JPH0634425B2 - 半導体レ−ザ - Google Patents

半導体レ−ザ

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Publication number
JPH0634425B2
JPH0634425B2 JP61175975A JP17597586A JPH0634425B2 JP H0634425 B2 JPH0634425 B2 JP H0634425B2 JP 61175975 A JP61175975 A JP 61175975A JP 17597586 A JP17597586 A JP 17597586A JP H0634425 B2 JPH0634425 B2 JP H0634425B2
Authority
JP
Japan
Prior art keywords
quantum
layer
level
active layer
semiconductor laser
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
JP61175975A
Other languages
English (en)
Other versions
JPS6332987A (ja
Inventor
紀昭 塚田
安紀 徳田
賢三 藤原
啓介 小島
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Mitsubishi Electric Corp
Original Assignee
Mitsubishi Electric Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Mitsubishi Electric Corp filed Critical Mitsubishi Electric Corp
Priority to JP61175975A priority Critical patent/JPH0634425B2/ja
Priority to DE3751549T priority patent/DE3751549T2/de
Priority to EP93200589A priority patent/EP0547044B1/en
Priority to EP93200581A priority patent/EP0547038B1/en
Priority to DE87306520T priority patent/DE3787769T2/de
Priority to DE3751535T priority patent/DE3751535T2/de
Priority to EP19930200587 priority patent/EP0547042A3/en
Priority to EP87306520A priority patent/EP0254568B1/en
Priority to EP93200588A priority patent/EP0547043B1/en
Priority to DE3751548T priority patent/DE3751548T2/de
Priority to US07/078,393 priority patent/US4817110A/en
Publication of JPS6332987A publication Critical patent/JPS6332987A/ja
Publication of JPH0634425B2 publication Critical patent/JPH0634425B2/ja
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01S—DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL
    • H01S5/00—Semiconductor lasers
    • H01S5/10—Construction or shape of the optical resonator, e.g. extended or external cavity, coupled cavities, bent-guide, varying width, thickness or composition of the active region
    • H01S5/12—Construction or shape of the optical resonator, e.g. extended or external cavity, coupled cavities, bent-guide, varying width, thickness or composition of the active region the resonator having a periodic structure, e.g. in distributed feedback [DFB] lasers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B82—NANOTECHNOLOGY
    • B82Y—SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES
    • B82Y20/00—Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
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    • H01S5/06—Arrangements for controlling the laser output parameters, e.g. by operating on the active medium
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    • H01S5/00—Semiconductor lasers
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    • H01S5/06209—Arrangements for controlling the laser output parameters, e.g. by operating on the active medium by varying the potential of the electrodes in single-section lasers
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    • H01S5/00—Semiconductor lasers
    • H01S5/30—Structure or shape of the active region; Materials used for the active region
    • H01S5/34—Structure or shape of the active region; Materials used for the active region comprising quantum well or superlattice structures, e.g. single quantum well [SQW] lasers, multiple quantum well [MQW] lasers or graded index separate confinement heterostructure [GRINSCH] lasers
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    • H01S5/40—Arrangement of two or more semiconductor lasers, not provided for in groups H01S5/02 - H01S5/30
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    • H01S5/4031—Edge-emitting structures
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    • H01S5/02—Structural details or components not essential to laser action
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    • H01S5/0602—Arrangements for controlling the laser output parameters, e.g. by operating on the active medium comprising an absorbing region which is an umpumped part of the active layer
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    • H01S5/06203—Transistor-type lasers
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    • H01S5/06209—Arrangements for controlling the laser output parameters, e.g. by operating on the active medium by varying the potential of the electrodes in single-section lasers
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    • H01S5/062—Arrangements for controlling the laser output parameters, e.g. by operating on the active medium by varying the potential of the electrodes
    • H01S5/0625—Arrangements for controlling the laser output parameters, e.g. by operating on the active medium by varying the potential of the electrodes in multi-section lasers
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    • H01S5/00—Semiconductor lasers
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    • H01S5/062—Arrangements for controlling the laser output parameters, e.g. by operating on the active medium by varying the potential of the electrodes
    • H01S5/0625—Arrangements for controlling the laser output parameters, e.g. by operating on the active medium by varying the potential of the electrodes in multi-section lasers
    • H01S5/06255—Controlling the frequency of the radiation
    • H01S5/06258—Controlling the frequency of the radiation with DFB-structure
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    • H01S5/00—Semiconductor lasers
    • H01S5/10—Construction or shape of the optical resonator, e.g. extended or external cavity, coupled cavities, bent-guide, varying width, thickness or composition of the active region
    • H01S5/1039—Details on the cavity length
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    • H01S5/10—Construction or shape of the optical resonator, e.g. extended or external cavity, coupled cavities, bent-guide, varying width, thickness or composition of the active region
    • H01S5/12—Construction or shape of the optical resonator, e.g. extended or external cavity, coupled cavities, bent-guide, varying width, thickness or composition of the active region the resonator having a periodic structure, e.g. in distributed feedback [DFB] lasers
    • H01S5/1206—Construction or shape of the optical resonator, e.g. extended or external cavity, coupled cavities, bent-guide, varying width, thickness or composition of the active region the resonator having a periodic structure, e.g. in distributed feedback [DFB] lasers having a non constant or multiplicity of periods
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    • H01S5/12—Construction or shape of the optical resonator, e.g. extended or external cavity, coupled cavities, bent-guide, varying width, thickness or composition of the active region the resonator having a periodic structure, e.g. in distributed feedback [DFB] lasers
    • H01S5/1228—DFB lasers with a complex coupled grating, e.g. gain or loss coupling
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    • H01S5/00—Semiconductor lasers
    • H01S5/10—Construction or shape of the optical resonator, e.g. extended or external cavity, coupled cavities, bent-guide, varying width, thickness or composition of the active region
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    • H01S5/20—Structure or shape of the semiconductor body to guide the optical wave ; Confining structures perpendicular to the optical axis, e.g. index or gain guiding, stripe geometry, broad area lasers, gain tailoring, transverse or lateral reflectors, special cladding structures, MQW barrier reflection layers
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    • H01S5/00—Semiconductor lasers
    • H01S5/20—Structure or shape of the semiconductor body to guide the optical wave ; Confining structures perpendicular to the optical axis, e.g. index or gain guiding, stripe geometry, broad area lasers, gain tailoring, transverse or lateral reflectors, special cladding structures, MQW barrier reflection layers
    • H01S5/2004—Confining in the direction perpendicular to the layer structure
    • H01S5/2009—Confining in the direction perpendicular to the layer structure by using electron barrier layers
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    • H01S5/30—Structure or shape of the active region; Materials used for the active region
    • H01S5/32—Structure or shape of the active region; Materials used for the active region comprising PN junctions, e.g. hetero- or double- heterostructures
    • H01S5/3211—Structure or shape of the active region; Materials used for the active region comprising PN junctions, e.g. hetero- or double- heterostructures characterised by special cladding layers, e.g. details on band-discontinuities
    • H01S5/3216—Structure or shape of the active region; Materials used for the active region comprising PN junctions, e.g. hetero- or double- heterostructures characterised by special cladding layers, e.g. details on band-discontinuities quantum well or superlattice cladding layers
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    • H01S5/3409—Structure or shape of the active region; Materials used for the active region comprising quantum well or superlattice structures, e.g. single quantum well [SQW] lasers, multiple quantum well [MQW] lasers or graded index separate confinement heterostructure [GRINSCH] lasers special GRINSCH structures
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    • H01S5/30—Structure or shape of the active region; Materials used for the active region
    • H01S5/34—Structure or shape of the active region; Materials used for the active region comprising quantum well or superlattice structures, e.g. single quantum well [SQW] lasers, multiple quantum well [MQW] lasers or graded index separate confinement heterostructure [GRINSCH] lasers
    • H01S5/3418—Structure or shape of the active region; Materials used for the active region comprising quantum well or superlattice structures, e.g. single quantum well [SQW] lasers, multiple quantum well [MQW] lasers or graded index separate confinement heterostructure [GRINSCH] lasers using transitions from higher quantum levels
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    • H01S5/4087—Array arrangements, e.g. constituted by discrete laser diodes or laser bar emitting more than one wavelength

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Condensed Matter Physics & Semiconductors (AREA)
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  • Semiconductor Lasers (AREA)

Description

【発明の詳細な説明】 〔産業上の利用分野〕 この発明は同時に１つの活性層から複数の波長のレーザ
光を出す半導体レーザに関するものである。
〔従来の技術〕
第５図は例えば アプライド フィジクス レターズ，
36巻,441頁,1980 年（Appl.Phys.Lett.36．441(198
0)）に記載された４種の異なった光を出すトランスバー
ス・ジャンクション・ストライプレーザの層構造を示す
図であり、図において２１は上部電極、１１はＳｉ２Ｎ
４電流阻止層、１２はＮ−ＡｌｙＧａ1-4 Ａｓクラッ
ド層、１３はＮ−Ａｌｘ１Ｇａ1-x1，Ａｓ第１活性層、
１４はＮ−Ａｌｘ２Ｇａ1-x2Ａｓ第２活性層、１５はＮ
−Ａｌｘ３Ｇａ1-x3Ａｓ第３活性層、１６はＮ−Ａｌｘ
４Ｇａ1-x4Ａｓ第４活性層、１７はＮ−ＧａＡｓ基板、
１８は下部電極、１９の斜線部はＺｎ拡散領域、２０の
点線間はＺｎドライブ領域である。ここで活性層のＡｌ
組成比はｘ１＜ｘ２＜ｘ３＜ｘ４となっている。
次に動作について説明する。ｐ側の上部電極２１から注
入される正孔（ホール）と、ｎ側の下部電極１８から注
入される電子とは図中の矢印の経路を通り４つの活性層
１３，１４，１５，１６で再結合して発光する。ここで
ｘ１＜ｘ２＜ｘ３＜ｘ４であるためレーザ光の波長はλ
１＞λ２＞λ３＞λ４となる。
〔発明が解決しようとする問題点〕
従来の多波長発振レーザは上記のようにトランスバース
・ジャンクション・ストライプ型であり複数の活性層か
らそれぞれ１つの波長の光を出すものであるから製造が
困難でコストが高いなどの問題があった。
この発明は上記のような問題点を解消するためになされ
たもので、１つの活性層から複数の波長の異なるレーザ
光を発振することのできる半導体レーザを得ることを目
的とする。
〔問題点を解決するための手段〕
この発明に係る半導体レーザは量子井戸構造より成る活
性層に隣接して超格子構造を有する光閉じ込め層を設
け、該超格子量が形成する量子準位を、活性層の量子井
戸の複数の量子準位のうちの少なくとも１つと等しくし
て、エネルギーの等しい量子準位間で共鳴トンネル効果
を生じさせるようにしたものである。
〔作用〕
この発明においては、量子井戸活性層に隣接して超格子
層を設け、該超格子層が形成する量子準位の少なくとも
１つと等しくしてエネルギーの等しい量子準位間で共鳴
トンネル効果を生じさせるようにしたから、量子井戸の
複数の量子準位における電子の占有割合が高量子準位で
高くなり、高量子準位に対応するレーザ発振を可能にす
る。
〔実施例〕
以下、この発明の一実施令を図について説明する。第１
図は本発明の一実施例による半導体レーザを示す構造図
であり、図において１は上部電極、２はｐ＋−ＧａＡｓ
コンタクト層、３はｐ−ＡｌＧａＡｓクラッド層、４は
超格子層、５はアンドープＡｌＧａＡｓ量子井戸活性
層、６はｎ−ＡｌＧａＡｓクラッド層、７はｎ＋−Ｇａ
Ａｓ基板、８は下部電極である。
第２図は第１図の半導体レーザにおけるｐ−ＡｌＧａＡ
ｓクラッド層３，超格子層４，量子井戸活性層５，及び
ｎ−ＡｌＧａＡｓクラッド層６の伝導帯のエネルギーレ
ベルを示すエネルギーバンド構造図であり、縦方向にエ
ネルギーの高さをとっている。
第２図に示すように上記量子井戸活性層５は、いまｎ＝
１とｎ＝２の２つの量子準位をもつものと考える。この
活性層５のｐ−ＡｌＧａＡｓクラッド層３側にＡｌＧａ
ＡｓとＡｌＡａあるいはＧａＡｓとＡｌＡｓからなる周
期構造の超格子層４を設け、この超格子が形成するｎ＝
１サブバンドエネルギーと量子井戸活性層のｎ＝１量子
準位エネルギーとを等しくし、両者の間で共鳴トンネル
効果を生ずるように調整する。
次に動作について説明する。
一般にｎ＝１，ｎ＝２の２つの量子準位をもつ量子井戸
活性層でのｎ＝１とｎ＝２の量子準位の電子占有割合は
注入電流レベルと量子井戸内の緩和時間で決められる。
すなわち、低電流注入に対してはｎ＝２からｎ＝１への
緩和がｎ＝２への電子注入に比べて優るためｎ＝１のレ
ベルを占める電子が圧倒的に多く、ｎ＝１のレベルに対
応する波長の利得が大きくなり、通常のレーザ発振はこ
の波長で起こる。注入電流を増加させていくとクラッド
層から量子井戸層への電子の注入が多くなりｎ＝２から
ｎ＝１への緩和よりもｎ＝２にとどまる電子が多くなり
次第にｎ＝２に対応する波長の利得が増加する。ここで
共振器内部損失が非常に大きい場合には、このｎ＝２の
レーザ発振が観測される。
ここで、本実施例ではｎ−ＡｌＧａＡｓクラッド層６側
から注入された電子は、まず活性層５に入り込むが、こ
の電子は、共鳴トンネル効果により、活性層のｎ＝１の
量子準位から超格子層４のｎ＝１の量子準位へと放出さ
れ、ｎ＝２からｎ＝１の量子準位へと緩和する。
そして第３図に示すある電流注入レベルでの利得の波長
特性からもわかるように、ｐ−ＡｌＧａＡｓクラッド層
３側に超格子を設け量子井戸活性層のｎ＝１の量子準位
の電子をクラッド層３側に効率良く共鳴トンネルさせる
ため、ｎ＝１の量子準位の電子数が少なく、第３図の曲
線(b)に示す様にｎ＝１の量子準位での利得を小さくす
ることが出来る。従って超格子層４を設けない場合（第
３図の曲線(a)参照）にはｎ＝１のレベルに対応するレ
ーザ発振（λ１）をするものが、超格子層４を設けたこ
とにより高次の量子準位ｎ＝２の量子準位に対応するレ
ーザ発振（λ２）が可能となる。従って比較的内部損失
の小さい場合でもｎ＝２のレーザ発振が可能となる。
以上のように本実施例ではｎ＝１の量子準位での利得を
トンネル効果により低下できるので、内部損失が比較的
小さいレーザ構造で、また比較的低しきい値電流でもっ
て、ｎ＝２の量子準位に対応するレーザ発振が可能であ
る。
なお、上記実施例ではｎ＝１のレベルの電子をトンネル
効果により外に取り出すことを考えたが、さらに第４図
に示すように、ｎ−ＡｌＣａＡｓクラッド層６側にＡｌ
ＧａＡｓ，ＡｌＡｓ層、あるいはＧａＡｓ，ＡｌＡｓ層
より成る超格子１０を設け、該超格子の量子準位と活性
層のｎ＝２の量子準位とを等しくなるように調整してク
ラッド層からの電子を、この超格子層をトンネルさせｎ
＝２のレベルに効率良く導くことにより、さらに低しき
い値ｎ＝２の量子準位に対応するレーザ発振を行なわせ
ることが可能となる。
さらにｎ＝１，ｎ＝２の２つの量子準位をもつ場合だけ
でなく３つ以上の量子準位をもつ場合においても同様な
考え方を適用でき、ｎ＝３のレーザ発振も可能となる。
また超格子層は活性層の量子井戸の量子準位の少なくと
も１つと共鳴する量子準位を形成すればよく、構造に制
限はない。
また、上記実施例では伝導帯電子の場合について説明し
たが、価電子帯の正孔についても同様に考えることがで
きる。しかしこの場合は正孔の有効質量が電子のそれに
比べ大きいため短波長化の効果は小さい。
〔発明の効果〕
以上のように、この発明によれば活性層に隣接して活性
層の量子井戸の量子準位のうち少なくとも一つに対応す
る準位を形成した超格子層を設け、両者間で共鳴トンネ
ル効果を生じさせ、量子井戸活性層の複数の量子準位へ
の電子注入および電子の引き出しを独立に行うことが出
来るように構成したから、内部損失の比較的小さいレー
ザ構造で、かつ低しきい値電流でもって高次の量子準位
間のレーザ波長（短波長）が可能となる効果がある。
また複数のレーザ発振およびレーザ波長のスイッチング
も可能となる効果がある。
【図面の簡単な説明】
第１図はこの発明の一実施例による半導体レーザを示す
構造図、第２図は第１図の半導体レーザにおけるエネル
ギーバンドを示すバンド構造図、第３図は従来の量子井
戸型半導体と本発明の一実施例による半導体レーザの電
流による利得と共振器損失の関係、及び波長特性を示す
図、第４図は本発明の他の実施例による半導体レーザに
おけるエネルギーバンドを示すバンド構造図、第５図は
従来の多波長発振を行う半導体レーザを示す構造図であ
る。 １は上部電極、２はｐ＋−ＧａＡｓコンタクト層、３は
ｐ−ＡｌＧａＡｓクラッド層、４は超格子層、５はアン
ドープＡｌＧａＡｓ量子井戸活性層、６はｎ−ＡｌＧａ
Ａｓクラッド層、７はｎ＋−ＧａＡｓ基板、８は下部電
極。 なお図中同一符号は同一又は相当部分を示す。
───────────────────────────────────────────────────── フロントページの続き (72)発明者 小島 啓介 兵庫県尼崎市塚口本町８丁目１番１号 三 菱電機株式会社中央研究所内 (56)参考文献 特開 昭61−248391（ＪＰ，Ａ) 特開 昭61−248491（ＪＰ，Ａ)

Claims (2)

    【特許請求の範囲】
  1. 【請求項１】量子井戸構造の活性層を有する半導体レー
    ザにおいて、 該量子井戸構造を有する単数又は複数の量子準位のうち
    の、少なくとも１つと等しいエネルギー準位を形成する
    超格子層を有し、 該超格子層と上記量子井戸活性層との間で共鳴トンネル
    効果を生じ両層間で電子の移動を生ずるようにしたこと
    を特徴とする半導体レーザ。
  2. 【請求項２】上記量子井戸活性層の最低量子準位（ｎ＝
    １）の電子を共鳴トンネル効果により該活性層より上記
    超格子層に取り出してこのレベルのレーザ発振を抑え、
    高次の量子準位（ｎ≧２）でのレーザ発振を可能とした
    ことを特徴とする特許請求の範囲第１項記載の半導体レ
    ーザ。
JP61175975A 1986-07-25 1986-07-25 半導体レ−ザ Expired - Lifetime JPH0634425B2 (ja)

Priority Applications (11)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP61175975A JPH0634425B2 (ja) 1986-07-25 1986-07-25 半導体レ−ザ
DE3751549T DE3751549T2 (de) 1986-07-25 1987-07-23 Halbleiterlaser.
EP93200589A EP0547044B1 (en) 1986-07-25 1987-07-23 A semiconductor laser device
EP93200581A EP0547038B1 (en) 1986-07-25 1987-07-23 A semiconductor laser device
DE87306520T DE3787769T2 (de) 1986-07-25 1987-07-23 Halbleiterlaservorrichtung.
DE3751535T DE3751535T2 (de) 1986-07-25 1987-07-23 Halbleiterlaser.
EP19930200587 EP0547042A3 (en) 1986-07-25 1987-07-23 A semiconductor laser device
EP87306520A EP0254568B1 (en) 1986-07-25 1987-07-23 A semiconductor laser device
EP93200588A EP0547043B1 (en) 1986-07-25 1987-07-23 A semiconductor laser device
DE3751548T DE3751548T2 (de) 1986-07-25 1987-07-23 Halbleiterlaser.
US07/078,393 US4817110A (en) 1986-07-25 1987-07-24 Semiconductor laser device

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP61175975A JPH0634425B2 (ja) 1986-07-25 1986-07-25 半導体レ−ザ

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
JPS6332987A JPS6332987A (ja) 1988-02-12
JPH0634425B2 true JPH0634425B2 (ja) 1994-05-02

Family

ID=16005518

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
JP61175975A Expired - Lifetime JPH0634425B2 (ja) 1986-07-25 1986-07-25 半導体レ−ザ

Country Status (1)

Country Link
JP (1) JPH0634425B2 (ja)

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH057051A (ja) * 1990-11-09 1993-01-14 Furukawa Electric Co Ltd:The 量子バリア半導体光素子
JP3181063B2 (ja) * 1991-02-28 2001-07-03 健一 伊賀 超格子構造体，それを用いた電子またはホールの閉じ込め構造および半導体発光素子
GB2298735A (en) * 1995-03-08 1996-09-11 Sharp Kk Semiconductor device having a miniband
JP7328101B2 (ja) * 2019-09-25 2023-08-16 メタウォーター株式会社 熱電併給システム

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
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