Abstract: A method for producing an optical output, including the following steps: providing first and second electrical signals; providing a bipolar light-emitting transistor device that includes collector, base, and emitter regions; providing a collector electrode coupled with the collector region and an emitter electrode coupled with the emitter region, and coupling electrical potentials with respect to the collector and emitter electrodes; providing an optical coupling in optical communication with the base region; providing first and second base electrodes coupled with the base region; and coupling the first and second electrical signals with the first and second base electrodes, respectively, to produce an optical output emitted from the base region and coupled into the optical coupling, the optical output being a function of the first and second electrical signals.

Abstract: A method for producing an optical output, including the following steps: providing first and second electrical signals; providing a bipolar light-emitting transistor device that includes collector, base, and emitter regions; providing a collector electrode coupled with the collector region and an emitter electrode coupled with the emitter region, and coupling electrical potentials with respect to the collector and emitter electrodes; providing an optical coupling in optical communication with the base region; providing first and second base electrodes coupled with the base region; and coupling the first and second electrical signals with the first and second base electrodes, respectively, to produce an optical output emitted from the base region and coupled into the optical coupling, the optical output being a function of the first and second electrical signals.

Abstract: A method for producing controllable light pulses includes the following steps: providing a heterojunction bipolar transistor structure including collector, base, and emitter regions of semiconductor materials; providing an optical resonant cavity enclosing at least a portion of the transistor structure; and coupling electrical signals with respect to the collector, base, and emitter regions, to switch back and forth between a stimulated emission mode that produces output laser pulses and a spontaneous emission mode. In a form of the method, the electrical signals include an AC excitation signal, and part of each excitation signal cycle is operative to produce stimulated emission, and another part of each excitation signal cycle is operative to produce spontaneous emission.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device includes the following steps: providing a plurality of semiconductor layers; providing means for coupling signals to and/or from layers of the device; providing a quantum well disposed between adjacent layers of the device; and providing a layer of quantum dots disposed in one of the adjacent layers, and spaced from the quantum well, whereby carriers can tunnel in either direction between the quantum well and the quantum dots.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device includes the following steps: providing a plurality of semiconductor layers; providing means for coupling signals to and/or from layers of the device; providing a layer of quantum dots disposed between adjacent layers of the device; and providing an auxiliary layer disposed in one of the adjacent layers, and spaced from the layer of quantum dots, the auxiliary layer being operative to communicate carriers with the layer of quantum dots.

Abstract: A high life cycle and low voltage MEMS device. In an aspect of the invention, separate support posts are disposed to prevent a suspended switch pad from touching the actuation pad while permitting the switch pad to ground a signal line. In another aspect of the invention, cantilevered support beams are made from a thicker material than the switching pad. Increased thickness material in the cantilever tends to keep the switch flat in its resting position. Features of preferred embodiments include dimples in the switch pad to facilitate contact with a signal line and serpentine cantilevers arranged symmetrically to support the switch pad.

Abstract: A method for enhancing operation of a bipolar light-emitting transistor includes the following steps: providing a bipolar light-emitting transistor having emitter, base, and collector regions; providing electrodes for coupling electrical signals with the emitter, base, and collector regions; and adapting the base region to promote carrier transport from the emitter region toward the collector region by providing, in the base region, several spaced apart quantum size regions of different thicknesses, with the thicknesses of the quantum size regions being graded from thickest near the collector to thinnest near the emitter.

Abstract: A high life cycle and low voltage MEMS device. In an aspect of the invention, separate support posts are disposed to prevent a suspended switch pad from touching the actuation pad while permitting the switch pad to ground a signal line. In another aspect of the invention, cantilevered support beams are made from a thicker material than the switching pad. Increased thickness material in the cantilever tends to keep the switch flat in its resting position. Features of preferred embodiments include dimples in the switch pad to facilitate contact with a signal line and serpentine cantilevers arranged symmetrically to support the switch pad.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device includes the following steps: providing a plurality of semiconductor layers; providing means for coupling signals to and/or from layers of the device; providing a layer of quantum dots disposed between adjacent layers of the device; and providing an auxiliary layer disposed in one of the adjacent layers, and spaced from the layer of quantum dots, the auxiliary layer being operative to communicate carriers with the layer of quantum dots.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device includes the following steps: providing a plurality of semiconductor layers; providing means for coupling signals to and/or from layers of the device; providing a quantum well disposed between adjacent layers of the device; and providing a layer of quantum dots disposed in one of the adjacent layers, and spaced from the quantum well, whereby carriers can tunnel in either direction between the quantum well and the quantum dots.

Abstract: A semiconductor light emitting device is disclosed. The device has a tunnel junction disposed between a p-type layer and an n-type layer. The tunnel junction includes a tunnel barrier that is a non-continuous layer. The device also includes means for causing lateral electron flow into the tunnel junction.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices and methods are disclosed in which the amount of p-type material can be minimized, with attendant advantages in electrical, thermal, and optical performance, and in fabrication. A form of the disclosure is directed to a generally planar semiconductor device wherein a layer of p-type semiconductor material is disposed over a layer of n-type semiconductor material, and an electric potential is coupled between the p-type layer and the n-type layer, and wherein current in the device that is lateral to the plane of the layers is coupled into the p-type layer. A tunnel junction is adjacent the p-type layer for converting the lateral current into hole current. In an embodiment of this form of the disclosure, the tunnel junction is an n+/p+ junction oriented with the p+ portion thereof adjacent the p-type layer. The lateral current can be electron current in the n+ layer and/or electron current in a further layer of n-type material disposed over the tunnel junction.

Abstract: A method of forming a native oxide from an aluminum-bearing Group III-V semiconductor material is provided. The method entails exposing the aluminum-bearing Group III-V semiconductor material to a water-containing environment and a temperature of at least about 375 C to convert at least a portion of said aluminum-bearing material to a native oxide characterized in that the thickness of said native oxide is substantially the same as or less than the thickness of that portion of said aluminum-bearing Group III-V semiconductor material thus converted. The native oxide thus formed has particular utility in electrical and optoelectrical devices, such as lasers.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser device includes, in a disclosed embodiment: a semiconductor active region disposed between upper and lower confining regions of opposite type semiconductor material; reflective facets at opposing edges of the active and confining regions; at least one of the confining regions including a layer of relatively high aluminum fraction aluminum-bearing III-V material between layers of relatively low aluminum fraction aluminum bearing III-V material, the layer of relatively high aluminum fraction material having, at its edges and adjacent the facets, spikes of native oxide of aluminum; and electrodes for applying electric potential across the upper and lower confining regions.

Abstract: A method of forming a native oxide from an aluminum-bearing Group III-V semiconductor material is provided. The method entails exposing the aluminum-bearing Group III-V semiconductor material to a water-containing environment and a temperature of at least about 375.degree. C. to convert at least a portion of said aluminum-bearing material to a native oxide characterized in that the thickness of said native oxide is substantially the same as or less than the thickness of that portion of said aluminum-bearing Group III-V semiconductor material thus converted. The native oxide thus formed has particular utility in electrical and optoelectrical devices, such as lasers.

Abstract: By implementing oxidation to obtain a native oxide of aluminum (581,582) after a device has been metallized (505,565), advantages can be obtained in device operation, reliability, and life. A method of making a semiconductor device is disclosed and includes the following steps: forming a structure comprising layers of III-V semiconductor material, at least one of the layers being an aluminum-beating III-V semiconductor material (530,550); applying metal electrodes (505,565) to the structure to form a medalist semiconductor structure; and heating the medalist structure in a water-containing environment to convert a portion of the aluminum-bearing III-V semiconductor material to a native oxide of aluminum (581,582).

Abstract: LEDs and other semiconductor devices fabricated with III-V materials and having exposed Al-bearing surfaces passivated with native oxides are disclosed. A known high temperature water vapor oxidation process is used to passivate the exposed layers of Al-bearing III-V semiconductor materials in confined-emission spot LEDs and other light emitting devices. These devices exhibit greatly improved wet, high temperature operating life, with little to no degradation in light output when exposed to such conditions.

Abstract: In a form of the disclosure an array of coupled cavities (called minicavities) of a QWH semiconductor laser are defined by a native oxide of an aluminum-bearing III-V semiconductor material and are arranged serially end-to-end along the longitudinal direction. The native oxide confines the injected carriers and optical field within the cavities, resulting in reflection and optical feedback distributed periodically along the laser stripe. Single-longitudinal-mode operation is exhibited over an extended range. In a further form of the disclosure, two linear arrays of end-coupled minicavities are arranged side by side to obtain a two dimensional array, with resultant lateral coupling between the linear arrays. The two dimensional array exhibits mode switching and multiple switching in the light power (L) versus current (I) characteristic (L-I) with increasing current. In another form of the disclosure, a stripe laser is transversely coupled (or side-coupled) with a linear array of end-coupled minicavities.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to improved techniques and devices employing an aluminum-bearing III-V semiconductor material and a native oxide of aluminum that is formed in the semiconductor material. Effective optical confinement, tailored to obtain desired operating conditions, can be achieved with a thick native oxide of aluminum that extends through at least one-third of the thickness of the aluminum-bearing layer in which the native oxide is formed. The resultant lateral index step can be made quite large and employed for devices such as ring lasers.

Abstract: A fabrication method for providing a semiconductor light-emitting device includes growing a plurality of layers on a semiconductor substrate, including forming a lower cladding layer and an active region for generating lightwaves. A laminated cladding structure is formed on the active region. The laminated cladding structure includes a lower layer that is substantially aluminum-free to inhibit oxidation and includes an upper layer that is aluminum-bearing in order to promote oxidation. The upper layer of the lamination is oxidized along selected first regions and is selectively masked to prevent oxidation for second regions. The oxidation of the first region is carried out under conditions such that a native oxide is formed throughout the thickness of the first regions. Electrical current to the active region for operating the light-emitting device is channeled via the unoxidized region of the upper layer of the lamination. In a preferred embodiment, the device is an InGaAsP-AlInAs-InP laser.