Classifications

• • 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
  • H01S5/02—Structural details or components not essential to laser action
  • H01S5/022—Mountings; Housings
  • H01S5/0225—Out-coupling of light
  • H01S5/02255—Out-coupling of light using beam deflecting elements
• • 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
  • H01S5/20—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
  • H01S5/22—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 having a ridge or stripe structure
• • 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
  • H01S5/30—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
  • H01S5/343—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 in AIIIBV compounds, e.g. AlGaAs-laser, InP-based laser

Definitions

• This disclosure relates to a semiconductor laser element and a method for manufacturing the same.
• Semiconductor layers such as an upper cladding layer and a diffraction grating layer are formed on top of the active layer.
• fluorine or hydrogen is introduced into the semiconductor layer. Fluorine or hydrogen is also introduced into the surface of the semiconductor layer by methane or halogen compounds used in processing the diffraction grating layer.
• methane or halogen compounds used in processing the diffraction grating layer.
• This disclosure has been made to solve the problems described above, and its purpose is to provide a semiconductor laser element and a method for manufacturing the same that can prevent fluctuations in characteristics and deterioration in reliability.
• the semiconductor laser device is characterized by comprising a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, a first cladding layer of the first conductivity type, an active layer, and a second cladding layer of a second conductivity type formed in that order on the semiconductor substrate, and a getter layer made of an Al-based material formed without gaps on the second cladding layer.
• a getter layer made of an Al-based material is formed without any gaps on the second cladding layer. This allows the getter layer to prevent residues of materials used in the manufacturing process from diffusing into the active layer. This prevents fluctuations in the characteristics of the semiconductor laser element and a decrease in reliability.
• FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a semiconductor laser element according to a first embodiment.
• 3A to 3C are cross-sectional views showing a manufacturing process of the semiconductor laser element according to the first embodiment.
• 3A to 3C are cross-sectional views showing a manufacturing process of the semiconductor laser element according to the first embodiment.
• 3A to 3C are cross-sectional views showing a manufacturing process of the semiconductor laser element according to the first embodiment.
• 3A to 3C are cross-sectional views showing a manufacturing process of the semiconductor laser element according to the first embodiment.
• 3A to 3C are cross-sectional views showing a manufacturing process of the semiconductor laser element according to the first embodiment.
• FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a semiconductor laser element according to a second embodiment.
• FIG. 10A to 10C are cross-sectional views showing a manufacturing process of a semiconductor laser element according to a second embodiment.
• FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a semiconductor laser element according to a third embodiment.
• 10A to 10C are cross-sectional views showing a manufacturing process of a semiconductor laser element according to a third embodiment.
• FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a semiconductor laser element according to a fourth embodiment.
• Embodiment 1. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a semiconductor laser device according to embodiment 1.
• This semiconductor laser device is a DFB laser (distributed feedback semiconductor laser) that performs single-mode oscillation.
• DFB laser distributed feedback semiconductor laser
• an optical waveguide structure and a resonator structure using a reflecting mirror are formed so that the semiconductor laser functions.
• the insulating film 12 is made of SiO2 (silicon oxide), SiN (silicon nitride), etc. Fluorine or hydrogen is introduced into the surface of the diffraction grating layer 11 by a fluorine compound gas used when cleaning the film-forming chamber of the CVD apparatus, or a material gas for the insulating film 12 such as silane or ammonia.
• the insulating film 12 is patterned using the photoresist 13 as a mask and fluorocarbon (a fluorinated hydrocarbon compound) as the processing gas. Fluorine or hydrogen is introduced from the fluorocarbon into the surface of the diffraction grating layer 11. The photoresist 13 is then removed using an organic solvent or the like.
• fluorocarbon a fluorinated hydrocarbon compound
• the patterned insulating film 12 is used as a mask to dry-etch the diffraction grating layer 11 using methane or a halogen compound as a processing gas to form the diffraction grating 7. Fluorine or hydrogen from the methane or halogen compound is introduced into the surface of the third cladding layer 6. The insulating film 12 is then removed using hydrofluoric acid, buffered hydrofluoric acid, or the like.
• residues of materials used in the manufacturing process are introduced onto the surface of the semiconductor layer.
• these residues diffuse and reach the active layer 3, they form non-radiative recombination centers within the active layer 3, affecting the charge state within the active layer 3 and causing fluctuations in the characteristics of the semiconductor laser element.
• the top surface of the second cladding layer 4, on which the getter layer 5 is formed is flat.
• Embodiment 2 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a semiconductor laser device according to embodiment 2. The difference from embodiment 1 is that the third cladding layer 6 is absent and the getter layer 5 and the diffraction grating 7 are in contact with each other.
• Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the manufacturing process of a semiconductor laser device according to embodiment 2.
• the diffraction grating layer 11 is dry-etched using methane or a halogen compound as the processing gas to form the diffraction grating 7.
• Fluorine or hydrogen is introduced from the methane or halogen compound onto the surface of the getter layer 5.
• the getter layer 5 prevents these residues from diffusing into the active layer 3. This prevents fluctuations in the characteristics of the semiconductor laser device and a decrease in reliability.
• Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the manufacturing process of a semiconductor laser device according to embodiment 3.
• the multiple getter layers 5 can prevent residues of materials used in the manufacturing process from diffusing into the active layer 3. This prevents fluctuations in the characteristics of the semiconductor laser device and a decrease in reliability.
• the multiple getter layers 5 are compound semiconductors composed of three or more elements, and the composition and film thickness of each of the multiple getter layers 5 may be different.
• the refractive index of a compound semiconductor composed of three or more elements can be changed by changing its composition. Because laser light is guided near the active layer 3, placing some of the multiple getter layers 5 near the active layer 3 can change the light distribution of the laser light due to the influence of the refractive index of the getter layers 5. Changing the light distribution can improve the laser characteristics or facilitate coupling with the core of an optical fiber. For example, changing the light distribution can enable light output at lower power or increase light output.
• Embodiment 4 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a semiconductor laser device according to the fourth embodiment.
• the getter layer 5 has a superlattice structure in which two layers with different compositions are alternately stacked. Note that some of the multiple getter layers 5 of the third embodiment may have a superlattice structure.
• a superlattice structure is made by stacking 10 alternating layers of AlAs and AlInAs, each of which is 10 nm or less thick.
• the two types of layers in the superlattice structure both contain Al but have different compositions.

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

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Citations (6)

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• 2024
  • 2024-03-28 WO PCT/JP2024/012811 patent/WO2025203491A1/ja active Pending
  • 2024-03-28 JP JP2026509685A patent/JPWO2025203491A1/ja active Pending

Patent Citations (6)

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