Abstract: An InAsP active region for a long wavelength light emitting device and a method for growing the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises placing a substrate in an organometallic vapor phase epitaxy (OMVPE) reactor, the substrate for supporting growth of an indium arsenide phosphide (InAsP) film, forming a quantum well layer of InAsP, and forming a barrier layer adjacent the quantum well layer, where the quantum well layer and the barrier layer are formed at a temperature of less than 520 degrees C. Forming the quantum well layer and the barrier layer at a temperature of less than 520 degrees C. results in fewer dislocations by suppressing relaxation of the layers. A long wavelength active region including InAsP quantum well layers and InGaP barrier layers is also disclosed.

Abstract: A surface-emitting laser (“SEL”) having predictable filamentation initiation. The SEL includes a light generation layer and first and second mirror layers. The first and second mirror layers reflect light generated in the light generation region back toward the light generation region. Each of the mirrors reflects light such that it adds coherently to the light generated in the light generation region or to the light reflected from the other mirror. One of the mirrors includes a localized imperfection which causes light interacting therewith to be attenuated or shifted in phase relative to light that does not interact with the imperfection region. As a result, lasing filaments are preferentially initiated in the regions adjacent to the localized imperfection.

Abstract: Several methods for producing an active region for a long wavelength light emitting device are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises placing a substrate in an organometallic vapor phase epitaxy (OMVPE) reactor, the substrate for supporting growth of an indium gallium arsenide nitride (InGaAsN) film, supplying to the reactor a group-III-V precursor mixture comprising arsine, dimethylhydrazine, alkyl-gallium, alkyl-indium and a carrier gas, where the arsine and the dimethylhydrazine are the group-V precursor materials and where the percentage of dimethylhydrazine substantially exceeds the percentage of arsine, and pressurizing the reactor to a pressure at which a concentration of nitrogen commensurate with light emission at a wavelength longer than 1.2 um is extracted from the dimethylhydrazine and deposited on the substrate.

Abstract: A short-wavelength vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) is flip-chip bonded to a long-wavelength VCSEL. The short-wavelength VCSEL is used to optically-pump the long-wavelength VCSEL. Certain embodiments of the invention can serve as optical sources for optical fiber communication systems. Methods also are provided.

Abstract: A method for making high quality InGaAsN semiconductor devices is presented. The method allows the making of high quality InGaAsN semiconductor devices using a single MOCVD reactor while avoiding aluminum contamination.

Abstract: Various asymmetric InGaAsN VCSEL structures that are made using an MOCVD process are presented. Use of the asymmetric structure effectively eliminates aluminum contamination of the quantum well active region.

Abstract: The long-wavelength photonic device comprises an active region that includes at least one quantum-well layer of a quantum-well layer material that comprises InyGa1-yAsSb in which y≧0, and that additionally includes a corresponding number of barrier layers each of a barrier layer material that includes gallium and phosphorus. The barrier layer material has a conduction-band energy level greater than the conduction-band energy level of the quantum-well layer material and has a valence-band energy level less than the valence-band energy level of the quantum-well layer material.

Abstract: An optical assembly includes an optical subassembly containing a prefabricated long wavelength laser optically coupled to a prefabricated short wavelength laser located in a housing. The optical subassembly may be removably installed in the housing in which the short wavelength laser is contained. The short wavelength laser optically pumps the long wavelength laser resulting in a long wavelength laser output. The optical subassembly allows the independent fabrication, optimization and testing of the short wavelength laser and the long wavelength laser.

Abstract: A short-wavelength vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) is flip-chip bonded to a long-wavelength VCSEL. The short-wavelength VCSEL is used to optically-pump the long-wavelength VCSEL. Certain embodiments of the invention can serve as optical sources for optical fiber communication systems. Methods also are provided.

Abstract: A light emitting device and photodetector combination having a structure in which the layer of the photodetector that contacts the light emitting device is separated from the light emitting device by a native semiconductor oxide layer that is both insulating and has a refractive index lower than that of the light emitting device and the photodetector. This configuration results in a light emitting device and photodetector structure that minimizes the capture of the spontaneous emission light output from the light emitting device by the photodetector while electrically isolating the light emitting device from the photodetector. The electrical isolation of the light emitting device from the photodetector results in a four terminal device in which the light emitting device and photodetector may be independently biased, and can therefore be operated at a very low bias voltage.

Abstract: A vertical cavity surface-emitting laser, and method of fabricating such a laser, for use in an optical communication system including an optical cavity arranged between a pair of distributed Bragg reflectors, an active region in the optical cavity, and an oxidized current confinement layer arranged on one side of the active layer. The current confinement layer includes a component, such as antimony, that is segregated into a conductive layer on one side of the current confinement layer during oxidation.

Abstract: An optically pumped vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) device and a method of fabricating the device utilize two separate substrates that perform a filtering operation to selectively transmit only light having a long peak wavelength that is generated by the device. The optically pumped VCSEL device is a self-pumped device that can generate the pump light to drive the device to emit output laser light having a long peak wavelength. The optically pumped VCSEL device includes a short-wavelength VCSEL formed on one of the two substrates and a long-wavelength VCSEL formed on the other substrate. The short-wavelength VCSEL is a current-driven VCSEL that generates short-wavelength light to drive (i.e., optically pump) the long-wavelength VCSEL. The short-wavelength VCSEL and the long-wavelength VCSEL are bonded together such that the two substrates are separated by the two VCSELs.

Abstract: A Vertical Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser (VCSEL) assembly in which the polarization is locked to a specified direction that is the same for all VCSELs. A VCSEL according to the present invention includes a VCSEL having a top mirror region, a bottom mirror region, a light generation region between the top and bottom mirror regions, a conducting substrate and a bottom electrode. The bottom mirror region is sandwiched between the conducting substrate and the light generation region, and the conducting substrate is sandwiched between the bottom electrode and the bottom mirror region. The assembly also includes a mounting substrate having top and bottom surfaces, the VCSEL being mechanically coupled to the mounting substrate. The mounting substrate includes a means for defining a first axis. The assembly includes a means for causing the mounting substrate to flex about the first axis thereby inducing a strain in the light generation region which locks the polarization into a mode determined by the first axis.

Abstract: A VCSEL that is adapted to the fabrication of an array of VCSELs. A VCSEL array according to the present invention includes first and second VCSELs for generating light of a predetermined wavelength. Each VCSEL includes a bottom reflector comprising an epitaxial layer of a semiconductor of a first conductivity type, a light generation region and a top reflector comprising a semiconductor of a second conductivity type. A bottom electrode is electrically connected to the bottom reflector, and a top electrode is electrically connected to the top reflector. The bottom electrode is grown on top of a buffer layer having an electrical conductivity less than a predetermined value and a crystalline structure that permits epitaxial growth of the bottom reflector on the buffer layer. The buffer layer may be grown on top of a substrate or be the substrate itself in the case in which a substrate having sufficiently low conductivity is utilized.

Abstract: A VCSEL with a near planar top surface on which the top electrode is deposited. A VCSEL according to the present invention includes a top electrode, a top mirror having a top surface, a light generation region, and a bottom mirror for reflecting light toward the top mirror. At least one of the mirrors includes a plurality of planar electrically conducting layers having different indices of refraction. In addition, at least one of the layers includes an oxidizable material. To expose this layer to an oxidizing agent (thereby converting the material to an electrical insulator), three or more holes are etched down from the top surface of the VCSEL to the layer containing the oxidizable material. The oxidizing agent is then introduced into the top of these holes. The partial oxidation of the layer converts the layer to one having a conducting region surrounded by an electrically insulating region, the conducting region being positioned under the top electrode.

Abstract: The present invention provides a n-drive surface emitting laser comprised of an active region, a first mirror region having a first conductivity type, a second mirror region having a second opposite conductivity type, the first and second mirror regions being located on opposite sides of the light generation region, a buffer region having a second conductivity type, and a substrate having a first conductivity type. In the preferred embodiment the first conductivity type is n-type, thus the present invention provides a method of forming an n-drive semiconductor laser on an n-type substrate. Contact is made to the p-type mirror region via a tunnel junction formed by degeneratively doping the areas of the substrate region and the buffer region which abut each other. The tunnel junction is reverse biased so that current is injected through the degeneratively doped p-n junction formed by the n+ substrate and the p-type conducting layer.

Abstract: A substantially n-type substrate structure having a p-type surface for use in semiconductor devices as a substitute for a p-type semiconductor substrate. The substrate structure comprises a substrate region and a buffer region. The substrate region is a region of n-type compound semiconductor, and includes a degeneratively n-doped portion adjacent its first surface. The buffer region is a region of compound semiconductor doped with a p-type dopant. The buffer region is located on the first surface of the substrate region and includes a surface remote from the substrate region that provides the p-type surface of the substrate structure. The buffer region also includes a degeneratively p-doped portion adjacent the degeneratively n-doped portion of the substrate region. The substrate structure includes a tunnel junction between the degeneratively n-doped portion of the substrate region and the degeneratively p-doped portion of the buffer region.

Abstract: A VCSEL that laser comprises a first mirror layer, an active layer including a quantum well region and a diffusion enhancing region, and a second mirror layer. The first and second mirror layers are layers of doped semiconductor material having a first and a second conductivity mode, respectively. The active layer is a layer of semiconductor material adjacent the first mirror layer. The second mirror layer is adjacent the active layer, remote from the first mirror layer. The diffusion enhancing region is a region of the active layer in which the semiconductor material of the active layer is doped with an acceptor impurity to such a high concentration that holes induced in the quantum well region by the diffusion enhancing region predominate over electrons in the quantum well region by about one order of magnitude.

Abstract: The present invention provides a structure and method for integrating a photodiode and surface emitting laser on a substrate which minimizes both process complexity and exposure of epitaxial layers. In a first embodiment, a photodiode structure is integrated with the surface emitting laser simply by adding a separate Schottky contact to the surface of the SEL. In a second embodiment, a photodiode structure is integrated with the surface emitting laser by positioning a current isolation region between the photodiode and the SEL. The current isolation region should extend into a first mirror region but not into the light generation region of the active region so that the light generation region of the SEL is optically coupled to the light absorption region of the photodiode.

Abstract: An integrated laser-based light source that generates an output light beam having a controlled intensity. The light source comprises a package, a laser, a light sensor, and a beam splitter. The beam splitter is mounted in the package, together with the laser and the light sensor. The laser has one and only one light-emitting face from which it radiates a light beam as a radiated light beam. The light sensor generates an electrical signal representing the intensity of light energy falling on it. The beam splitter divides the radiated light beam into a fraction and a remainder, the remainder being the output light beam. The beam splitter operates by diffraction, scattering, or transmission to direct the fraction of the radiated light beam towards the light sensor.