JPH10242560A - Surface light emitting semiconductor laser - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a surface light emitting semiconductor laser having a construction capable of controlling the plane of polarization of a laser beam, without spoiling the luminous characteristic of the surface light emitting semiconductor laser. SOLUTION: Concerning to a surface light emitting semiconductor laser which emits a laser beam in the vertical direction to a board, a columnar part 115 etched up to the middle of a p-type clad layer 107 is formed. The periphery of this columnar part 115 is buried with an insulating layer 111. Moreover, side metal layers 112 are formed on this insulating layer 111, so as to be opposed with the columnar part 115 in between. Moreover, the side metal layers 112 are in continuity with a contact metal layer 113 formed so as to have a circular opening 116 on a contact layer 110, and is also used as an electrode for current injection.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a surface-emitting type semiconductor laser capable of controlling the plane of polarization of laser light.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a method of controlling a polarization plane of a laser beam of a surface emitting semiconductor laser, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 05-05570 is disclosed.
No. 4 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,577 are disclosed. These control the direction of the plane of polarization of the laser light by utilizing the anisotropy of the crystal and the anisotropy of the current distribution flowing through the active layer.

[0003]

However, since the anisotropy of the crystal and the anisotropy of the current distribution flowing through the active layer used in the above-mentioned conventional method are very weak in a material generally used for a laser. In addition, there has been a disadvantage that the direction of the polarization plane becomes unstable due to changes in temperature or current amount.

Further, as disclosed in US Pat. No. 5,493,577, when the polarization plane is controlled by oxidizing the AlAs layer into a rectangular shape, the cross section of the columnar portion of the resonator is rectangular. Must be. Since the shape of the light emitting portion of the surface emitting laser is almost circular, if the columnar structure has a rectangular cross section, the area of the portion that does not contribute to laser oscillation of the resonator becomes much larger than the circular cross section and the square cross section. . For this reason, there is a disadvantage that the efficiency of oscillation is reduced and a high output laser beam cannot be obtained.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a surface emitting semiconductor laser having a structure capable of controlling and stabilizing the polarization plane of laser light without impairing the laser emission characteristics of the surface emitting semiconductor laser. is there.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided an optical device comprising a pair of reflecting mirrors on a substrate and a multi-layered semiconductor layer including at least an active layer and a cladding layer formed between the pair of reflecting mirrors. In a surface-emitting type semiconductor laser that emits laser light in a direction perpendicular to the substrate on which a resonator is formed, the optical resonator is a columnar portion in which an upper layer side of the multilayer semiconductor layer is formed in a columnar shape. An upper electrode having an opening as desired on the end surface of the columnar portion is further provided, and a cross-sectional shape in a direction parallel to a substrate of the columnar portion is circular or regular polygonal, and a metal layer is provided on a side surface of the columnar portion.
It is formed at a position facing the columnar portion as a center.

When only the direction of the side surface of the columnar portion is covered with the metal layer, when the direction of the electric field of light traveling in the direction perpendicular to the substrate is parallel to the direction of the side metal layer, The electric field strength inside the resonator is limited to zero at the interface with the metal layer. However, when the direction of the electric field of the light is perpendicular to the side metal layer, the above restriction is not applied. For this reason, the light having the electric field component in the vertical direction with respect to the side metal layer travels more easily in the columnar portion than the light having the electric field component in the horizontal direction. Therefore, if the metal layer is formed on the side surface of the columnar portion at a position facing the columnar portion as a center, a laser beam having an electric field component perpendicular to the side surface metal layer can be stably obtained. In addition, by changing the direction in which the metal layer is formed, the polarization direction (the electric field direction of light) can be controlled in a free direction.

Further, the sectional shape of the columnar portion of the resonator is
Since the shape of the laser light emitting part is symmetric and circular or regular polygonal, it can reduce unnecessary parts of the resonator that do not contribute to laser oscillation, thus reducing ineffective current and suppressing heat generation in the resonator. As a result, a highly efficient and high-output surface emitting semiconductor laser can be obtained.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the pair of reflection mirrors are semiconductor multilayer mirrors, and the optical resonator is a semiconductor multilayer mirror formed on the substrate and formed on the semiconductor multilayer mirror. A first clad layer formed, an active layer having a quantum well structure formed on the first clad layer, a second clad layer formed on the active layer, and a second clad layer formed on the second clad layer. A semiconductor multilayer mirror and a contact layer formed on the semiconductor multilayer mirror, and the columnar portion is defined by at least the semiconductor multilayer mirror and the contact layer.

[0010] By forming the reflecting mirrors on both surfaces as semiconductor multilayer mirrors and forming the contact layer on the semiconductor mirror, light absorption in the contact layer is suppressed, and a more efficient surface emitting semiconductor mirror can be obtained. .

According to the invention described in claim 6, it is defined that the cross section of the columnar portion in a direction parallel to the substrate is a square. When the cross-sectional shape is a square, it is easy to control the direction of the plane of polarization of the laser light, and high luminous efficiency is obtained.

According to the present invention, a pair of reflecting mirrors are formed on a substrate, and a plurality of semiconductor layers including at least an active layer and a cladding layer are formed between the pair of reflecting mirrors. In a surface-emitting type semiconductor laser that emits laser light in a direction perpendicular to the substrate on which the optical resonator is formed, the optical resonator is a columnar portion in which an upper layer side of the multilayer semiconductor layer is formed in a columnar shape, An upper electrode having an opening as desired on the end face of the columnar portion is further provided,
The columnar portion has an elliptical or rectangular cross section in a direction parallel to the substrate, and a metal layer is formed on a side surface of the columnar portion. When the side surface of the columnar portion is covered with the metal layer and the cross-sectional shape of the columnar portion is an asymmetrical shape such as an ellipse or a rectangle, the direction of the electric field of light traveling in the columnar portion in the direction perpendicular to the substrate is the side surface The strength affected by the presence of the metal layer is greatest when the distance between the opposing metal layers is short. That is, when the electric field is parallel to the direction of the short axis of the cross section of the columnar portion, the electric field strength inside the resonator is limited to zero at the interface with the metal layer. However, when the direction of the electric field of light is perpendicular to the short-axis direction, the above-described restriction becomes weak. For this reason, the light having the electric field component in the vertical direction and the short axis direction travels more easily in the columnar portion than the light having the electric field component in the horizontal direction.

[0013] Even in the conventional example in which the cross-sectional shape of the columnar portion is asymmetric and no metal layer is formed on the side surface, the polarization direction can be controlled. However, by forming the side metal layer, the polarization can be selected. It has a strong function and does not cause polarization instability due to an increase in temperature or current density.

According to the ninth and fourteenth aspects of the present invention, of the pair of reflection mirrors, the mirror formed on the substrate is a semiconductor multilayer mirror, and the optical resonator is provided with the semiconductor multilayer mirror. A first cladding layer formed thereon, an active layer having a quantum well structure formed on the first cladding layer, a second cladding layer formed on the active layer, and the second cladding layer. A contact layer formed on the first layer; and a dielectric multilayer mirror formed on the contact layer so as to cover an opening of the upper electrode, wherein the second clad layer and the contact layer constitute the columnar portion. Is defined.

In the inventions according to the tenth and fifteenth aspects, the pair of reflection mirrors are semiconductor multilayer mirrors, and the optical resonator is a semiconductor multilayer mirror formed on the substrate and formed on the semiconductor multilayer mirror. A first clad layer formed, an active layer having a quantum well structure formed on the first clad layer, a second clad layer formed on the active layer, and a second clad layer formed on the second clad layer. Including a semiconductor multilayer mirror, and a contact layer formed on the semiconductor multilayer mirror,
At least the columnar portion is defined by the semiconductor multilayer mirror and the contact layer.

According to the eleventh and sixteenth aspects of the present invention, it is defined that the ratio of the major axis to the minor axis of the cross section of the columnar portion parallel to the substrate is 1.2 or more.

In the third, seventh, twelfth and seventeenth inventions, the active layer is made of InGaAs, GaAs, AlG.
aAs, GaInP, AlGaInP, InGaAs
It is defined that the quantum well layer is made of a compound consisting of P, ZnS, ZnSe, GaN, and InN.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross section of a surface-emitting type semiconductor laser capable of controlling a polarization plane according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view thereof.

The surface emitting semiconductor laser 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2
The structure of the n-type GaAs substrate 102 will now be described.
Above, n-type GaAs buffer layer 103, n-type AlAs layer and n-type Al _0.15 Ga _0.85 distributed reflection type of 30 pairs for light of 800nm around consists As layer having a reflectivity of 99% or more semiconductor multilayer mirror 104 , N-type Al _0.5 Ga _0.5 A
s cladding layer 105, GaAs well layer and type Al _0.3 G
a multiple quantum well active layer 106 composed of a _0.7 As barrier layer and the well layer composed of three layers, p-type Al _0.5 Ga _0.5
As clad layer 107, p-type AlA for current confinement
s layer 108, p-type Al _0.9 Ga _0.1 As layer and p-type Al _0.15
It consists of a Ga _0.85 As layer and has a 9
22 pairs of distributed reflection type semiconductor multilayer mirrors 109 having a reflectance of 8.5% or more and a p-type Al _0.15 Ga _0.85 As contact layer 110 are sequentially laminated. Epitaxial growth by the MOVPE method was used to form this stack.

Then, a part of the p-type Al _0.5 Ga _0.5 As clad layer 107 is etched into a circular shape when viewed from the upper surface of the semiconductor laminate to form a columnar portion 115. In order to concentrate the current from the upper electrode only in the central part of the resonator, p-type Al
A few μm around the As layer 108 is oxidized to form an aluminum oxide layer 114 as an insulator.

A silicon oxide film (SiO _x) such as SiO 2 formed by a thermal CVD method is formed around the columnar portion 115.
Embedded with an insulating layer 111 made of a film) and a metal layer 112 made of a metal such as a gold-zinc alloy.

The insulating layer 111 is made of p-type Al _0.5 Ga _0.5 As
The metal layer 112 is continuously formed along the surfaces of the clad layer 107, the aluminum oxide layer 108, the distributed reflection type semiconductor multilayer mirror 109, and the contact layer 110, and the metal layer 112 is disposed on the insulating layer 110 with the columnar portion 115 interposed therebetween. They are formed so as to face each other.

The insulating layer 111 is necessary when current is injected from the cladding layer or the side surface of the columnar portion, and there is a leak current or inefficient current injection.

Further, the metal layer 112 is
It is continuous with the contact metal layer 113 formed so as to have a circular opening 116 on 0, and also serves as an electrode for current injection.

Below the substrate 102, a lower electrode 101 made of a gold-germanium alloy is formed.

In FIG. 2, for simplicity, the columnar portion 115 shows a single surface-emitting type semiconductor laser.
Even if there are a plurality of columnar portions in the substrate surface, the form of the present invention is not impaired.

Next, a method of controlling the polarization plane of the laser light in the surface emitting semiconductor laser shown in this embodiment will be described.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the surface emitting semiconductor laser according to the present embodiment when viewed from the side where the laser is emitted. Continuing from the contact metal layer 113 having the circular opening 116, the side surface of the columnar portion 115 is
The side metal layer 112 is formed so as to face the zero direction.

In order to drive the surface emitting semiconductor laser, a current is injected from the upper electrode 113 and the current is applied to the active layer 1.
06, the current is converted to light, the light is amplified in the optical resonator, and the laser light is finally emitted from the opening 116.

Since the magnitude of the electric field is zero in the metal layer, when the side metal layer 112 is formed only in the direction 120, the electric field component perpendicular to the direction of 120 becomes the columnar portion 1
The electric field is limited to be substantially zero at the interface between the metal layer 15 and the side metal layer 111. Electric fields parallel to the 120 direction are not subject to such restrictions.

For this reason, light having a component parallel to the 120 direction travels more easily through the columnar portion than light having a perpendicular component. Therefore, the polarization direction is stabilized in the 120 direction.

The effect of controlling the polarization plane by the side metal layer is greater as the distance between the opposing metal layers is smaller and the length of the columnar portion in the direction perpendicular to the substrate is longer. Therefore, the longer the columnar portion and the smaller the resonator diameter, the better the controllability of the polarization plane. However, if the columnar portion is too long or the resonator is too narrow, the resistance to the current flowing from the upper electrode 113 increases, so that heat is generated in the columnar portion, leading to a decrease in laser oscillation efficiency and maximum optical output. The shape of the columnar portion is designed according to the laser characteristics to be set.

At this time, the cross-sectional shape of the columnar portion 115 is circular, the upper electrode 113 is formed in a circular shape, and the cross-sectional shape of the AlAs layer for performing current confinement is circular. Corresponding to the circular laser light emitting portion, there is little resonator portion that does not contribute to laser oscillation, the reactive current is reduced, and a highly efficient surface emitting semiconductor laser can be obtained.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross section of a surface-emitting type semiconductor laser capable of controlling a polarization plane according to a second embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that a side metal layer is covered with a buried layer and a planar contact metal layer is formed thereon.
Different from the structure.

The structure of the surface emitting semiconductor laser 200 shown in FIG. 4 will be described.
n-type GaAs buffer layer 203, 60 pairs of distributed reflection type semiconductor multilayer mirror 204 composed of an n-type AlAs layer and an n-type Al _0.5 Ga _0.5 As layer and having a reflectance of 99% or more with respect to light near 650 nm; A multiple quantum well comprising an Al _0.7 Ga _0.3 As cladding layer 205, an n-type Ga _0.5 In _0.5 P well layer and an n-type (Al _0.5 Ga _0.5 ) _0.5 In _0.5 P barrier layer, and the well layer is composed of five layers. Active layer 206,
p-type Al _0.7 Ga _0.3 As clad layer 207, p-type AlAs layer 208 for current confinement, p-type Al _0.95 Ga
650 comprising a _0.05 As layer and a p-type Al _0.5 Ga _0.5 As layer.
55 having a reflectance of 98.5% or more for light near nm.
Pair distributed reflection type semiconductor multilayer mirror 209 and p-type G
The aAs contact layer 210 is sequentially laminated. Epitaxial growth by the MBE method was used to form this stack.

Then, a part of the p-type cladding layer 207 is etched into a square shape as viewed from the upper surface of the semiconductor laminated body to form a columnar portion 215.

In order to concentrate the current from the upper electrode only at the central portion of the resonator, the p-type A
A few μm around the lAs layer 208 is oxidized to form an aluminum oxide layer 214 as an insulator.

The periphery of the columnar portion 215 is covered with a silicon oxide film (SiO 2) such as SiO 2 formed by a thermal CVD method.
_(X film).

The insulating layer 211 is made of p-type Al _0.7 Ga _0.3 As
The metal layer 212 is continuously formed along the surfaces of the clad layer 207, the aluminum oxide layer 214, the distributed reflection type semiconductor multilayer mirror 209, and the contact layer 210, and the metal layer 212 is disposed on the insulating layer 211 with the columnar portion 215 interposed therebetween. They are formed so as to face each other.

Further, a buried layer 217 made of a silicon nitride film (SiN _x film) formed by a sputtering method so as to cover the metal layer 212 is formed, and a contact metal layer (upper portion) made of, for example, Cr and gold is formed thereon. Electrode) 213
Are formed in contact with the contact layer 210 and serve as electrodes for current injection.

The upper electrode 213 has a circular opening 21.
6 are formed.

A photolithography technique such as a lift-off method is used to form the opening. However, when the step of the columnar portion becomes several μm, it is necessary to form a circular opening exactly at the center of the upper portion of the columnar portion. It becomes difficult. For this reason, the buried layer 217 is formed to eliminate the step in the columnar portion, thereby facilitating the formation of the opening of the upper electrode. The buried layer is not limited to a silicon nitride film (SiN _x film), but may be a resin such as various nitrides, oxides or polyimides.

At this time, no difference was observed in the controllability of the polarization plane whether the side metal layer and the contact metal layer were electrically connected or not.

Below the substrate 202, a lower electrode 201 made of a gold-germanium alloy is formed.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the surface-emitting type semiconductor laser of this embodiment when viewed from the side from which the laser emits. The buried layer and the upper electrode are omitted so that the arrangement of the side metal layer 212 can be understood, and only the opening 216 is shown.

In the surface-emitting type semiconductor laser shown in this embodiment, the method for controlling the polarization plane of the laser beam is described in the first embodiment.
Same as above, but the shape of the columnar part is square, so that the facing direction of the facing side metal layer is accurately defined, so the direction of the polarization plane should be controlled more precisely to the facing method of the metal layer. Is possible.

The cross-sectional shape of the columnar portion is not limited to a square, and the same control of the polarization plane can be performed by changing the cross-sectional shape from a square to a regular hexagon and forming a side metal layer only on the opposite side.

(Embodiment 3) FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross section of a surface-emitting type semiconductor laser capable of controlling a polarization plane according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The structure of the surface emitting semiconductor laser 300 shown in FIG. 6 will be described.
n-type GaAs buffer layer 303, n-type AlAs layer and n-type Al _0.15 Ga _0.85 distributed reflection type of 30 pairs for light of 800nm around consists As layer having a reflectivity of 99% or more semiconductor multilayer mirror 304, n-type Al _0.5 Ga _0.5 As clad layer 305, GaAs well layer and type Al _0.3 Ga _0.7 A
a multiple quantum well active layer 306 composed of three s barrier layers and three well layers; a p-type Al _0.5 Ga _0.5 As clad layer 307; a p-type AlAs layer 30 for current confinement
8, p-type Al _0.9 Ga _0.1 As layer and p-type Al _0.15 Ga _0.85
A 22-pair distributed-reflective semiconductor multilayer mirror 309 and a p-type Al _0.15 Ga _0.85 As contact layer 310, which are composed of an As layer and have a reflectance of 98.5% or more for light near 800 nm, are sequentially laminated. And p-type Al _0.5
Part of the Ga _0.5 As cladding layer 307 is etched into a rectangular shape as viewed from the upper surface of the semiconductor laminate to form a columnar portion 315.

In order to concentrate the current from the upper electrode only at the central portion of the resonator, the p-type A
A few μm around the lAs layer 308 is oxidized to form an aluminum oxide layer 314 as an insulator.

A silicon oxide film (SiO _x) such as SiO 2 formed by a thermal CVD method is formed around the columnar portion 315.
(A film) and a metal layer 312 made of a metal such as a gold-zinc alloy.

The insulating layer 311 is made of p-type Al _0.5 Ga _0.5 As
The metal layer 312 is formed continuously along the surfaces of the clad layer 307, the aluminum oxide layer 314, the distributed reflection type semiconductor multilayer mirror 309, and the contact layer 310. The metal layer 312 covers the columnar portion 315 on the insulating layer 311. Is formed.

Further, the metal layer 312 is formed on the contact layer 31.
The contact metal layer 313 is formed so as to have a circular opening 316 on the contact hole 313, and also serves as an electrode for current injection.

Under the substrate 302, a lower electrode 301 made of a gold-germanium alloy is formed.

Next, a method of controlling the plane of polarization of laser light in the surface emitting semiconductor laser shown in this embodiment will be described.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the surface emitting semiconductor laser according to the present embodiment when viewed from the side where the laser is emitted. A side metal layer 312 is formed on the side surface of the columnar portion 315 continuously from the contact metal layer 313 having a circular opening 316.

To drive the surface emitting semiconductor laser, a current is injected from the upper electrode 313 and the current is applied to the active layer 3.
06, the current is converted to light, the light is amplified in the optical resonator, and the laser light is finally emitted from the opening 316.

The distance between the side metal layers 312A and 312B facing each other in the short side direction 320 of the rectangular section of the columnar portion is smaller than the distance between the side metal layers 312C and 312D facing each other in the long side direction 321. The electric field of light traveling through the columnar part 315 is
The electric field is limited so that the electric field becomes almost zero at the interface between the columnar portion 315 and the side metal layer 312. However, the narrower the gap between the side metal layers is, the greater the restriction at this interface is, which affects the electric field distribution inside the columnar portion. give. Therefore, the electric field parallel to the short side direction 320 cannot travel to the columnar portion. Therefore, light having an electric field component perpendicular to the short side direction 320 is
The light travels more easily through the columnar portion than light having a parallel component. Therefore, the polarization direction is stabilized in the 320 direction.

The effect of controlling the plane of polarization by the side metal layer is greater as the distance between the opposing side metal layers is different in the short side direction and the long side direction, and the ratio of the length of the long side to the short side is 1.
It was not stabilized without two or more.

In this embodiment, the case of a rectangular cross section has been described in detail. Even when the cross section is an elliptical shape, similarly, light having an electric field component perpendicular to the short axis travels preferentially through the columnar portion. Therefore, the polarization plane can be similarly controlled.

As described above in detail, the use of the surface emitting semiconductor laser of the present invention makes it possible to control the polarization plane of the laser light without impairing the laser emission characteristics of the surface emitting semiconductor laser.

Further, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention.

Further, the active layer is made of InGaAs, GaAs, or AlGa according to the oscillation wavelength of the surface emitting semiconductor laser.
As, GaInP, AlGaInP, InGaAsP,
It is possible to use a quantum well layer made of a compound made of any of ZnS, ZnSe, GaN, and InN, and the present invention can be implemented even if the p-type and the n-type of the semiconductor layer are replaced.

[0065]

As described above, according to the surface emitting semiconductor laser of the present invention, the upper cladding layer, the current confinement layer, the upper semiconductor mirror, the contact layer, etc., which constitute the resonator of the surface emitting semiconductor laser, are formed. By etching into a columnar shape and providing a side metal layer so as to face a specific direction on the side surface of the columnar portion, due to the effect of electric field absorption in the metal layer,
It is possible to stabilize and control the polarization plane of the laser light in a specific direction.

In this case, the cross section of the columnar portion of the resonator is
Since the same high symmetry structure as the light emitting region in the active layer of the laser beam can be obtained, the region that does not contribute to laser oscillation in the resonator can be reduced, so that the polarization is stable, high efficiency, and high output. A surface emitting laser can be manufactured.

According to another surface emitting semiconductor laser of the present invention, the upper cladding layer, the current confinement layer, the upper semiconductor mirror, the contact layer and the like constituting the resonator of the surface emitting semiconductor laser have a rectangular cross section. By etching into a columnar shape that becomes an ellipse and providing a side metal layer on the side of this columnar portion, the polarization plane of the laser beam is shifted in the short axis direction of the cross section by the effect of electric field absorption by the metal layer. It can be stabilized and controlled. This makes it possible to more stably control the polarization plane as compared with the control of the polarization plane by a method such as crystal anisotropy.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross section of a surface-emitting type semiconductor laser capable of controlling a polarization plane according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the surface emitting semiconductor laser shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the surface emitting semiconductor laser shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from a side from which the laser emits.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross section of a surface-emitting type semiconductor laser capable of controlling a polarization plane according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the surface-emitting type semiconductor laser shown in FIG. 4 when viewed from the side from which the laser emits.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross section of a surface-emitting type semiconductor laser capable of controlling a polarization plane according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the surface-emitting type semiconductor laser shown in FIG. 6 when viewed from a side from which the laser emits.

[Explanation of symbols]

101, 201, 301 Lower electrode 102, 202, 302 n-type GaAs substrate 103, 203, 303 n-type GaAs buffer layer 104, 204, 304 n-type distributed reflection type semiconductor multilayer mirror 105, 205, 305 n-type cladding layer 106 , 206, 306 Multiple quantum well active layer 107, 207, 307 p-type cladding layer 108, 208, 308 p-type AlAs layer 109, 209, 309 p-type distributed reflection type semiconductor multilayer mirror 110, 210, 310 p-type contact layer 111, 211, 311 Insulating layer 112, 212, 312, 312A, 312B, 312
C, 312D Side metal layer 113, 213, 313 Upper electrode 114, 214, 314 Aluminum oxide layer 115, 215, 315 Columnar portion 116, 216, 316 Opening 217 Embedded layer

Claims (17)

[Claims] An optical resonator comprising: a pair of reflection mirrors on a substrate; and a multilayer semiconductor layer formed between the pair of reflection mirrors and including at least an active layer and a cladding layer. A surface-emitting type semiconductor laser that emits laser light in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, wherein the optical resonator is a columnar portion in which an upper layer side of the multilayer semiconductor layer is formed in a columnar shape, and an opening is provided on an end face of the columnar portion as desired. Is further provided, the cross section of the columnar portion in a direction parallel to the substrate is circular,
A surface-emitting type semiconductor laser, wherein a metal layer is formed on a side surface of the columnar portion at a position facing the columnar portion as a center. 2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said pair of reflection mirrors are semiconductor multilayer mirrors, and said optical resonator is a semiconductor multilayer mirror formed on said substrate and a first multilayer mirror formed thereon. A clad layer, an active layer having a quantum well structure formed on the first clad layer, a second clad layer formed on the active layer, and a semiconductor multilayer film formed on the second clad layer A surface-emitting type semiconductor laser comprising: a mirror; and a contact layer formed on the semiconductor multilayer mirror, wherein at least the columnar portion is constituted by the semiconductor multilayer mirror and the contact layer. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the active layer is made of InGaAs, GaAs, AlGaAs, GaInP,
AlGaInP, InGaAsP, ZnS, ZnSe,
A surface-emitting type semiconductor laser comprising a quantum well layer made of a compound consisting of GaN or InN. 4. An optical resonator comprising: a pair of reflection mirrors on a substrate; and a multilayer semiconductor layer formed between the pair of reflection mirrors and including at least an active layer and a cladding layer. A surface-emitting type semiconductor laser that emits laser light in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, wherein the optical resonator is a columnar portion in which an upper layer side of the multilayer semiconductor layer is formed in a columnar shape, and an opening is provided on an end face of the columnar portion as desired. Is further provided, and a cross section of the columnar portion in a direction parallel to the substrate is a regular polygon, and a metal layer is formed on a side surface of the columnar portion at a position facing the columnar portion as a center. A surface-emitting type semiconductor laser characterized in that: 5. The semiconductor device according to claim 4, wherein the pair of reflection mirrors is a semiconductor multilayer mirror, and the optical resonator is a semiconductor multilayer mirror formed on the substrate and a first multilayer mirror formed thereon. A clad layer, an active layer having a quantum well structure formed on the first clad layer, a second clad layer formed on the active layer, and a semiconductor multilayer film formed on the second clad layer A surface-emitting type semiconductor laser comprising: a mirror; and a contact layer formed on the semiconductor multilayer mirror, wherein at least the columnar portion is constituted by the semiconductor multilayer mirror and the contact layer. 6. A surface-emitting type semiconductor laser according to claim 4, wherein said columnar portion has a square cross section in a direction parallel to the substrate. 7. The method according to claim 4, wherein
The active layer is made of InGaAs, GaAs, AlGaAs,
GaInP, AlGaInP, InGaAsP, Zn
A surface-emitting type semiconductor laser comprising a quantum well layer made of a compound consisting of S, ZnSe, GaN, and InN. 8. The substrate on which an optical resonator having a pair of reflection mirrors formed on a substrate and a multilayer semiconductor layer including at least an active layer and a cladding layer formed between the pair of reflection mirrors is formed. A surface-emitting type semiconductor laser that emits laser light in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, wherein the optical resonator is a columnar portion in which an upper layer side of the multilayer semiconductor layer is formed in a columnar shape, and an opening is provided on an end face of the columnar portion as desired. Is further provided, the cross-sectional shape of the columnar portion in a direction parallel to the substrate is elliptical,
A surface-emitting type semiconductor laser, wherein a metal layer is formed on a side surface of the columnar portion. 9. The mirror according to claim 8, wherein, of the pair of reflection mirrors, a mirror formed on the substrate is a semiconductor multilayer mirror, and the optical resonator includes the semiconductor multilayer mirror and The first clad layer formed,
An active layer having a quantum well structure formed on the cladding layer,
A second cladding layer formed on the active layer;
A contact layer formed on the cladding layer, and a dielectric multilayer mirror formed on the contact layer so as to cover the opening of the upper electrode, wherein the columnar portion is formed by the second cladding layer and the contact layer. A surface emitting semiconductor laser, comprising: 10. The semiconductor device according to claim 8, wherein said pair of reflection mirrors are semiconductor multilayer mirrors, and said optical resonator is a semiconductor multilayer mirror formed on said substrate and a first multilayer mirror formed thereon. A clad layer, an active layer having a quantum well structure formed on the first clad layer, a second clad layer formed on the active layer, and a semiconductor multilayer film formed on the second clad layer A surface-emitting type semiconductor laser comprising: a mirror; and a contact layer formed on the semiconductor multilayer mirror, wherein at least the columnar portion is constituted by the semiconductor multilayer mirror and the contact layer. 11. A surface-emitting type semiconductor laser according to claim 8, wherein a ratio of a major axis to a minor axis of a cross section parallel to the substrate of said columnar portion is 1.2 or more. 12. The active layer according to claim 8, wherein the active layer is made of InGaAs, GaAs, AlGaAs.
s, GaInP, AlGaInP, InGaAsP, Z
A surface-emitting type semiconductor laser comprising a quantum well layer made of a compound consisting of nS, ZnSe, GaN, and InN. 13. The substrate on which an optical resonator having a pair of reflection mirrors and a multi-layered semiconductor layer including at least an active layer and a cladding layer formed between the pair of reflection mirrors is formed on the substrate. A surface-emitting type semiconductor laser that emits laser light in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, wherein the optical resonator is a columnar portion in which an upper layer side of the multilayer semiconductor layer is formed in a columnar shape, and an opening is provided on an end face of the columnar portion as desired. An upper electrode having a rectangular cross section in a direction parallel to the substrate of the columnar portion;
A surface-emitting type semiconductor laser, wherein a metal layer is formed on a side surface of the columnar portion. 14. The mirror according to claim 13, wherein, of the pair of reflection mirrors, a mirror formed on the substrate is a semiconductor multilayer mirror, and the optical resonator includes the semiconductor multilayer mirror and A first clad layer formed, an active layer having a quantum well structure formed on the first clad layer, a second clad layer formed on the active layer, and formed on the second clad layer The contact layer, and a dielectric multilayer mirror formed on the contact layer so as to cover the opening of the upper electrode, wherein the second clad layer and the contact layer constitute the columnar portion. A surface emitting semiconductor laser characterized by the above-mentioned. 15. The semiconductor device according to claim 13, wherein said pair of reflection mirrors are semiconductor multilayer mirrors, and said optical resonator is a semiconductor multilayer mirror formed on said substrate and a first multilayer mirror formed thereon. A clad layer, an active layer having a quantum well structure formed on the first clad layer, a second clad layer formed on the active layer, and a semiconductor multilayer film formed on the second clad layer A surface-emitting type semiconductor laser comprising: a mirror; and a contact layer formed on the semiconductor multilayer mirror, wherein at least the columnar portion is constituted by the semiconductor multilayer mirror and the contact layer. 16. A surface-emitting type semiconductor laser according to claim 13, wherein a ratio of a major axis to a minor axis of a cross section parallel to the substrate of said columnar portion is 1.2 or more. 17. The semiconductor device according to claim 13, wherein said active layer is made of InGaAs, GaAs, AlGa.
As, GaInP, AlGaInP, InGaAsP,
A surface-emitting type semiconductor laser comprising a quantum well layer made of a compound consisting of ZnS, ZnSe, GaN, and InN.