JPH11195815A - Semiconductor light-emitting element, manufacture therefor, and optical recording and/or reproducing equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a semiconductor light-emitting element for which the operation life can be extended, by restricting deterioration of electrode while electricity is carried, and also provide its production method, optical recording and/or reproducing equipment using such a semiconductor light-emitting element. SOLUTION: In a semiconductor laser having a plurality of II-VI Group compound semiconductor layer laminated on a substrate, when making a wafer- shaped n-type GaAs substrate 1 where the laser construction has been formed into chips, the n-type GaAs substrate 1 is cleaved together with a plurality of II-VI Group compound semiconductor layers, in such a manner that distance L between the stripe portion and the end face 16 parallel to the strip portion becomes larger than the overall thickness (d) of the laser chip, more desirable larger than 3 times the overall thickness (d) of the laser tip, or practically greater than 400 μm. For example, the overall thickness (d) of the laser chip is set at 600 μm, and at this time, the distance L between the stripe portion and the end face 16 is set at 600 μm.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a semiconductor light emitting device, a method for manufacturing the same, and an optical recording and / or reproducing apparatus, and more particularly to a semiconductor light emitting device using a II-VI compound semiconductor, a method for manufacturing the same, and such a semiconductor. The present invention relates to an optical recording and / or reproducing apparatus using a light emitting element as a light source.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for semiconductor light emitting elements such as semiconductor lasers and light emitting diodes capable of emitting blue or green light in order to increase the recording / reproducing density and resolution of optical disks or magneto-optical disks. Research is being actively conducted to achieve this.

[0003] Materials used for manufacturing such a semiconductor light emitting device capable of emitting blue or green light include Zn and C.
Group II elements such as d, Mg, Hg, Be and S, Se, T
Group II-VI compound semiconductors comprising Group VI elements such as e and O are promising. However, in a semiconductor light emitting device using a II-VI compound semiconductor, only a p-type layer having a low carrier concentration is obtained.
There is a problem that the contact resistance of the p-side electrode is high and the operating voltage is high.

In order to solve this problem, a p-type ZnSe / ZnTe multiple quantum well (MQW) layer is grown on the p-type ZnSe contact layer, and a layer having a high carrier concentration can be easily obtained thereon. A p-type ZnTe contact layer is grown, and a p-side electrode, in particular, Pd / Pt
A technique for improving ohmic contact characteristics by forming a p-side electrode having a / Au structure has been proposed. The ZnCdSe layer has an active layer, the ZnSSe layer has an optical waveguide layer, and the ZnMgSSe layer has a cladding layer.
/ ZnSSe / ZnMgSSe SCH (Separate Con
A semiconductor laser having a finement heterostructure (structure) adopts this p-side electrode contact structure, and has achieved continuous room temperature continuous oscillation (for example, Jpn.
Appl. Phys. 33 (1994) L938 and Electron Lett. Vol. 3
2 No. 6 (1996) 552). FIG. 6 shows a conventional semiconductor laser having such a structure.

The conventional semiconductor laser shown in FIG. 6 is manufactured as follows. First, as an n-type impurity,
N-type GaAs buffer layer 1 doped with Si as an n-type impurity on n-type GaAs substrate 101 doped with
02 is grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). Next, on the n-type GaAs substrate 101 on which the n-type GaAs buffer layer 102 has been grown, C is added as an n-type impurity.
n-type ZnSe buffer layer 103 doped with l, n-type ZnMgSSe cladding layer 104 doped with Cl as an n-type impurity, undoped ZnSSe optical waveguide layer 10
5, undoped ZnCdSe active layer 106, undoped ZnSSe optical waveguide layer 107, p-type ZnMgSSe cladding layer 108 doped with N as a p-type impurity, p
P-type ZnSSe cap layer 109 doped with N as a p-type impurity, p-type Z doped with N as a p-type impurity
An nSe contact layer 110, a p-type ZnSe / ZnTe MQW layer 111 doped with N as a p-type impurity, and a p-type ZnTe contact layer 112 doped with N as a p-type impurity are sequentially grown by MBE.

Next, a stripe-shaped resist pattern (not shown) extending in one direction is formed on the p-type ZnTe contact layer 112 by lithography, and the resist pattern is used as a mask to form p-type resist by, for example, wet etching. Etching is performed to an intermediate depth in the thickness direction of the type ZnSSe cap layer 109. by this,
Upper layer of p-type ZnSSe cap layer 109, p-type ZnS
e contact layer 110, p-type ZnSe / ZnTe MQW
The layer 111 and the p-type ZnTe contact layer 112 are patterned in a stripe shape. This stripe width W
Is, for example, 10 μm.

Next, a polyimide film is formed on the entire surface by a CVD method or the like while leaving the resist pattern (not shown) used for the etching as it is. Thereafter, the resist pattern is removed together with the polyimide film thereon (lift-off). Thus, the p-type ZnSSe cap layer 109 patterned in a stripe shape
Upper layer, p-type ZnSe contact layer 110, p-type Zn
An insulating layer 113 is formed on both sides of the Se / ZnTe MQW layer 111 and the p-type ZnTe contact layer 112.

Next, a p-side electrode 114 having a Pd / Pt / Au structure is formed on the entire surface of the p-type ZnTe contact layer 112 and the insulating layer 113 on both sides thereof by, for example, a vacuum deposition method. Thereafter, a heat treatment is performed as necessary, and the p-side electrode 114 is brought into ohmic contact with the p-type ZnTe contact layer 112. On the other hand, n-type GaAs substrate 1
For example, an n-side electrode 115 such as an In electrode is formed on the back surface of the substrate 01.

Next, the wafer-shaped n-type GaAs substrate 101 on which the laser structure is formed as described above is cleaved into a bar shape to form both resonator end faces, and further, if necessary, end face coating. Thereafter, the bar is cleaved along a direction parallel to the stripe portion to form an end surface 116 parallel to the stripe portion, thereby forming a chip. The laser chip thus obtained is mounted on a heat sink and packaging is performed. Here, in this conventional semiconductor laser, the total thickness of the laser chip (the total thickness of the substrate, the plurality of II-VI group compound semiconductor layers stacked thereon, and the electrodes) is, for example, 600.
In this case, the distance L between the stripe portion and the end surface 116 parallel to the stripe portion (the distance from the side surface of the stripe portion to the end surface 116) L is, for example, 200 μm.
It has become.

[0010]

However, the above-described conventional semiconductor laser using a II-VI group compound semiconductor has the following problems.

That is, in this conventional semiconductor laser, in order to improve the ohmic contact characteristics of the p-side electrode 114, the p-type ZnSe / ZnTe MQW layer 11 is formed.
A p-side electrode contact structure having 1 is employed.
However, since the lattice constants of ZnSe and ZnTe are different from each other, p-type ZnSe / ZnTe MQW
Many dangling bonds due to dislocations or point defects exist at the interface between the p-type ZnSe layer and the p-type ZnTe layer in the layer 111, and these constitute an interface state. For this reason, in the conventional semiconductor laser, there is a problem that the operating voltage rises during energization, and as a result, the heat generation of the electrode is promoted, so that the electrode, particularly the p-side electrode 114 is deteriorated.

Further, in this conventional semiconductor laser, damage due to cleavage during chip formation tends to extend to the vicinity of the stripe portion, which induces a defect when the semiconductor laser is energized, and the life of the p-side electrode 114, and hence the semiconductor, is reduced. There is a problem that the life of the laser is shortened.

As described above, in a conventional semiconductor light emitting device using a II-VI group compound semiconductor, there is a problem that deterioration of an electrode is promoted by energization, and a device having a long life cannot be obtained.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor light emitting device and a method of manufacturing the same, which can extend the life by suppressing the deterioration of the electrode during energization, and to use such a semiconductor light emitting device as a light source. An object of the present invention is to provide an optical recording and / or reproducing apparatus used.

[0015]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor device having a plurality of II-VI compound semiconductor layers laminated on a substrate, wherein the plurality of II-VI compound semiconductor layers are parallel to a stripe portion. In a semiconductor light emitting device in which an end face is a cleavage plane,
The distance between the stripe portion and the end face parallel to the stripe portion is not less than the sum of the thickness of the substrate and the thicknesses of the plurality of II-VI compound semiconductor layers.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor light-emitting device having a plurality of II-VI compound semiconductor layers laminated on a substrate, wherein a stripe portion has a cleavage plane at an end face parallel to the stripe portion. In the method, the substrate and the plurality of II-VI groups are arranged such that a distance between the stripe portion and an end surface parallel to the stripe portion is equal to or greater than a thickness of the substrate and a thickness of the plurality of II-VI compound semiconductor layers. The present invention is characterized in that the compound semiconductor layer is cleaved.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical recording and / or reproducing apparatus using a semiconductor light emitting element as a light source, wherein the semiconductor light emitting element comprises a plurality of I / O layers stacked on a substrate.
An end face parallel to the stripe portion has a cleavage plane, and the distance between the stripe portion and the end face parallel to the stripe portion is equal to the thickness of the substrate and a plurality of II-VI compound semiconductor layers.
The thickness is not less than the sum of the thickness of the group VI compound semiconductor layer.

In the present invention, a plurality of II-VI compound semiconductor layers laminated on a substrate typically include
at least one or more group II elements selected from the group consisting of n, Cd, Mg, Hg and Be, and S, Se, Te
And a group II-VI compound semiconductor comprising at least one or more group VI elements selected from the group consisting of O and O.

In the present invention, the semiconductor light-emitting element is formed into a chip, and the end face parallel to the stripe portion refers to an end face of the chip of the semiconductor light-emitting element other than the end face of the resonator, and has a thickness of the substrate. And the thickness of the plurality of II-VI compound semiconductor layers corresponds to the thickness of the entire chip.

In the present invention, the distance between the stripe portion and the end surface parallel to the stripe portion is more preferably
It is selected to be at least twice the sum of the thickness of the substrate and the thickness of the plurality of II-VI compound semiconductor layers, and specifically, for example, 400 μm.
m or more.

According to the present invention constructed as described above, the distance between the stripe portion and the end surface parallel to the stripe portion is the sum of the thickness of the substrate and the thicknesses of the plurality of II-VI compound semiconductor layers. With the above, the heat capacity of the semiconductor light emitting device is increased as compared with the conventional case, so that the temperature of the entire semiconductor light emitting device can be suppressed from becoming high due to the heat generated in the stripe portion during energization, and the deterioration due to the heat generation of the electrodes Can be suppressed. Further, by setting the distance between the stripe portion and the end face parallel to the stripe portion to be equal to or more than the sum of the thickness of the substrate and the thicknesses of the plurality of II-VI compound semiconductor layers, damage caused at the time of cleavage is obtained. Can be kept away from the stripe portion, and the induction of defects during energization can be suppressed, so that the life of the electrode can be improved.

[0022]

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

FIG. 1 shows an II according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor laser using a Group VI compound semiconductor. This semiconductor laser has an SCH structure, and the active layer has a single quantum well (SQW) structure.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the semiconductor laser according to this embodiment, for example, Si is used as an n-type impurity.
For example, an n-type GaAs buffer layer 2, an n-type ZnSe buffer layer 3, and an n-type
Type ZnMgSSe cladding layer 4, undoped ZnSS
e optical waveguide layer 5, undoped ZnCdSe active layer 6, undoped ZnSSe optical waveguide layer 7, p-type ZnMgSSe
Clad layer 8, p-type ZnSSe cap layer 9, p-type Zn
Se contact layer 10, p-type ZnSe / ZnTe MQW
A layer 11 and a p-type ZnTe contact layer 12 are sequentially stacked.

The n-type GaAs buffer layer 2 is doped with, for example, Si as an n-type impurity, and the n-type ZnSe buffer layer 3 and the n-type ZnMgSSe cladding layer 4 are each doped with, for example, Cl as an n-type impurity.
The p-type ZnMgSSe cladding layer 8 and the p-type ZnSS
The e-cap layer 9, the p-type ZnSe contact layer 10, the p-type ZnSe / ZnTe MQW layer 11, and the p-type ZnTe contact layer 12 are each doped with, for example, N as a p-type impurity.

The n-type GaAs buffer layer 2 has a thickness of, for example, 0.3 μm, the n-type ZnSe buffer layer 3 has a thickness of, for example, 30 nm, the n-type ZnMgSSe cladding layer 4 has a thickness of, for example, 1 μm, and the ZnSSe optical waveguide layer. 5 is, for example, 100 nm, and the thickness of the ZnCdSe active layer 6 is, for example, 3 nm.
nm, the thickness of the ZnSSe optical waveguide layer 7 is, for example, 100 n.
The thickness of the m, p type ZnMgSSe cladding layer 8 is, for example, 1
μm, the thickness of the p-type ZnSSe cap layer 9 is, for example, 1 μm.
The thickness of the m, p type ZnSe contact layer 10 is, for example, 20
0 nm, the thickness of the p-type ZnSe / ZnTe MQW layer 11 is, for example, 9 nm, and the thickness of the p-type ZnTe contact layer 12 is, for example, 5 nm.

The upper layer portion of the p-type ZnSSe cap layer 9
-Type ZnSe contact layer 10, p-type ZnSe / ZnTe
The MQW layer 11 and the p-type ZnTe contact layer 12
It has a stripe shape extending in one direction. In this case, the stripe width W is, for example, 10 μm.

An insulating layer 13 made of, for example, a polyimide film is provided on the p-type ZnSSe cap layer 9 in a portion other than the stripe portion, thereby forming a current confinement structure. The insulating layer 13 may be, for example, an Al ₂ O ₃ film.

The insulating layer 13 and the stripe-shaped p
For example, Pd / Pt is formed on the type ZnTe contact layer 12.
A p-side electrode 14 having an / Au structure is provided in ohmic contact with the p-type ZnTe contact layer 112.
On the other hand, on the back surface of the n-type GaAs substrate 1, an n-side electrode 15 such as an In electrode is provided in ohmic contact.

In the semiconductor laser according to this embodiment, a laser chip is formed by cleaving the wafer-shaped n-type GaAs substrate 1 on which the above-described laser structure is formed. Both the resonator end face and the end face 16 (end face parallel to the stripe portion) other than the resonator end face in this laser chip are cleavage planes. here,
In this semiconductor laser, the total thickness d of the laser chip (the total thickness of the substrate, the plurality of semiconductor layers stacked on the substrate, and the electrodes) is, for example, 600 μm. Further, the distance between the stripe portion and the end surface 16 parallel to the stripe portion (from the side surface of the stripe portion to the end surface 1).
6) is, for example, not less than the total thickness d of the laser chip, preferably, for example, the total thickness d of the laser chip.
2 times or more. In the semiconductor laser according to this embodiment, the distance L between the stripe portion and the end face 16 is, for example, 600 μm.

Next, a method of manufacturing the semiconductor laser according to the embodiment will be described.

To manufacture this semiconductor laser, first,
MBE for growing III-V compound semiconductor not shown
The n-type GaAs substrate 1 is mounted on a substrate holder in a vacuum vessel evacuated to an ultra-high vacuum of the apparatus. Next, the n-type Ga
After heating the As substrate 1 to a predetermined growth temperature, the n-type G
An n-type GaAs buffer layer 2 is grown on an aAs substrate 1 by MBE. In this case, doping of Si, which is an n-type impurity, is performed using a Si molecular beam source (Knudsen cell). The growth of the n-type GaAs buffer layer 2 is performed by heating the n-type GaAs substrate 1 to a temperature of, for example, about 580 ° C. and thermally etching the surface to remove a surface oxide film and clean the surface. May be done after

Next, the n-type GaAs substrate 1 on which the n-type GaAs buffer layer 2 has been grown as described above is transferred from the MBE apparatus described above to another MBE apparatus shown in FIG. Transport to Then, in the MBE apparatus shown in FIG. 2, each II-V
A group I compound semiconductor layer is grown. In this case, n-type Ga
The surface of the As buffer layer 2 is kept clean because it is not exposed to the air during its transfer to the MBE apparatus shown in FIG. 2 after its growth.

As shown in FIG. 2, in this MBE apparatus, a substrate holder 22 is provided in a chamber 21 evacuated to an ultra-high vacuum by an ultra-high vacuum exhaust device (not shown). The substrate to be performed is held. The substrate for this growth is introduced into the chamber 21 from the preliminary chamber 24 attached to the chamber 21 via the gate valve 23. A plurality of molecular beam sources (Knudsen cells) 25 are attached to the chamber 21 so as to face the substrate holder 22. In this case, the molecular beam source 2
5 includes Zn, Se, Mg, ZnS, Te and C
Each molecular beam source of d is prepared. The chamber 21 is further provided with an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma cell 26 opposed to the substrate holder 22. The ECR plasma cell 26 includes a magnet 2
7, a microwave introduction terminal 28, a nitrogen gas introduction tube 29, and a plasma outlet 30 are provided. Note that this E
The CR plasma cell 26 can be replaced by a radio frequency (RF) plasma cell.

Now, in order to grow each II-VI group compound semiconductor layer constituting the laser structure on the n-type GaAs buffer layer 2, the MBE apparatus shown in FIG.
The n-type GaAs substrate 1 on which the n-type GaAs buffer layer 2 has been grown is mounted on the substrate holder 22 in 1. Next, the n-type GaAs substrate 1 is cooled to a predetermined growth temperature, preferably a temperature in the range of 250 to 300 ° C., specifically, for example, 280 ° C., and growth by the MBE method is started. That is, on the n-type GaAs buffer layer 2, n-type ZnSe
Buffer layer 3, n-type ZnMgSSe cladding layer 4, Zn
SSe optical waveguide layer 5, ZnCdSe active layer 6, ZnSSe
Optical waveguide layer 7, p-type ZnMgSSe cladding layer 8, p-type Z
nSSe cap layer 9, p-type ZnSe contact layer 1
0, p-type ZnSe / ZnTe MQW layer 11 and p-type Z
An nTe contact layer 12 is sequentially grown.

Here, the doping of Cl as an n-type impurity in the n-type ZnSe buffer layer 3 and the n-type ZnMgSSe cladding layer 4 is performed using, for example, ZnCl ₂ as a dopant. On the other hand, N doping as a p-type impurity in the p-type ZnMgSSe cladding layer 8, the p-type ZnSSe cap layer 9, the p-type ZnSe contact layer 10, the p-type ZnSe / ZnTe MQW layer 11, and the p-type ZnTe contact layer 12 is shown in FIG. In the ECR plasma cell 26 of the MBE apparatus shown in FIG. 1, N ₂ introduced from the nitrogen gas introduction pipe 29 by application of a magnetic field by the magnet 27 and introduction of microwaves from the microwave introduction terminal 28.
This is performed by converting the gas into plasma and irradiating the substrate surface with the N ₂ plasma generated thereby.

Next, a stripe-shaped resist pattern (not shown) extending in one direction is formed on the p-type ZnTe contact layer 12 by lithography, and the resist pattern is used as a mask by, for example, wet etching. The ZnSSe cap layer 9 is etched to an intermediate depth in the thickness direction. Thereby, the upper layer portion of the p-type ZnSSe cap layer 9, the p-type ZnSe contact layer 10, the p-type ZnSe / ZnTe MQW layer 11, and the p-type ZnTe contact layer 12 are patterned in a stripe shape.

Next, a polyimide film is formed on the entire surface by, for example, a CVD method while leaving the resist pattern used for the above etching as it is. Thereafter, the resist pattern is removed together with the polyimide film thereon (lift-off). Thereby, the upper layer portion of the p-type ZnSSe cap layer 9 patterned in a stripe shape, the p-type ZnSe contact layer 10, and the p-type ZnSe / Z
nTe MQW layer 11 and p-type ZnTe contact layer 1
The insulating layer 13 is formed on both sides of the second insulating layer 2.

Next, a Pd film, a Pt film and an Au film are sequentially formed on the entire surface of the stripe-shaped p-type ZnTe contact layer 12 and the insulating layer 13 by, for example, a vacuum evaporation method to form a p-side of a Pd / Pt / Au structure. An electrode 14 is formed. Thereafter, a heat treatment is performed as necessary to bring the p-side electrode 14 into ohmic contact with the p-type ZnTe contact layer 12. On the other hand, on the back surface of the n-type GaAs substrate 1, an n-side electrode 15 such as an In electrode is formed.

Next, the wafer-shaped n-type GaAs substrate 1 on which the laser structure was formed as described above was cleaved into a bar shape to form both resonator end faces, and further, end face coating was applied as necessary. Thereafter, the bar is cleaved to form chips. At the time of chip formation, the distance L between the stripe portion and the end face 16 parallel to the stripe portion on both sides of the stripe portion is equal to or more than the entire thickness d of the laser chip, more preferably. Then, the n-type GaAs substrate 1 is cleaved together with a plurality of II-VI group compound semiconductor layers and the like thereon so that the thickness becomes twice or more the total thickness d of the laser chip. In this case, the distance L between the stripe portion and the end face 16 is set to 600 μm.

The laser chip thus obtained is mounted on a heat sink, packaged, and a target semiconductor laser is manufactured.

Here, with the laser chip of the semiconductor laser according to this embodiment mounted on a heat sink, a voltage was applied in the forward direction between the p-side electrode 14 and the n-side electrode 15 to cause laser oscillation. FIG. 3 shows the measurement results of the aging characteristics of the electrodes. In FIG. 3, the horizontal axis represents the aging time (arbitrary unit), and the vertical axis represents the operating voltage (V). In the semiconductor laser used for this measurement, the total thickness d of the laser chip was 600 μm, the distance L between the stripe portion and the end face 16 was 600 μm, and the laser chip was placed on the heat sink with the n-side electrode 15 down. It is mounted on. FIG. 3 shows, for comparison, the conventional semiconductor laser shown in FIG.
0 μm, and the distance L between the stripe portion and the end face 116 is 2
The measurement results of the aging characteristics of the electrode (00 μm) are also shown.

FIG. 4 is a graph showing the dependence of the time required for the operating voltage to rise by 10 V from the value at the start of measurement to the distance L between the stripe portion and the end face 16 parallel to the stripe portion. In FIG. 4, the horizontal axis represents the distance L (μm) between the stripe portion and the end face 16, and the vertical axis represents time in logarithm.

As is apparent from FIGS. 3 and 4, L =
The semiconductor laser according to this embodiment having a thickness of 600 μm suppresses an increase in operating voltage during energization and improves the electrode life by at least one digit as compared with a conventional semiconductor laser having an L = 200 μm. You can see that.

According to this embodiment having the above structure, the distance L between the stripe portion and the end face 16 parallel to the stripe portion is equal to or more than the entire thickness d of the laser chip. The heat capacity of the laser chip is larger than that of the conventional one. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the temperature of the entire laser chip from becoming high due to the heat generated in the stripe portion when the semiconductor laser is energized. can do. In addition, since the stripe portion and the end face 16 are sufficiently separated from each other, damage due to cleavage during chip formation can be kept away from the stripe portion serving as a current path, and the induction of defects during energization is suppressed. , The life of the p-side electrode 14 can be improved. As described above, according to this embodiment, since the deterioration of the p-side electrode 14 during energization can be suppressed, a semiconductor laser using a long-life II-VI group compound semiconductor can be realized. .

Next, an optical disk reproducing apparatus using the semiconductor laser according to the above-described embodiment as a light source will be described. FIG. 5 shows the configuration of the optical disk reproducing apparatus.

As shown in FIG. 5, the optical disk reproducing apparatus includes a semiconductor laser 31 as a light source. As the semiconductor laser 31, the semiconductor laser according to the above-described embodiment is used. This optical disk reproducing apparatus also guides the emitted light of the semiconductor laser 31 to the optical disk D, and reproduces the reflected light (signal light) from the optical disk D, that is, a known optical system, that is, a collimator lens 32, a beam splitter 33, A quarter wavelength plate 34, an objective lens 35, a detection lens 36, a light receiving element 37 for signal light detection, and a signal light reproducing circuit 38 are provided.

In this optical disk reproducing apparatus, the outgoing light L of the semiconductor laser 31 is made parallel by the collimating lens 32 and further passed through the beam splitter 33 to the first light.
After the degree of polarization is adjusted by the 波長 wavelength plate 34, the light is condensed by the objective lens 35 and is incident on the optical disc D. Then, the signal light L ′ reflected by the optical disc D
Is reflected by a beam splitter 33 through an objective lens 35 and a quarter-wave plate 34, then enters a signal light detecting light receiving element 37 through a detection lens 36, where it is converted into an electric signal, and then converted into a signal light. In the reproducing circuit 38, the information written on the optical disk D is reproduced.

According to this optical disk reproducing apparatus, since the semiconductor laser of the above-described embodiment is used as the semiconductor laser 31 as the light source, the life of the light source is long and the reliability can be improved.

Although the case where the semiconductor laser according to the above-described embodiment is applied to the light source of the optical disk reproducing apparatus has been described here, it is also possible to apply the semiconductor laser to the light source of the optical disk recording / reproducing apparatus and the optical disk recording apparatus. Of course, the present invention can also be applied to a light source of an optical pickup device.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been specifically described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications based on the technical concept of the present invention are possible. For example, the numerical values, materials, structures, and the like described in the embodiments are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

In the above-described embodiment, the SC
Although the case where the present invention is applied to a semiconductor laser having an H structure has been described, the present invention relates to a DH structure (Double H
It is also possible to apply to a semiconductor laser having eterostructure). The active layer is a multiple quantum well (MQW).
It may be a structure.

In the above-described embodiment, II
Although the MBE method is used for growing the -VI compound semiconductor layer, for example, a metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) method may be used for growing the II-VI compound semiconductor layer.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to a semiconductor laser has been described. However, the present invention can be applied to a light emitting diode. Further, the present invention can be applied to a semiconductor light emitting device using a p-type semiconductor substrate.

[0055]

As described above, according to the semiconductor light emitting device and the method of manufacturing the same according to the present invention, the distance between the stripe portion and the end surface parallel to the stripe portion is determined by the thickness of the substrate and the thickness of the substrate. When the thickness is equal to or more than the sum of the thicknesses of the plurality of II-VI compound semiconductor layers, deterioration of the electrodes during energization is suppressed, so that a long-life semiconductor light emitting device can be realized.

Further, according to the optical recording and / or reproducing apparatus of the present invention, since the long-life semiconductor light emitting device of the present invention is used as a light source, the life can be extended and the reliability can be improved. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor laser using a II-VI compound semiconductor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an M-type semiconductor laser using a II-VI compound semiconductor according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of a BE apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a graph showing a measurement result of an aging characteristic of an electrode of a semiconductor laser using a II-VI group compound semiconductor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a graph showing a distance dependency between a stripe portion and an end face parallel to the stripe portion during a period until an operating voltage of a semiconductor laser using a II-VI compound semiconductor increases by 10V.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an optical disk reproducing apparatus using a semiconductor laser using a II-VI group compound semiconductor as a light source according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional semiconductor laser using a II-VI compound semiconductor.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... n-type GaAs substrate, 4 ... n-type ZnMgSS
e-clad layer, 5,7 ... ZnSSe optical waveguide layer, 6.
..ZnCdSe active layer, 8... P-type ZnMgSSe
Clad layer, 9 ... p-type ZnSSe cap layer, 10
... p-type ZnSe contact layer, 11 ... p-type Zn
Se / ZnTe MQW layer, 12: p-type ZnTe contact layer, 13: insulating layer, 14: p-side electrode, 1
5 ... n-side electrode, 16 ... end face

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Jun Toda 6-7-35 Kita Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Inside Sony Corporation (72) Inventor Sakurako Makino 6-35-35 Kita Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Sony Corporation

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A semiconductor light emitting device having a plurality of II-VI compound semiconductor layers laminated on a substrate, wherein an end face parallel to the stripe portion is a cleavage plane, wherein the stripe portion and the stripe portion are parallel to each other. A semiconductor light-emitting device, wherein a distance between the substrate and the end face is equal to or greater than a sum of a thickness of the substrate and a thickness of the plurality of II-VI compound semiconductor layers. 2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein a distance between the stripe portion and an end surface parallel to the stripe portion is at least twice a sum of a thickness of the substrate and a thickness of the plurality of II-VI compound semiconductor layers. The semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein a distance between said stripe portion and an end face parallel to said stripe portion is 400 μm or more. 4. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device having a plurality of II-VI compound semiconductor layers laminated on a substrate and having a cleavage plane having an end face parallel to the stripe portion, wherein the stripe portion and the stripe portion The substrate and the plurality of II-VI compound semiconductor layers such that the distance between the substrate and the end surface parallel to the substrate is equal to or greater than the thickness of the substrate and the thickness of the plurality of II-VI compound semiconductor layers. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device, wherein the semiconductor light emitting device is cleaved. 5. The distance between the stripe portion and an end surface parallel to the stripe portion is set to be at least twice the sum of the thickness of the substrate and the thickness of the plurality of II-VI compound semiconductor layers. 5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said substrate and said plurality of II-VI compound semiconductor layers are cleaved. 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the substrate and the plurality of II-VI compound semiconductor layers are cleaved such that a distance between the stripe portion and an end face parallel to the stripe portion is 400 μm or more. 5. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 4, wherein: 7. An optical recording and / or reproducing apparatus using a semiconductor light emitting device as a light source, wherein said semiconductor light emitting device has a plurality of II-VI group compound semiconductor layers laminated on a substrate, and has a stripe portion. The parallel end face is formed of a cleavage plane, and the distance between the stripe portion and the end face parallel to the stripe portion is equal to or more than the sum of the thickness of the substrate and the thicknesses of the plurality of II-VI compound semiconductor layers. An optical recording and / or reproducing apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned. 8. The distance between the stripe portion and an end face parallel to the stripe portion is equal to the thickness of the substrate and the plurality of IIs.
The optical recording and / or reproducing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the sum is at least twice the sum of the thickness of the -VI compound semiconductor layer. 9. The optical recording and / or reproducing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a distance between said stripe portion and an end face parallel to said stripe portion is 400 μm or more.