EP2036171A2

EP2036171A2 - Surface emitting semiconductor body with vertical emission direction and stabilised emission wavelength

Info

Publication number: EP2036171A2
Application number: EP07785581A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Peter Brick; Wolfgang Diehl; Stephan Lutgen
Original assignee: Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH
Current assignee: Ams Osram International GmbH
Priority date: 2006-06-30
Filing date: 2007-06-28
Publication date: 2009-03-18
Also published as: JP2009542016A; US20100014549A1; WO2008000243A3; WO2008000243A2; DE102006042196A1; US8208512B2; TWI373181B; TW200818641A

Abstract

A surface emitting semiconductor body with vertical emission direction is disclosed, for use with a resonator and comprising a semiconductor layer sequence with an active region, wherein the semiconductor body has a wavelength stabilising form such that a peak wavelength of the radiation generated in the active region in a given operating range for the semiconductor body is stabilised against changes in output power of the radiation generated in the active region.

Description

description

Surface emitting semiconductor body with vertical emission direction and stabilized emission wavelength

The invention relates to a surface-emitting semiconductor body having a vertical emission direction.

This patent application claims the priority of German patent applications 102006030247.8 and 102006042196.5, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

Surface emitting semiconductor lasers having a vertical emission direction are known, for example, from an article by Kuznetsov et al. (IEEE Journal of Selected Topics Quantum Electronics, Vol. 5, No. 3, May / June 1999, pages 561-573). The spectral position of the peak wavelength of the radiation generated in the operation of such semiconductor lasers in the active region typically depends on the temperature of the active region. Thus, increasing the temperature of the active region may cause a decreased bandgap energy, which may cause a shift of the peak wavelength to longer wavelengths. However, in many applications, such as when the radiation generated by the semiconductor laser is intended to be converted into a nonlinear optical crystal, the most stable possible peak wavelength is of great advantage. In one possible method, the stabilization of the peak wavelength can take place via the regulation of the operating temperature of the semiconductor laser. However, such methods are comparatively expensive.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a surface emitting semiconductor body suitable for operation The spectral position of the peak wavelength of the radiation propagating in the resonator or the radiation coupled out of the resonator is simplified in a simplified manner with respect to temperature changes of an active region of the semiconductor body provided for generating radiation.

This object is achieved by a surface-emitting semiconductor body having a vertical emission direction according to the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments and modifications of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

In a first embodiment according to the invention, a surface-emitting semiconductor body with a vertical emission direction, which is provided for operation with a resonator, comprises a semiconductor layer sequence with an active region and at least two semiconductor layers arranged outside the active region. In this case, the active region has a plurality of quantum structures, wherein each quantum structure is associated with a geometric center with respect to its extent along the emission direction. In this case, the geometric centers of the quantum structures along the emission direction are arranged at a mean optical distance D from one another and an optical layer thickness of one of the semiconductor layers arranged outside the active region is intentionally detuned with respect to an integer multiple of half the average optical distance D.

Such a detuning can advantageously result in a dependence during operation of the semiconductor body in the resonator a peak wavelength of a generated in the active region and provided for amplification in the resonator radiation from a temperature of the active region to be reduced. In addition, the peak wavelength may be stabilized against a change in the output power of the radiation generated in the active region.

In a preferred embodiment, the semiconductor body is provided for operation in a predetermined operating range.

In a second embodiment according to the invention, a surface-emitting semiconductor body having a vertical emission direction has a semiconductor layer sequence with an active region. In this case, the semiconductor body is designed such that it stabilizes the wavelength such that, during operation of the semiconductor body in a resonator, a peak wavelength of radiation generated in the active region is stabilized in a predetermined operating range with respect to a change in the output power of the radiation generated in the active region.

The reduced change in the peak wavelength with a change in the output power is achieved by a suitable structure of the semiconductor body. Advantageously, additional elements in the resonator for stabilizing the peak wavelength can be dispensed with.

In a preferred embodiment of the second embodiment, the semiconductor layer sequence comprises at least two semiconductor layers arranged outside the active region. In a further preferred embodiment of the second embodiment, the active region has a plurality of quantum structures, wherein each quantum structure is associated with a geometric center with respect to its extension along the emission direction. In this case, the geometric centers of the quantum structures along the emission direction are arranged at a mean optical distance D from one another and an optical layer thickness of one of the semiconductor layers arranged outside the active region is deliberately detuned with respect to an integer multiple of half the average optical distance.

The semiconductor body is preferably designed such that physical effects which counteract an increase in the peak wavelength of the radiation generated in the active region of the semiconductor body with increasing temperature of the active region are purposefully intensified. Such effects are, for example, mode hopping or a change in the refractive indices of semiconductor layers in the case of a change in the charge carrier density in the semiconductor layers during operation of the semiconductor body.

The peak wavelength of the radiation generated in operation in a resonator in the active region may be considered to be stabilized against a change in the output of the radiation generated in the active region if the change in the peak wavelength increases with the temperature of the active region or with the output power the radiation is lower than in a semiconductor body, as described in the aforementioned article by Kuznetsov et al. has been described in such a way that all the optical layer thicknesses of the semiconductor layers arranged outside the active region are an integer multiple of one common value, this common value is determined by the desired peak wavelength of the radiation generated in the semiconductor body.

Furthermore, the peak wavelength may be considered to be stabilized if the peak wavelength changes more slowly as the temperature of the active region changes or the output of the radiation generated in the active region changes than due to the change in the refractive index of the semiconductor materials used in the semiconductor body with the temperature of the active area is the case. Here, the change of the refractive indices with the temperature is a material-specific value of these semiconductor materials. For example, for a conventional GaAs-based semiconductor body by Kuznetsov et al. a temperature-induced resonance shift of + 0, lnm / ° C indicated.

In the context of the invention, a surface-emitting semiconductor body with a vertical emission direction is understood to mean a semiconductor body in which a radiation generated in the semiconductor body is predominantly from a surface of the semiconductor body which is parallel to the semiconductor layers of the semiconductor body

Semiconductor layer sequence of the semiconductor body extends, emerges from the semiconductor body. The direction in which the radiation generated in the semiconductor body is predominantly emitted is thus perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the semiconductor layers of the semiconductor layer sequence.

In a preferred embodiment, the lower limit of the predetermined operating range is formed by the laser threshold of the semiconductor body. Under the laser threshold is In this case, the pump power understood, in which the operation of the semiconductor body in the resonator, the laser activity, that is, the emission of coherent radiation used.

In a further preferred embodiment, the upper limit of the predetermined operating range is formed by an operating point in which the maximum output power is achieved, particularly preferably by an upper limit of the laser activity of the surface-emitting semiconductor body. As a rule, the so-called thermal rollover of the semiconductor body leads to an upper limit of the laser activity. The thermal rollover causes a maximum output power of the radiation generated in the active area can not be exceeded with further increase in pump power. The cause of this is thermally induced loss mechanisms in the active region, which lead to an interruption of the pump power beyond the operating point of the maximum output power to a suspension of the laser activity.

Particularly preferably, the predetermined operating range is the entire range of the laser activity. The limits of the operating range are thus the laser threshold and the upper limit of the laser activity.

In the operation of the semiconductor body, the pumping power can be supplied in particular electrically or optically to the active region of the semiconductor body.

In a preferred embodiment, the semiconductor body is designed such that the peak wavelength of the radiation generated in the active region in the given Operating range by 10 nm or less, more preferably 5 nm or less, in particular changes by 1 nm or less.

In a further preferred embodiment, two adjacent quantum structures of the active region are separated by a respective barrier. Here, the quantum structures for generating, preferably coherent, radiation are provided. In particular, during operation of the semiconductor body, radiation is generated in the quantum structures by means of radiative recombination of quantized electrons with quantized holes. The emission of the radiation to be amplified in the active region preferably takes place along the emission direction.

Within the scope of the application, the term quantum structure encompasses any structure in which charge carriers can experience or experience quantization of their energy states by confinement.

In particular, the term quantum structure does not include information about the dimensionality of the quantization. It thus includes quantum wells, quantum wires and quantum dots and any combination of these structures.

Typically, the extent of a barrier along the emission direction is at least as great as the extent of a quantum structure along the emission direction. In particular, the extent of the barriers is at least twice as large as the extent of the quantum structures, preferably at least five times as large as the extent of the quantum structures. The thickness of the barrier, that is to say the extent of the barrier along the emission direction, is particularly preferably designed such that the mean optical distance D is approximately equal to the distance between two adjacent maxima of the intensity of a standing wave field forming in the operation of the semiconductor body in the resonator for the active area corresponds to amplifying radiation. The deviation from the mean optical distance D and the distance between two adjacent maxima of the intensity of the standing wave field is typically at most 5%, preferably at most 2%, particularly preferably at most 1%. The smaller this deviation, the closer the center of each quantum structure can be arranged in each case one of these maxima of the standing wave field. Thus, advantageously, the amplification for radiation to be amplified in the active region can be increased.

In a further preferred embodiment, the active region 5 comprises quantum structures or more, more preferably 10 quantum structures or more. As the number of quantum structures increases, the absorption of the pump radiation can advantageously be increased when the active region is pumped optically. On the other hand, the thickness of the active region increases at the same time, which increases the duration of the deposition of the active region in the production of the semiconductor body. A number of quantum structures, including 10 and 25 inclusive, such as 14 quantum structures, have therefore been found to be advantageous.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the geometric centers of the quantum structures are arranged equidistantly, wherein the optical distance of the geometric centers of two adjacent quantum structures in each case corresponds to the distance between two adjacent maxima of the intensity of a standing wave field in the resonator for the radiation to be amplified in the active region. Thus, the quantum structures of the active region can be arranged particularly precisely in each case at a maximum of the intensity of a standing wave field in the resonator for the radiation to be amplified in the active region.

In a preferred development, the active region is designed as a resonant periodic gain structure (RPG structure), wherein one period of the resonant periodic gain structure is formed by a respective quantum structure and in each case one barrier adjacent thereto. In particular, the quantum structure is preferably carried out the same in all periods. In this case, in the resonant periodic gain structure, the quantum structure is designed so that a radiation to be amplified in the active region is amplified resonantly by the quantum structures.

In a further preferred embodiment, a quantum structure in each case comprises exactly one quantum layer. This allows a particularly simple and reproducible production of the quantum structure.

In a further preferred embodiment, a quantum structure comprises a group of two and up to five quantum layers. These can be separated by intermediate layers. A number of two to five quantum layers is advantageous, since it means that the extent of the quantum structure along the emission direction is sufficiently small that all quantum layers of a quantum structure are in the region of a maximum of the quantum structure Standing wave field of the radiation to be amplified can be arranged.

The mean optical distance D is understood to mean the arithmetic mean of the optical path length between the geometric center points of two adjacent quantum structures along the emission direction. The calculation of the optical path length is based on the refractive index of the relevant semiconductor layers for the radiation to be amplified in the resonator. Half the average optical distance is abbreviated to D / 2 in the following.

Analogously, an optical layer thickness of a semiconductor layer means the optical path length through the semiconductor layer along the emission direction, ie the layer thickness multiplied by the refractive index of the semiconductor layer for the radiation to be amplified in the active region.

An optical layer thickness is in particular considered to be detuned with respect to a predetermined base value if the deviation of the optical layer thickness from the base value exceeds typical deviations, for example due to manufacturing tolerances. Accordingly, a layer whose optical layer thickness deviates from the basic value within typical statistical fluctuations is not to be regarded as deliberately detuned.

In the epitaxial deposition of semiconductor layers, such as MOVPE or MBE, for example, semiconductor layers can be deposited whose actual layer thickness is less than 1% of the predetermined Layer thickness deviates. The deviation of the optical layer thickness can also be in this range.

A semiconductor layer is referred to below as being detuned with respect to a predetermined base value if its optical layer thickness is greater than the predetermined base value.

For example, a semiconductor layer whose optical layer thickness is deliberately detuned with respect to an integer multiple of D or with respect to an odd multiple of D / 2 is referred to herein as positively detuned relative to an integer multiple of D or an odd multiple of D / 2, respectively the optical layer thickness is greater than a nearest integer multiple of D or a nearest odd multiple of D / 2.

Analogously, a semiconductor layer is designated detuned with respect to a predetermined base value if its optical layer thickness is smaller than the base value.

In a preferred embodiment, the optical layer thickness of one of the semiconductor layers arranged outside the active region is 1% or more and 45% or less compared to an odd multiple of D / 2 relative to D / 2 or an integer multiple of D relative to D tune. The optical layer thickness of one of the semiconductor layers arranged outside the active region is particularly preferably opposite to an odd multiple of D / 2 relative to D / 2 or to an integral multiple of D relative to D by 2% or more and by 35% or less tune. In particular, the optical layer thickness of one of the semiconductor layers arranged outside the active region is detuned by 5% or more and by 30% or less relative to an odd multiple of D / 2 relative to D / 2 or an integer multiple of D relative to D.

In a further preferred embodiment, the active region is arranged between the semiconductor layers arranged outside the active region. In particular, both semiconductor layers arranged outside the active region are deliberately detuned with respect to an integral multiple of D or with respect to an odd multiple of D / 2.

Further preferably, one of the semiconductor layers arranged outside the active region is larger than an integer multiple of D / 2, that is positively detuned against D / 2, and one of the semiconductor layers arranged outside the active region is smaller than an integral multiple of D / 2 , that is detuned negatively against D / 2.

In a further preferred refinement, the semiconductor body has a radiation passage area for radiation to be amplified in the active region. Radiation to be amplified in the semiconductor body can be coupled out of the semiconductor body through this radiation passage area and coupled into the semiconductor body. Particularly preferably, the radiation to be amplified in the active region occurs perpendicular to the radiation passage area through it. In a further preferred embodiment, the resonator is formed by means of a Bragg mirror formed in the semiconductor body. The semiconductor layers forming the Bragg mirror can be p-doped, n-doped, intrinsic or essentially undoped. Doped semiconductor layers can be used to inject charge carriers into the active region.

The Bragg mirror is preferably arranged on the side of the active region which faces away from the radiation passage area. In particular, the Bragg mirror is formed with one of the semiconductor layers arranged outside the active region and intentionally detuned.

Furthermore, the Bragg mirror preferably comprises further semiconductor layers which are intentionally detuned with respect to an odd-numbered multiple of D / 2, in particular with respect to D / 2.

In a further preferred refinement, one of the deliberately detuned semiconductor layers of the Bragg mirror is detuned by at least 1% and at most 45% compared with D / 2. Preferably, the detuning to D / 2 is at least 2% and at most 35%, more preferably at least 5% and at most 25%, for example 8%.

Further, all semiconductor layers which are arranged on the side of the active region which faces away from the radiation passage area, in particular the semiconductor layers forming the Bragg mirror, are detuned by at least 1% and at most 45%. Preferably, the detuning to D / 2 is at least 2% and at most 35%, more preferably at least 5% and at most 20%, for example 8%. In particular, all semiconductor layers which are on the the radiation passage area facing away from the active area are arranged, in particular the Bragg mirror forming semiconductor layers, a percentage equal detuning. Thus, the dependence of the peak wavelength of the radiation to be amplified in the active region can be reduced particularly effectively.

In a further preferred refinement, the semiconductor body has a window layer adjoining the radiation passage area. This is preferably formed by one of the outside of the active region arranged and deliberately detuned semiconductor layers. Between the window layer and the active region, a further semiconductor layer may be arranged.

Preferably, one of the semiconductor layers arranged between the radiation passage area and the active area, for example the window layer, has a band gap which is sufficiently large so that radiation to be amplified by the active area is not or only slightly absorbed during the transmission through this semiconductor layer. Thus, absorption losses of the radiation power to be amplified can be advantageously reduced.

Further preferably, the bandgap of one of the semiconductor layers arranged between the radiation passage area and the active area, for example the band gap of the window layer, is greater than that of the barriers in the active area, so that this semiconductor layer in the active area can prevent free charge carriers generated therefrom, to the radiation passage area to get. Non-radiative recombination of these free charge carriers The radiation passage area can be largely avoided. As a result, the output power of the radiation to be amplified in the active region can advantageously be increased with the same pump power.

Furthermore, the semiconductor layers arranged between the radiation passage area and the active area may be p-doped, n-doped, intrinsic or substantially undoped. Doped semiconductor layers can be used to inject charge carriers into the active region.

In a further preferred refinement, the optical layer thickness of at least one of the semiconductor layers arranged between the active area and the radiation passage area, for example the optical layer thickness of the window layer, is 1% or more and 45% or less relative to an integer multiple of D relative to D; preferably detuned by 2% or more and by 35% or less, more preferably by 5% or more and by 30% or less. In particular, the optical layer thicknesses of all between the active region and the

Radiation passage area arranged semiconductor layers, against an integer multiple of D relative to D by 1% or more and by 45% or less, preferably by 2% or more and by 35% or less, more preferably by 5% or more and by 30% or less, out of tune. It is furthermore preferred that the optical layer thicknesses of D between the active region and the window layer are deliberately detuned from D to twice, including five times, by D.

In a preferred embodiment, the detuning of the between the radiation passage area and the active Area arranged semiconductor layers with respect to the detuning of the on the radiation passage area facing away from the side of the active region disposed semiconductor layers, in particular the semiconductor layers of the Bragg mirror, an opposite sign. Particularly preferably, the semiconductor layers arranged between the radiation passage area and the active area are positively detuned and the semiconductor layers arranged on the side of the active area remote from the radiation passage area, in particular the semiconductor layers of the Bragg mirror, are negatively detuned. Thus, the dependence of the peak wavelength of the radiation to be amplified by the semiconductor body on the temperature of the active region and thus the change in the peak wavelength at a change in the output power to be amplified by the semiconductor body radiation can be reduced particularly effective.

In a preferred embodiment, the

Semiconductor layer sequence of the semiconductor body by means of an epitaxial deposition process, for example by MBE or MOVPE, produced on a growth substrate. This may for example contain a III-V semiconductor material such as GaAs or consist of such a material.

The quantum layers preferably contain In _x Gai _-x As with 0 ≦ _x ≦ l. Particularly preferred is an indium content of 0.05 ≦ x ≦ 0.25. InGaAs-containing quantum layers are particularly suitable for the generation of radiation in the wavelength range from about 900 nm to about 1.5 μm.

The intermediate layers as well as the barriers can contain GaASi _-y P _y with 0 ≦ y ≦ l or Al _z Gai _-2 As with 0 ≦ z <1. in this connection values of 0.05 <y <0.25 and 0.02 ≦ z <0.15 have proved to be particularly advantageous. In particular, a barrier may be formed by a plurality of barrier layers, wherein the barrier layers may contain different materials.

In a preferred embodiment, the

Semiconductor layer sequence, in particular the active region, designed to be voltage-compensated.

A semiconductor layer sequence is termed stress-compensated if the semiconductor layer sequence is formed by pressure-stressed and tension-stressed semiconductor layers in such a way that the stresses compensate each other or substantially compensate each other. By means of this voltage compensation, it is possible to deposit comparatively thick semiconductor layer stacks with high crystal quality. Crystal defects such as dislocations, which occur increasingly in highly stressed layers, can thus be advantageously avoided.

Particularly preferably, the active region is designed so that the strain of the quantum layers of a quantum structure, is compensated by the strain of the associated intermediate layers and a barrier adjacent to the quantum structure.

For example, the stress of a pressure-stressed InGaAs-containing quantum well can be compensated by a GaAsP-containing barrier or a GaAsP-containing intermediate layer. In a further preferred embodiment, the resonator is designed as an external resonator. The external resonator is particularly preferably formed by means of an external resonator mirror. The external resonator mirror is designed in particular spaced from the semiconductor body. In this case, between the resonator mirror and the semiconductor body, there is preferably a free-wheeling region in which radiation circulating in the resonator does not pass through a solid-state material.

Particularly preferred is a beam path for circulating in the resonator radiation outside the semiconductor body free of mode-selecting elements. A complex installation of such elements is not required with advantage. Since a stabilization of the peak wavelength can be achieved by the suitable targeted detuning of semiconductor layers arranged outside the active region, additional elements within the resonator for stabilizing the peak wavelength can be dispensed with. This applies in particular to frequency-selective elements such as etalons, which are used in conventional lasers for stabilizing the peak wavelength or for selecting a desired mode.

The semiconductor body is particularly preferably embodied as wavelength-stabilizing in such a way that, in its operation in the resonator, the peak wavelength of the radiation to be amplified in the active region changes by 0.5% / LOOK or less, preferably by 0.2%, when the temperature of the active region changes. / LOOK or less, especially around 0.1% / LOOK or less changes. Additional elements arranged outside the semiconductor body in the resonator and intended for wavelength stabilization are advantageously not required for this purpose. For example, a temperature increase of the active region may occur as the power at which the semiconductor body is pumped increases. The reason for this is pump power, which is not converted into the desired laser radiation, but as power loss leads to heating of the active area. Consequently, in the case of a semiconductor body in which the peak wavelength of the radiation generated by the active region depends on the temperature of the active region, a change in the output power of the radiation generated during operation of the semiconductor body by changing the pump power is therefore accompanied by a change in the peak power. Wavelength. Therefore, in a semiconductor body in which the dependence of the peak wavelength is reduced to changes in the temperature of the active region, the change in the peak wavelength can also be reduced with a change in the output power.

For example, in the case of optical pumping of the active region, the temperature of the active region increases as the optical pump power increases.

When electrically pumping the active region, the temperature increase of the active region may be caused by an increase in the current injected into the active region. For example, in a semiconductor body having appropriately detuned semiconductor layers disposed outside the active region, the change of a near infrared peak wavelength at a temperature change of the active region may be 0.05nm / K or less, preferably 0.02nm / K or less, particularly preferably 0.01nm / K or less. In a further preferred refinement, a nonlinear optical element, for example a nonlinear optical crystal, is arranged in the resonator, in particular between the radiation passage area of the semiconductor body and the external resonator end mirror. This nonlinear optical element preferably serves to convert the radiation to be amplified in the resonator into radiation having a different wavelength by means of nonlinear optical frequency mixing, for example frequency multiplication. Due to the non-linear-optical frequency mixing, in particular by frequency doubling, particularly preferably, a conversion of non-visible radiation, for example of radiation in the near infrared range, into visible radiation takes place at least in part. Due to the arrangement of the non-linear optical element within the resonator, a non-linear optical radiation conversion can be carried out particularly efficiently.

In a preferred embodiment, the semiconductor body is provided for an electrical pumping of the active region. For this purpose, the semiconductor layers arranged outside the active region are expediently doped, so that charge carriers can be impressed into the active region from both sides of the active region via the semiconductor layers arranged outside the active region. Preferably, a contact is disposed on the prefabricated semiconductor body, which is electrically conductively connected to the semiconductor body. A contact is preferably metallic or contains a TCO (transparent conductive oxide) material. In particular, at least one semiconductor layer is electrically conductively connected to a contact on both sides of the semiconductor body, so that at Applying a voltage between the contacts, a current can be impressed into the semiconductor body.

In a further preferred embodiment, the semiconductor body is provided for optical pumping of the active region. A doping of

Semiconductor layer sequence of the semiconductor body, in particular the arranged outside the active region semiconductor layers is not required.

In a preferred embodiment variant, the barriers for absorbing the pump radiation radiated into the semiconductor body by a pump radiation source are formed. Since the extent of the barriers along the emission direction is typically greater than the extension of the quantum structure, so a larger portion of the active region can serve for absorption, whereby the absorption of the pump power in the active region is promoted.

In an alternative or supplementary embodiment variant, the quantum layers can be designed to absorb the pump radiation. As a result, the energy difference between the photons absorbed in the active region and the emitted photons provided for amplification in the resonator can be reduced. Thus, advantageously, the heat introduced into the active region due to power loss can be reduced.

The pump radiation source is preferably provided for the lateral pumping of the semiconductor body, that is, the pump radiation generated by the pump radiation source runs parallel or substantially parallel to the radiation passage area of the semiconductor body and thus perpendicular or in the Substantially perpendicular to the radiation to be amplified by the active region of the semiconductor body.

The pump radiation source is preferably an edge emitting semiconductor laser structure. For example, the pump radiation source may be formed as edge-emitting wide-band laser.

However, it is also conceivable to optically pump the semiconductor body from the radiation passage area. In this case, the pump radiation preferably strikes the radiation passage area perpendicularly or obliquely, that is, at an acute angle to a normal of the radiation passage area different from 0 °, onto the radiation passage area.

In a preferred embodiment, the pump radiation source and the semiconductor body are monolithically integrated, that is, the semiconductor body and the pump radiation source are epitaxially deposited on a common growth substrate. Preferably, the pump radiation source and the semiconductor layer sequence are arranged side by side on the common growth substrate.

The layer thicknesses of the individual semiconductor layers of the pump laser or of the semiconductor body can be set very precisely in epitaxy, so that advantageously a high positioning accuracy of the edge-emitting structure to the active region of the vertically emitting semiconductor body is possible. In a preferred embodiment, the semiconductor body is embodied as wavelength-stabilizing in such a way that the peak wavelength of the radiation to be amplified in the active region of the semiconductor body changes by 5 nm / W or less, preferably by 2 nm / W or less, if the absorbed pump power is changed changes by ln / W or less. The spectral position of the peak wavelength of the semiconductor body emitted in the vertical direction laser radiation is thus largely independent of the optical pump power. Thus, advantageously, the optical pump power can be varied without significantly changing the spectral position of the peak wavelength. Consequently, within the predetermined operating range of the semiconductor body, the output power of the radiation generated by the semiconductor body can be varied without the peak wavelength changing significantly.

In a preferred embodiment, the semiconductor body is arranged on a carrier. The carrier typically serves to mechanically stabilize the semiconductor layer sequence. The carrier may be formed by the growth substrate on which the semiconductor layer sequence is deposited.

In a preferred embodiment, the carrier is different from the growth substrate of the semiconductor layer sequence. Advantageously, unlike the growth substrate, the support does not have to meet the high requirements of crystalline purity, but rather may be selected in view of other criteria such as mechanical stability, optical, thermal or electrical properties. Further preferably, the carrier is arranged on a heat-conducting element. In particular, a side of the carrier facing away from the semiconductor body is thermally conductively connected to the heat-conducting element. A thermally conductive connection layer may be arranged between the carrier and the semiconductor body. This connection layer can be for example a solder connection. Alternatively, the semiconductor body may be clamped with the carrier on the heat conducting element.

In the operation of the semiconductor body generated by power dissipation heat can be dissipated via the carrier from the semiconductor body into the heat conducting element. The dominant for the heat dissipation physical effect is the heat conduction. The heat conducting element preferably contains one of the following materials: copper, diamond, silver, Al ₂ O ₃ , AlN, SiC, Ge, GaAs, BN, copper-diamond. The wearer may also contain one of these materials.

In a preferred embodiment, the growth substrate is partially or completely detached. The detachment can be done over the entire area or in areas. The separation preferably takes place in a mechanical and / or chemical process.

In a further preferred embodiment, a semiconductor laser component comprises the surface-emitting semiconductor body and the resonator. In particular, the semiconductor laser component is designed as a semiconductor disk laser. Disk lasers typically have a comparatively large extent in the lateral direction with respect to the extent in the vertical vertical emission direction. In the active area in the operation of the Disk laser resulting heat can be dissipated mainly along the emission direction, preferably via the carrier, from the semiconductor body. In lateral expansion, therefore, the temperature of the active region is comparatively homogeneous. This advantageously allows a high beam quality of the radiation to be amplified in the semiconductor body.

In a preferred embodiment that is

Semiconductor laser device for optically pumping a laser, such as a fiber laser, a solid-state laser or a semiconductor laser provided. One

Semiconductor laser device with stabilized peak wavelength of the radiation to be amplified in the semiconductor body is particularly suitable for the optical pumping of a laser, since the peak wavelength can be largely independent of the temperature of the active region tuned to an absorption spectrum of the laser to be pumped. A decreasing efficiency of optical pumping by the semiconductor laser device due to a change in the peak wavelength of the radiation to be amplified by the semiconductor body can thus be largely avoided.

In a further preferred development, the semiconductor laser component is intended for operation in a display device, in particular a projection arrangement. This is particularly preferred

Provided semiconductor laser device for generating green light, for example, a conversion of radiation generated in the semiconductor body by means of frequency doubling takes place in green light. Deviating from the previous description of the invention, it is also conceivable that a layer arranged outside the active region and deliberately detuned with respect to an integer multiple of D / 2 is designed as a dielectric layer which is arranged on the semiconductor body on the part of the radiation passage area.

In this case, the deposition of the dielectric layer preferably takes place on the prefabricated semiconductor body, for example by means of sputtering or vapor deposition.

A stabilization of the peak wavelength of the radiation generated in the active region of a semiconductor body against a change in the output power and / or a change in the temperature of the active region in this case by means of the targeted detuning of the dielectric layer instead of the targeted detuning one outside the active region arranged semiconductor layer take place.

In particular, it is thus possible to dispense with a semiconductor layer which is arranged between the active region and the radiation passage area of the semiconductor body and is deliberately detuned with respect to an integer multiple of D / 2.

Further features, advantageous embodiments and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments in conjunction with the figures.

Show it: FIG. 1 shows a schematic sectional view of a first exemplary embodiment of a semiconductor body according to the invention,

Figure 2 is a schematic sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the active region of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic sectional view of a further exemplary embodiment of a semiconductor body according to the invention,

FIG. 4 shows a schematic sectional view of a further exemplary embodiment of a semiconductor body according to the invention,

5 shows a result of a measurement of the peak wavelength λ _{E of} the radiation generated in operation in a resonator in a semiconductor body according to the invention as a function of the absorbed in the active region pump power P _A compared with the result of a corresponding measurement on a conventional semiconductor body,

6A shows a simulated course of the change in the peak wavelength Δλ _{E of} the radiation generated in operation in a semiconductor body according to the invention as a function of the absorbed pump power P _A, and FIG. 6B a corresponding simulated curve for a conventional semiconductor body,

7 shows a result of a measurement of a radiation power P _E emitted by a semiconductor body according to the invention as a function of the absorbed one Pumping power P _A compared to a result of a corresponding measurement on a conventional semiconductor body, and

8 shows a result of a measurement of the peak wavelength λ _E of the radiation generated in the active region as a function of its output power P _E.

The same, similar and equally acting elements are provided in the figures with the same reference numerals.

FIG. 1 schematically shows a sectional view of a semiconductor body 1 according to the invention. The semiconductor body comprises a semiconductor layer sequence 2, which has an active region 3. Furthermore, the semiconductor body has a radiation passage area 11 for radiation to be generated in the active region. The semiconductor body is arranged on a carrier 10, wherein the carrier is formed, for example, by a GaAs growth substrate 10 for the semiconductor layer sequence.

The active region 3 comprises a plurality of quantum structures 40, preferably 5 quantum structures or more, particularly preferably 10 quantum structures or more, for example 14 quantum structures. A sufficiently large number of quantum structures is advantageous because it can increase the output power of the radiation generated in the active region. As the number of quantum structures in the fabrication increases, so does the duration of deposition, the number of quantum structures is typically 30 or less, preferably 20 or less. Two adjacent quantum structures 40 are each separated by a barrier 45. In this case, the barrier 45 in each case has a first barrier layer 46 and a second barrier layer 47. The barrier 45 is preferably at least as thick as the quantum structure, preferably at least twice as thick as the thickness of the quantum structure, particularly preferably at least five times as thick as the thickness of the quantum structure.

A quantum structure 40 is formed by a quantum layer 41. The geometric center of the quantum structure 40 with respect to its extent along the emission direction thus corresponds to the geometric center of the quantum layer 41 along the emission direction.

The quantum layer 41 contains by way of example In _o , ₂ Ga _o , ₈ As and is 10 nm thick. The first barrier layer 46 is formed by a 50 ran wide layer of GaAsP. This barrier layer is designed to compensate for the strain of the pressure-stressed InGaAs quantum layer 41.

The thickness of the first barrier layer 46 is preferably selected so that the tension of the barrier layer is equal in magnitude or substantially equal to the strain of the quantum layer, but with opposite signs, so that these distortions compensate each other. The first barrier layer 46 is arranged on the side of the quantum layer 41 facing away from the radiation passage area. Alternatively, the barrier layer may be arranged on the side of the quantum layer facing the radiation passage area. As a further alternative, the quantum layer 41 may, for example, be between two GaAsP-containing first barrier layers 46 embedded, wherein the thickness of the two GaAsP-containing first barrier layers, each with about 25 nm is in turn selected so that the strain of the two GaAsP-containing first barrier layers 46 compensates that of the quantum layer 41.

The second barrier layer 47 is exemplified by AlGaAs and 92nm thick. This ternary semiconductor compound is characterized in that the lattice constant increases only very slowly with increasing Al content. As a result, AlGaAs layers grow approximately unstrained on a GaAs growth substrate, allowing the deposition of thick layers of high crystal quality. The distance between the geometric centers of two adjacent quantum structures 40 along the emission direction is thus adjustable in a simple manner over the thickness of the second barrier layer 47.

The semiconductor body 1 is provided for operation in a resonator. Typically, the mean distance D between the geometrical centers of two adjacent quantum structures 40 deviates by less than 5%, preferably by less than 2%, particularly preferably by less than 1%, from the distance between two adjacent maxima of the standing wave field resulting during operation of the semiconductor body 1 in the resonator, from. Thus, the geometric center of each quantum structure 40 may be located near a maximum of the standing wave field. This can be during operation of the

Semiconductor body advantageously the gain for in the active region 3 to be amplified radiation can be optimized. The distance between two adjacent maxima of the standing wave field corresponds to half the peak wavelength in Semiconductor body of the circulating in the resonator and in the semiconductor body to be amplified radiation.

Preferably, the geometric centers of the quantum structures 40 are arranged in an equidistant, and thus the average distance D corresponding distance. In particular, D in turn deviates as little as possible from the distance between two adjacent maxima of the standing wave field. Thus, the geometric center of each quantum structure 40 may be located exactly in the maximum of the standing wave field.

The active region of the one shown in FIG

Embodiment is provided for generating laser radiation having a peak wavelength of about 1060 nm.

Of course, material compositions and layer thicknesses of the semiconductor layers of the active region 3 are not limited to the values given in this embodiment. By suitable variation of the material compositions and layer thicknesses, it is also possible to generate radiation with a different peak wavelength, for example in the near infrared.

In particular, the quantum layer 41 In _x Gai _-x As may contain 0 ≦ x ≦ 1, preferably 0.05 ≦ x ≦ 0.25. At a higher In content, for example, the band gap decreases, so that semiconductor bodies 1 are also possible for generating radiation having a larger peak wavelength.

The first barrier layer 46 may include GaASi _-7 P ₇ with 0 <y <1, preferably with 0.05 ≦ y ≦ 0.25. The second barrier layer 47 may comprise Al _z Ga _z As, with 0 ≦ _z ≦ 1, preferably with 0.02 ≦ z <0.2. In particular, the material compositions specified for the quantum structure and the barrier comprise in each case the binary semiconductor crystals GaAs, InAs, GaP and AlAs, and the ternary semiconductor crystals InGaAs, AlGaAs and GaAsP which can be formed therefrom.

Alternatively, the active region may be formed by such lattice-matched materials that voltage compensation is not required. The second barrier layer 47 can then be dispensed with.

For example, an active region, for which no voltage compensation is necessary, can be formed by a GaAs quantum layer and an Al _z Gai _-z As barrier with 0 ≦ z <1.

Other III-V semiconductor materials, such as InP or GaSb, as well as ternary or quaternary semiconductor crystals which can be formed with GaAs, GaP, InP, AlAs or InAs can also be used as materials for the

Semiconductor layer sequence 2, in particular for the active region 3, find use.

Outside the active region 3 semiconductor layers are arranged on the side facing away from the radiation passage area 11 of the active region, which form a Bragg mirror 6. This Bragg mirror acts as a mirror of the resonator. The Bragg mirror comprises 26 semiconductor layer pairs 60, wherein the number of semiconductor layer pairs can also deviate from this value. Typical of the number of semiconductor layer pairs is a value between 10 and 40 inclusive. As a result, a sufficiently high reflectivity of the Bragg mirror for radiation to be amplified in the resonator can be achieved while simultaneously producing a sufficiently short deposition time of the Bragg mirror.

In the semiconductor layer pair 60, a semiconductor layer 61 is formed by GaAs, and a semiconductor layer 62 is formed by AlAs. With these materials, the Bragg mirror 6 can be designed to be particularly efficient, since the refractive indices of these two materials are comparatively strongly different for a similar lattice constant. However, it is also conceivable that at least one of the layers contains a ternary AlGaAs material or another semiconductor material, in particular one of the materials which can be used for the active region 3.

The thickness of the semiconductor layer 61 is 72 nm and the thickness of the semiconductor layer 62 is 85 nm. The resulting optical layer thicknesses for the semiconductor layers 61 and 62 are intentionally detuned to D / 2. For both layers of the semiconductor layer pair 60, the optical layer thicknesses are about 8% smaller than D / 2. As a result, the dependence of the peak wavelength of the radiation to be amplified in the active region on the temperature of the active region can be reduced particularly efficiently.

Typically, the optical layer thicknesses of all semiconductor layers of the Bragg mirror 6, in particular by the same percentage, are deliberately detuned from D / 2. But it may also be sufficient if not all semiconductor layers of the Bragg mirror 6 are detuned. In particular, semiconductor layers of the Bragg mirror which are at a comparatively large distance from the active region are not necessarily intentionally detuned against D / 2 or an integer multiple of D / 2. One or a plurality of semiconductor layers of the Bragg mirror can therefore have an optical layer thickness of D / 2 or an odd multiple of D / 2.

The detuning of the detuned semiconductor layers of the Bragg mirror 6 can deviate from 8%. Preferably, the deviation of the optical layer thickness of the detuned layers from D / 2 is 1% or more and 45% or less. In particular, a range between 2% inclusive and 35% inclusive is advantageous. Particularly preferred is a detuning between 5% inclusive and 20% inclusive.

The semiconductor layers of the Bragg mirror 6 may be p-doped, n-doped or undoped. Doped semiconductor layers are particularly advantageous when the semiconductor body 1 is provided for an electrical pumping of the active region 3. Thus, charge carriers can be injected into the active region via the Bragg mirror. In the case of a semiconductor body which is provided for optical pumping of the active region, doping of the semiconductor layers of the Bragg mirror 6 can be dispensed with.

Outside the active area, a window layer 52 is arranged, which forms the radiation passage area 11. The window layer 52 includes In ₀ ₀ 5GA, 5P and has a thickness of 537 nm. Between the window layer and the active region 3, a further semiconductor layer 51 is arranged. The semiconductor layer 51 contains Al _o , io Ga _o , ₉ oAs and is 333 nm thick. The band gap of the window layer 52 is so large that the window layer is transparent or substantially transparent to radiation to be amplified in the active region. Thus, absorption-related losses of radiation to be amplified in the resonator can be advantageously minimized.

Furthermore, the bandgap of the window layer 52 is preferably larger than that of the semiconductor layers within the active region. As a result, the window layer in the active region can prevent free charge carriers generated from reaching the radiation passage area 11. Non-radiative recombination of these free charge carriers at the radiation passage area can thus be largely avoided, while radiative recombination of these charge carriers within the active region can be promoted. As a result, the output power of the radiation to be amplified in the active region can advantageously be increased with the same pump power.

The optical layer thickness of the window layer 52 is 3.26 times D and is thus detuned by 26% relative to the nearest integer multiple of D. The optical layer thickness of the semiconductor layer 51 is 2.16 times that of D and is thus positively detuned with respect to D by 16% compared with 2 * D. As a result, the peak wavelength of the radiation to be amplified during operation of the semiconductor body can be stabilized particularly effectively with respect to changes in the temperature of the active region.

The optical layer thicknesses as well as the detuning between the active region 3 and the radiation passage area 11 can of course 16% and 26% respectively. The optical layer thickness of at least one of the semiconductor layers arranged and detuned between the radiation passage area and the active area, for example the window layer 52, differs by 1% or more and 45% or less relative to an integer multiple of D relative to the D. Most preferably, the detuning of the semiconductor layers is between 2% and 35% inclusive. In particular, the detuning may be between 5% inclusive and 30% inclusive.

The optical layer thicknesses of the semiconductor layers of the semiconductor layers arranged between the active region 3 and the radiation passage area 11 are preferably two to five times greater than D or are deliberately detuned by D from two to five times. Optical layer thicknesses in this range have proved to be particularly advantageous for stabilizing the peak wavelength.

The arranged between the active region 3 and the radiation passage area 11

Semiconductor layers may also have thicknesses that correspond to an odd multiple of D / 2 or are deliberately detuned with respect to the odd multiple of D / 2. For example, a semiconductor layer having a thickness that corresponds to an odd multiple of D / 2 may have the effect of an antireflection coating, so that unwanted reflections at the

Radiation passage area 11 of the radiation to be amplified in the active region 3 at the exit from the semiconductor body or at the entrance to the Semiconductor body can be reduced by the radiation passage area.

Preferably, all semiconductor layers, which are arranged between the active region and the radiation passage area, are deliberately detuned with respect to an integral multiple of D. However, it may also be sufficient for wavelength stabilization if the optical layer thickness of one or more of the between the active region and the

Radiation passage area arranged semiconductor layers deviates from an integer multiple of D.

The detuning of the semiconductor layers arranged between the radiation passage area and the active area has an opposite sign to the detuning of the side of the active area which faces away from the radiation passage area. This has proved to be particularly advantageous for reducing the dependence of the peak wavelength on the temperature of the active region. Deviating from this, a deliberate detuning of the semiconductor layers with the same sign, that is positively detuned semiconductor layers on both sides of the active region or negatively detuned semiconductor layers on both sides of the active region, can reduce the dependence of the peak wavelength on the temperature of the active region Episode.

Figure 2 shows a schematic sectional view for an alternative embodiment of an active region 3 of the first embodiment. In this case, the active area differs essentially by the structure of the plurality of Quantum structures 40, of which a quantum structure is shown as an example. The quantum structure 40 has two quantum layers 41. These quantum layers are separated by an intermediate layer 42. A barrier 45 is in turn formed by a first barrier layer 46 and a second barrier layer 47. The

Material composition of the active region layers may be as described in connection with FIG. In particular, the intermediate layer may have the same composition as the first barrier layer 46 or like the second barrier layer 47.

Alternatively, a quantum structure 40 may also have more than two quantum layers 41. Preferably, the number of quantum layers per quantum structure is less than or equal to 5, particularly preferably less than or equal to 3. With a sufficiently low number of quantum layers per quantum structure, it is possible to detect all quantum layers of a quantum structure in the region of a maximum of the quantum well that forms in the resonator during operation of the semiconductor body Standing wave field to arrange, which can contribute all the quantum wells 41 particularly well to enhance the radiation with advantage.

FIG. 3 schematically shows a sectional view of an exemplary semiconductor laser component 100 having a semiconductor body 1 according to the invention. The semiconductor body is intended for optical pumping and has a semiconductor layer sequence 2, which may be designed as described in connection with FIG. 1 and FIG. The semiconductor laser device 100 is known as

Semiconductor disk laser executed. As usual with disk lasers, the lateral extent of the semiconductor body, that is to say the expansion in the plane of the semiconductor body, is

Radiation passage area 11, typically greater than the extension in the direction perpendicular thereto, which represents the direction of the radiation to be amplified during operation of the semiconductor body.

The heat generated during operation of the semiconductor body 1 in the active region is dissipated via the carrier 10, predominantly in the direction perpendicular to the radiation passage area. Thus, a comparatively homogeneous temperature distribution in the active region in the lateral direction can be achieved. This enables a good beam quality of the radiation emitted by the semiconductor laser component at comparatively high pump powers.

A pump radiation source 15 is formed by an edge-emitting semiconductor laser, which is monolithically integrated with the semiconductor body 1. That is, the semiconductor body 1 and the semiconductor laser 15 are deposited on a common growth substrate. In this case, the semiconductor layer sequence 2 described in connection with FIG. 1 and the edge-emitting semiconductor laser are arranged at a distance from one another on the common growth substrate serving as carrier 10. The optical pumping thus takes place laterally, that is, parallel or substantially parallel to the radiation passage area 11.

The semiconductor body is fastened by means of a connection layer 85 on a heat-conducting element 80. In operation of the Semiconductor body generated heat can be removed from the semiconductor body 1 in the heat conducting element, which can be designed as a heat sink. The heat-conducting element preferably consists of a material with high thermal conductivity or contains at least one such. Particularly suitable materials are, for example, copper, diamond, aluminum nitride or silicon carbide.

The bonding layer can be made thermally and / or electrically conductive. In particular, the connection layer 85 can enable a mechanically stable and permanent connection of the carrier to the heat-conducting element. For example, the bonding layer 85 may include an adhesive or a solder. Alternatively, the semiconductor body 1 with the carrier 10 may be clamped onto the heat-conducting element 80. In this case, the connection layer 85 can be dispensed with.

A monolithic integration of the pump radiation source 15 and the semiconductor body is not mandatory. Rather, the pump radiation source can also be manufactured separately and arranged, for example, on the heat-conducting element 80.

The active region 2 does not necessarily have to be pumped laterally. The pump radiation source can also be arranged, for example, so that the of the

Pump radiation source provided pump radiation perpendicular to the radiation passage area or at an acute angle to a normal of the radiation passage area 11 is coupled through the radiation passage area in the semiconductor body 1. By means of the Bragg mirror 6 and an external resonator mirror 70, a resonator 71 is formed, in which the radiation to be amplified by the active region 3 circulates. The external resonator mirror forms a resonator end mirror, at which this radiation is partially decoupled. The external resonator mirror is formed so as to be spaced apart from the semiconductor body, so that the radiation circulating in the resonator passes through a freewheeling region between the radiation passage area 11 of the semiconductor body 1 and the external resonator mirror.

A beam path in the resonator 71 and outside of the semiconductor body 1 is preferably carried out free of additional, mode-selecting elements. Such elements provided for mode selection are not required due to the embodiment of the semiconductor body described in connection with FIG. 1 for stabilizing the peak wavelength. In particular, it is possible to dispense with an element used specifically for frequency selection, such as an etalon within the resonator.

Optionally, as shown in FIG. 3, a nonlinear optical element 75 may be arranged in the resonator. This element is preferably used for the conversion of radiation to be amplified in the active region 3 by means of nonlinear optical processes such as frequency multiplication, sum or difference frequency generation.

The nonlinear optical element may be implemented as a nonlinear optical crystal. Preferred crystals are, for example, KNbO ₃ , BaNaNbO ₁₅ , LiIO ₃ , KTiOPO ₄ (KTP), LiNbO ₃ , LiB ₃ O ₅ and β-BaB ₂ O ₄ (BBO). The non-linear optical element particularly preferably serves to frequency-double the radiation to be amplified in the active region 3. For example, near-infrared radiation may be at least partially converted to visible light by non-linear optical processes. For example, a radiation to be amplified in the active region of 1060 nm can be converted by means of frequency doubling into green light of the wavelength 530 nm.

The pump radiation source 15 may be provided for continuous wave or pulsed operation. Pulsed operation has the advantage that the output power of the pump radiation source increases during the pulse. This is particularly advantageous if the radiation to be amplified in the active region 3 is intended for conversion by means of a nonlinear optical process, since this increases the efficiency of the nonlinear optical process and thus also the power of this converted radiation, averaged over time.

In the active region, the barriers 45 for absorbing the radiation of the pump laser are provided. As the barriers are typically wider than the quantum layers, this can increase the absorption of the pump power in the active region. Alternatively, however, the quantum structures 40 can also be provided for absorbing the pump radiation. In this case, the difference between the photon energy of the pump radiation and the energy of the photons of the radiation to be amplified in the active region 3 can be reduced, whereby the heating of the active region during operation of the semiconductor body 1 can advantageously be reduced. In FIG. 3, the semiconductor body 1 is used for optically pumping a laser 90. Such a laser may, for example, be a solid-state laser, a fiber laser or a semiconductor laser. In this case, the fundamental radiation of the radiation to be amplified in the active region of the semiconductor body and / or a radiation generated by means of the nonlinear optical element 75 by means of a suitable nonlinear optical process can serve as pump radiation.

As an alternative to the example shown in FIG. 3, the carrier 10 may be different from the growth substrate. This can be thinned or completely removed, which can take place over the entire area or in areas. Such a removal is advantageous, in particular in growth substrates with comparatively low thermal conductivity, since the heat arising in the active region during operation of the semiconductor body can be better dissipated into the heat-conducting element 80.

FIG. 4 shows a semiconductor body 1 according to the invention, which is provided for operation in a display device 95, which is designed as a projection arrangement. By means of a Bragg mirror 6 and an external resonator end mirror 70, a resonator is formed. Furthermore, as already described in connection with FIG. 3, a nonlinear optical element 75 is located in the resonator. In this example, the nonlinear optical element is provided for frequency doubling of the radiation propagating in the resonator and to be amplified in the active region 3, one in the active region generated radiation with a peak wavelength of 1060 nm is converted into green light of wavelength 530nm. This green light strikes a deflecting optics 96, which is preferably movable about two mutually perpendicular axes. By means of the deflecting optics, the frequency-doubled radiation exiting from the coupling-out mirror can be specifically directed to a predetermined position of a projection plane 99, wherein the position of the predefined position is preferably varied in a grid-like manner on the projection plane. Preferably, the projection plane 99 is additionally illuminated by a red and a blue emitting laser device, not shown, so that a color image can be displayed by appropriate superimposition of these three beams on the projection plane.

The semiconductor body 1 is provided for electrically pumping the active region 3. For a double-sided injection of charge carriers into the active region, a first contact 17 and a second contact 18 are provided. In this case, the first contact 17 is in particular electrically conductively connected to a window layer 52 arranged outside the active region.

The second contact 18 is electrically conductively connected to the carrier 10. The carrier is arranged on the heat conducting element 80 by means of the connecting layer 85, wherein a growth substrate for a semiconductor layer sequence 2 is removed. The contacts 17 and 18 preferably contain a metal and are particularly preferably metallic. Preferred materials are, for example, Ni, Cu, Au, Ag, Al or Pt.

The first contact 17 is preferably designed such that radiation to be amplified from the active area can emerge from the radiation passage area 11. For example the first contact may have a recess, so that the

Radiation passage area of the semiconductor body in the region of the recess is exposed and the radiation in this area can emerge from the semiconductor body 1.

Alternatively, the first contact 17 may be formed by a transparent to be amplified in the active region radiation material. For example, the contact may contain a TCO material (transparent conductive oxide), such as ITO (indium tin oxide), or consist of such a material. In this case, the first contact may be the

Cover radiation passage area 11 also over the entire surface. As a result, the charge carriers can advantageously be injected into the active region 3 in a particularly uniform manner over the lateral extent of the semiconductor body 1.

The semiconductor layer sequence 2 can be embodied as described in connection with FIG. 1 and FIG. This relates in particular to the deliberate detuning of the semiconductor layers arranged outside the active region. The semiconductor layers arranged between the radiation passage area 11 and the active area 3 as well as the semiconductor layers of the Bragg mirror 6 are preferably doped in order to enable an injection of charge carriers via the contact 17 or the contact 18 into the active area. Particularly preferably, the semiconductor layers of the Bragg mirror are n-doped and the semiconductor layers arranged between the radiation passage area 11 and the active region 3 are p-doped or vice versa. Further preferably, the active region 3 is intrinsically doped. The semiconductor body 2 can thus have a pin diode structure. Of course, an optically pumped semiconductor body according to the invention as described in connection with FIG. 3 may also be designed for operation with a projection arrangement.

A result of a measurement of the peak wavelength λ _{E of} the radiation generated in an active region of a semiconductor body according to the invention as a function of the absorbed in the active region pump power P _A is shown in Figure 5 by means of a curve 400. The semiconductor body is designed as described in connection with FIG. 1. The semiconductor body was operated in a resonator 71, a resonator end mirror being formed by an external resonator mirror 70, as shown in FIG. In addition, the semiconductor body is arranged on a heat conducting element 80, which serves as a heat sink. The temperature of the heat sink was kept constant during the measurement.

For comparison, the result of a corresponding measurement on a conventional semiconductor body is represented by a curve 401. This conventional semiconductor body differs from a semiconductor body according to the invention substantially in that none of the semiconductor layers arranged outside the active region is deliberately detuned with respect to an integer multiple of D / 2.

Curve 401 shows a continuous increase in peak wavelength as the absorbed pump power increases over wide ranges of absorbed pump power. A curve 402 illustrates the trend of the increase of the peak wavelength. The slope of this curve corresponds to one Increase of the peak wavelength of 10nm / W. With a thermal resistance of the semiconductor layers of 100 K / W arranged between the active region and the heat sink, this corresponds to a change of the peak wavelength with a change of the temperature of the active region of 0.1 nm / K.

Such a change in the peak wavelength with the temperature of the active region is typical of conventional semiconductor bodies. The reason for this is inter alia the decrease in the band gap of the semiconductor layers with increasing temperature. For GaAs-containing semiconductor material, for example, this effect can cause a change in the peak wavelength of typically 0.3 nm / K. In addition, a change in the refractive index of the semiconductor layers with the temperature of the active region leads to an increase in the peak wavelength. For example, for GaAs-containing semiconductor material, the consequent increase in peak wavelength is typically about 0.06 nm / K. Therefore, in the operation of conventional GaAs-containing semiconductor bodies in a resonator, the increase in the peak wavelength is typically at least 0.06nm / K unless wavelength stabilization measures are taken.

Curve 400, on the other hand, is substantially horizontal, that is, the peak wavelength changes by less than 0.5 nm over the entire range of absorbed pump power between about 400 mW and about 1300 mW. Based on the peak wavelength of 1060 nm, this is less than 0.05%. Thus, the peak wavelength is approximately independent of the absorbed pump power. The optical pump power can therefore be advantageously varied without the peak wavelength changing significantly. This is particularly advantageous when the to be amplified by the semiconductor body Radiation is provided for frequency conversion by means of a nonlinear optical element, since such a conversion is efficient only for a very narrow spectral range. A change in the peak wavelength could therefore disadvantageously lead to a less efficient nonlinear optical frequency conversion.

A stable peak wavelength is also particularly advantageous for the optical pumping of lasers since the peak wavelength of the radiation emitted by the semiconductor body can be set optimally to the absorption maximum of the laser to be pumped, independently of the pumping power with which the semiconductor body is pumped.

It should again be noted that in carrying out the measurements whose results are shown in Figures 5 and 7, no further measures for wavelength stabilization were taken. In particular, no counter-compensation of the increase in the temperature of the active region was made by lowering the temperature of the heat sink. In addition, no additional, usually provided for frequency stabilization, element was arranged in the resonator, in particular outside the semiconductor body. Since the measurements shown were carried out on the semiconductor body according to the invention and the conventional semiconductor body under the same experimental conditions, the measurements prove that the semiconductor body is wavelength-stabilized such that the dependence of the peak wavelength on the temperature of the active region is greatly reduced.

FIGS. 6A and 6B show the changes in the peak wavelength λε with the absorbed pump power P _A for the semiconductor bodies on which the measurements shown in FIG. 5 have been performed are to be expected according to a theoretical model. FIG. 6A shows a simulation for the semiconductor body according to the invention for three different temperatures of the heat sink, wherein a curve 510 is based on a temperature of 10 ^° C., a curve 530 a temperature of 30 ^° C. and a curve 550 a temperature of 50 ^° C. , Correspondingly, FIG. 6B shows simulations for a conventional semiconductor body, wherein a curve 511 is based on a temperature of 10 ^° C., a curve 531 has a temperature of 30 ^° C., and a curve 551 has a temperature of 50 ^° C.

For comparison, in both Figures 6A and 6B, the curve 402 again shows a continuous increase of the peak wavelength with the absorbed pump power with a constant slope of 10nm / W and 0, lnm / K, respectively.

For the conventional semiconductor body, all curves increase continuously. At low absorbed powers, such as between 200 mW and 400 mW, the slope of the curves 511, 531 and 551 corresponds approximately to that of the curve 402. In addition, in this range, the peak wavelength increases with the temperature of the heat sink, this change also is about 0, lnm / K.

For the semiconductor body according to the invention, according to the curves 510, 530 and 550, an increase of the peak wavelength with the absorbed pump power is also to be expected for all temperatures of the heat sink. The increase is, however, significantly lower. The absolute change of the peak wavelength in the shown range of the absorbed pump power is clearly below 4 nm for all curves, whereas this change in the conventional semiconductor body is more than 7 nm for all curves. The dependence of the peak wavelength on the temperature of the heat sink is significantly reduced for the semiconductor body according to the invention.

The effect of a reduced dependence of the peak wavelength on the temperature of the active region by a deliberate detuning of layer thicknesses of semiconductor layers arranged outside the active region can thus also be confirmed by the simulations shown.

In FIG. 7, for the semiconductor bodies on which the measurements shown in FIG. 5 have been performed, the output power P _E emitted by the semiconductor body is represented as a function of the absorbed pump power. In this case, a curve 600 shows the result of a measurement on the semiconductor body according to the invention and a curve 601 shows the result of a measurement on the conventional semiconductor body. At a laser threshold 620, the laser activity sets. In an area around the operating point of the maximum output power 615, ie in the range of about 1 W, the output power during operation of the semiconductor body according to the invention with more than 0.24 W only about 10% below the output power in the operation of the conventional semiconductor body, in the same absorbed pump power achieved an output power of slightly more than 0.26 W. Above about 1.1 W, the upper limit of the laser activity 610 is achieved in the semiconductor body according to the invention. The reason for this is the thermal rollover of the semiconductor body.

Accordingly, it is arranged by means of targeted detuning of layer thicknesses from outside the active area Semiconductor layers make it possible to form a semiconductor body in such a way that the peak wavelength of the radiation to be amplified during operation of the semiconductor body changes insignificantly with a change in the temperature of the active region, without the output power at a certain absorbed pump power compared to that of a conventional semiconductor body greatly reduced by about 20% or more.

The dependence of the peak wavelength on the temperature of the active region has been shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 merely by way of example for optical pumping. Even with an electrically pumped semiconductor body designed according to the invention, such a stabilization of the peak wavelength can be achieved in relation to changes in the temperature of the active region.

In FIG. 8, the symbols 700 show the result of a measurement of the peak wavelength λ _E of the radiation generated in the active region as a function of the output power P _{E of} the radiation generated in operation in a resonator in the active region of a semiconductor body according to the invention. The output power is applied over the entire operating range in which the semiconductor body exhibits laser activity. This laser activity starts at laser threshold 620. A maximum output power 615 is determined by the thermal rollover of the semiconductor body according to the invention.

The fluctuation of the peak wavelength over the entire operating range is ± 0.3 nm. Accordingly, the semiconductor body is embodied such that it is wavelength-stabilized such that the peak wavelength changes significantly less than 1 nm over the entire range of the laser activity of the semiconductor body. As explained in connection with the description of FIGS. 5 and 7, no further measures for wavelength stabilization were taken even when carrying out the measurements shown in FIG.

The invention is not limited by the description with reference to the embodiments. Rather, the invention encompasses any novel feature as well as any combination of features, which in particular includes any combination of features in the patent claims, even if this feature or combination itself is not explicitly stated in the patent claims or the exemplary embodiments.

Claims

claims

A surface emitting semiconductor body (1) having a vertical emission direction, comprising a

Semiconductor layer sequence (2) having an active region (3), wherein the semiconductor body is formed such wavelength stabilizing that in operation of the semiconductor body in a resonator (71) has a peak wavelength of radiation generated in the active region in a predetermined operating range against a change of Output power of the radiation generated in the active region is stabilized.

2. The surface-emitting semiconductor body according to claim 1, wherein a lower limit of the predetermined operating range is formed by a laser threshold of the surface-emitting semiconductor body.

3. A surface-finishing semiconductor body according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an upper limit of the predetermined operating range is formed by an upper limit of the laser activity of the surface-emitting semiconductor body.

4. The surface-emitting semiconductor body according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined operating region is formed by the entire region of the laser activity of the surface-emitting semiconductor body.

5. The semiconductor surface emitting body according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the peak wavelength is that in the active region generated radiation in the predetermined operating range changes by 10 nm or less.

The surface emitting semiconductor body according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the peak wavelength of the radiation generated in the active region changes by 5 nm or less in the predetermined operating region.

The surface emitting semiconductor body according to claim 1, wherein the peak wavelength of the radiation generated in the active region changes by 1 nm or less in the predetermined operating region.

8. The surface emitting semiconductor body according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein

the semiconductor body has at least two semiconductor layers arranged outside the active region,

the active region has a plurality of quantum structures (40),

each quantum structure (40) is assigned a geometric center with respect to its extent along the emission direction,

- The geometric centers of the quantum structures (40) along the emission direction in a mean optical distance D are arranged to each other, and

an optical layer thickness of one of the semiconductor layers arranged outside the active region is deliberately detuned with respect to an integral multiple of half the average optical distance D.

9. A surface emitting semiconductor body (1) with a vertical emission direction, which is provided for operation with a resonator (71) and a

Semiconductor layer sequence (2) having an active region (3) and at least two semiconductor layers arranged outside the active region, wherein

the active region has a plurality of quantum structures (40),

10. The surface-emitting semiconductor body according to claim 8, wherein the optical layer thickness of one of the semiconductor layers arranged outside the active region is opposite to an odd multiple of D / 2 relative to D / 2 or to an integer multiple of D relative to D μm 1% or more and upset by 45% or less.

11. The surface-emitting semiconductor body according to claim 8, wherein the optical layer thickness of one of the semiconductor layers arranged outside the active region is related to an odd multiple of D / 2 is detuned to D / 2 or to an integer multiple of D relative to D by 2% or more and 35% or less.

12. The surface-emitting semiconductor body according to claim 1, wherein the optical layer thickness of one of the semiconductor layers arranged outside the active region is opposite to an odd multiple of D / 2 relative to D / 2 or to an integer multiple of D relative to D by five % or more and upset by 30% or less.

13. The surface-emitting semiconductor body according to claim 8, wherein the active region is arranged between the semiconductor layers arranged outside the active region.

14. The surface-emitting semiconductor body according to claim 8, wherein both of the semiconductor layers arranged outside the active region are deliberately detuned with respect to an integer multiple of D or with respect to an odd multiple of D / 2.

15. The surface-emitting semiconductor body according to claim 8, wherein one of the semiconductor layers arranged outside the active region is greater than an integer multiple of D / 2 and one of the semiconductor layers arranged outside the active region is smaller than an integer one Multiple of D / 2.

16, surface emitting semiconductor body according to at least one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the resonator (71) by means of a semiconductor body (1) formed Bragg mirror (6) is formed.

17, surface emitting semiconductor body according to claim 16 with reference to one of claims 8 to 15, wherein the Bragg mirror (6) with one of the outside of the active region (3) arranged and deliberately detuned semiconductor layers is formed.

18. The surface emitting semiconductor body according to claim 17, wherein the Bragg mirror (3) has further deliberately detuned semiconductor layers opposite to an odd multiple of D / 2.

19. Surface-emitting semiconductor body according to claim 8, wherein the semiconductor body (1) has a

Radiation passage area (2) for in the active region (3) to be amplified radiation.

20. A surface emitting semiconductor body according to claim 19, wherein one of the outside of the active region (3) arranged and deliberately detuned semiconductor layers is designed as a to the radiation passage area (11) adjacent window layer (52).

The surface emitting semiconductor body of claim 20, wherein between the window layer (52) and the active Region (3) a further semiconductor layer (51) is arranged.

22. The surface-emitting semiconductor body according to claim 8, wherein the optical layer thicknesses of the semiconductor layers disposed between the active region and the radiation passage surface are increased by 1% or more and an integer multiple of D with respect to D 45% or less, preferably 2% or more and 35% or less, more preferably 5% or more, and 30% or less detuned.

23. The surface-emitting semiconductor body according to claim 8, wherein the optical layer thicknesses of the semiconductor layers arranged on the side of the active region that faces away from the radiation passage area are greater than or equal to D / 2 and 45% or less, respectively. preferably by 2% or more and by 35% or less, more preferably by 5% or more and by 20% or less, are detuned.

24. The surface emitting semiconductor body according to claim 8, wherein the active region has three quantum structures or more, preferably ten quantum structures or more.

25. The surface-emitting semiconductor body according to claim 8, wherein two adjacent quantum structures are separated from each other by a barrier.

26. The surface-emitting semiconductor body according to claim 25, in which the barrier (45) GaASi _y P _y with 0 ≤ y ≤ 1, preferably with 0.05 ≤ y ≤ 0.25, or Al _z Gai_ _z As, with 0 ≤ z ≦ 1, preferably 0.02 <z ≦ 0.15.

27. A surface emitting semiconductor body according to at least one of claims 8 to 26, wherein a quantum structure (40) is formed by a quantum layer (41).

28. The surface emitting semiconductor body according to claim 8, wherein a quantum structure has between 2 and 5 quantum layers (41) inclusive, wherein the quantum layers (41) within the quantum structure (40) are separated from each other by intermediate layers (42) are separated.

29. The surface-emitting semiconductor body according to claim 8, wherein a quantum structure contains In _x Gai _-x As with 0 <x <1, preferably 0.05 ≦ x ≦ 0.25.

30. The surface emitting semiconductor body according to any one of claims 1 to 29, wherein the resonator (71) is formed as an external resonator.

31. The surface-emitting semiconductor body according to claim 30, wherein an optical beam path in the external resonator (71) outside the semiconductor body (1) is free of mode-selecting elements.

32. The surface-emitting semiconductor body according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor body is designed to stabilize the wavelength in such a way that the peak wavelength of the radiation to be amplified in the active region (3) changes during operation of the resonator (71) Active area temperature changes by 0.5% / LOOK or less.

33. The surface-emitting semiconductor body according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor body is embodied such that, in its operation in the resonator, the peak wavelength of the radiation to be amplified in the active region changes as the temperature of the active region changes by 0.2% / LOOK or less, preferably by 0.1% / LOOK or less.

34. The surface-emitting semiconductor body according to one of claims 1 to 33, wherein a nonlinear optical element (75) is arranged in the resonator (71).

35. The surface-emitting semiconductor body according to claim 34, wherein the nonlinear optical element (75) is provided for frequency multiplication, preferably for frequency doubling, of the radiation to be amplified in the active region.

36. Surface emitting semiconductor body according to at least one of the preceding claims 1 to 35, wherein the semiconductor body (1) for an optical pumping of the active region (3) is formed by a pump radiation source (15).

37. Surface-emitting semiconductor body according to claim 36, wherein the semiconductor body (1) is embodied as wavelength-stabilizing in such a way that the peak wavelength of the radiation to be amplified in the active region (3) of the semiconductor body (1) changes when the active region (3) changes. absorbed optical pump power by 5nm / W or less, preferably by 2nm / W or less, more preferably by lnm / W or less changes.

38. The surface-emitting semiconductor body according to claim 36 or 37, wherein the pump radiation source (15) is provided for laterally pumping the semiconductor body (1).

39. The surface-emitting semiconductor body according to claim 36, wherein the pump radiation source (15) and the semiconductor body are monolithically integrated.

40. A semiconductor laser device (100) comprising a surface emitting semiconductor body (1) according to one of the preceding claims and a resonator (71).

41. The semiconductor laser device according to claim 40, wherein a semiconductor laser device for optically pumping a laser (90) is provided.

42. The semiconductor laser device according to claim 41, wherein the laser (90) is a solid-state laser, a fiber laser or a semiconductor laser.

43. The semiconductor laser component according to claim 40, wherein the semiconductor laser component (100) is provided for operation in a display device (95), in particular a projection arrangement.