive index and a thickness of about an odd multiple of a quarter of a wavelength to which the optoelectronic device is tuned;

creating at least one patterned region that extends at least partially into the first material layer, the thickness of the first material layer being reduced in the at least one patterned region;

filling, partially at least, at least one selected patterned region with a second material having a second refractive index, one of the first and second refractive indices being greater than the other of the first and second refractive indices; and

depositing a third layer immediately adjacent the first material layer, the third layer having a refractive index greater than the refractive index of the first material layer, wherein the first material layer is a top mirror layer of the optoelectronic device.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the at least one patterned region is created in the first material layer by etching.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein a layer below the top mirror layer functions as an etch stop layer.