Abstract: A VCSEL having a metallic heat spreading layer adjacent a semiconductor buffer layer containing an insulating structure. The heat spreading layer includes an opening that enables light emitted by an active region to reflect from a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) top mirror located above the heat spreading layer. A substrate is below the active region. A lower contact provides electrical current to that substrate. The lower contact includes an opening that enables light emitted from the active region to reflect from a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) lower mirror. Beneficially, the substrate includes a slot that enables light to pass through an opening in the lower contact. That slot acts as an alignment structure that enables optical alignment of an external feature to the VCSEL.

Abstract: Quantum wells and associated barriers layers can be grown to include nitrogen (N), aluminum (Al), antimony (Sb), phosphorous (P) and/or indium (In) placed within or about a typical GaAs substrate to achieve long wavelength VCSEL performance, e.g., within the 1260 to 1650 nm range. In accordance with features of the present invention, a vertical cavity surface emitting laser is described that includes at least one quantum well comprised of InGaAs; GaAsN barrier layers sandwiching said at least one quantum well; and GaAsN confinement layers sandwiching said barrier layers. GaAsN barrier layers sandwiching the quantum well and AlGaAs confinement layers sandwiching the barrier layers can also be provided with a InGaAs quantum well. AlGaAs barrier layers sandwiching the at least one quantum well and GaAsN confinement layers sandwiching the barrier layers can also be provided with a InGaAs quantum well. Quantum wells can be developed up to and including 50 ? in thickness.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a single mode VCSEL (vertical cavity surface emitting laser) component (100) is disclosed, comprising a semiconductor substrate (102) having a lower surface and an upper surface, a bottom electrical contact (104) disposed along the lower surface of the substrate, a lower mirror (106) formed of n-type material and disposed upon the upper surface of the substrate, an active region (108) having a plurality of quantum wells disposed upon the lower mirror portion, an upper mirror (110) formed from isotropic material and disposed upon the active region, an equipotential layer (112) disposed upon the upper mirror portion, a first upper electrical contact (120) disposed upon the equipotential layer, a second upper electrical contact (122) disposed upon the equipotential layer at a particular distance (124) from the first upper electrical contact, a first isolation region (126) disposed beneath the first upper contact and traversing the equipotential layer, the upper mirror, the activ

Abstract: Atomic hydrogen flux impinging on the surface of a growing layer of III-V compounds during VCSEL processing can prevent three-dimensional growth and related misfit dislocations. Use of hydrogen during semiconductor processing can allow, for example, more indium in InGaAs quantum wells grown on GaAs. Atomic hydrogen use can also promote good quality growth at lower temperatures, which makes nitrogen incorporated in a non-segregated fashion producing better material. Quantum wells and associated barriers layers can be grown to include nitrogen (N), aluminum (Al), antimony (Sb), and/or indium (In) placed within or about a typical GaAs substrate to achieve long wavelength VCSEL performance, e.g., within the 1260 to 1650 nm range.

Abstract: An asymmetric distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) suitable for use in vertical cavity surface emitting lasers. The asymmetric DBR is comprised of stacked material layers having different indexes of refraction that are joined using asymmetrical transition regions in which the transition steps within a transition region have different material compositions, different doping levels, and different layer thicknesses. Adjacent transition regions have different transition steps. Thinner transition regions are relatively highly doped and are located where the optical standing wave within the DBR has a low field strength. Thicker transition regions are relatively lightly doped and are located where the optical standing wave has a relatively high field strength. Beneficially, in the AlXGa(1?X)As material system the stacked material layers are alternating layers of AlAs and GaAs. Other material systems will use other alternating layers.

Abstract: A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) in which a higher order lasing mode produces a Gaussian-like single mode far field beam intensity pattern. Such a VCSEL includes a protective surface deposition on a VCSEL structure, and phase filter elements on the surface deposition. The surface deposition and the phase filter elements implement an optical phase filter that induces optical path difference such that a single mode far field beam intensity pattern results when the VCSEL operates in a higher order lasing mode. The VCSEL can include structures that enhance a selected higher-order operating mode and/or that suppress unwanted operating modes.

Abstract: A vertical cavity emitting laser (VCSEL) having a tunnel junction. The junction may be isolated with an implant into a top mirror and past the junction and p-layer. A trench around the VCSEL may result in reduced capacitance and more D.C. isolation of the junction. The implant may occur after the trench is made. Some implant may pass the trench to a bottom mirror. Additional isolation and current confinement may be provided with lateral oxidation of a layer below the junction. Internal trenches may be made from the top of the VCSEL vertically to an oxidizable layer below the junction. For further isolation, an open trench may be placed around a bonding pad and its bridge to the VCSEL and internal vertical trenches may be placed on the pad and its bridge down to the oxidizable layer.

Abstract: Optoelectronic devices are disclosed, an example of which is a vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (“VCSEL”) configured to emit in a single transverse mode. One exemplary VCSEL includes a substrate with upper and lower surfaces, where a lower mirror portion is disposed upon the upper surface of the substrate. An active region of the VCSEL is bounded on one side by the lower mirror portion, and on the other side by an upper mirror portion that substantially comprises an electrically isotropic material. In addition, the VCSEL includes a substantially equipotential layer disposed on the upper mirror portion, and an insulating layer arranged between the upper mirror portion and the substantially equipotential layer and defining an aperture. Among other things, such configurations enable single, lowest order, mode operation over a range of operating currents, while also providing for suppression or elimination of higher order modes.

Abstract: VCSELs having upper mirror structures comprised of a semiconductive top DBR, metal contacts, and a top mirror. The top DBR is thick enough for adequate current spreading, but thin enough, being no more than 3.5 microns, to enable easy fabrication of an isolation region. The top mirror, which is over the top DBR, enhances reflectivity. That top mirror is beneficially comprised of a dielectric material, such as TiO2; TiO2+SiO2 (robust and reliable); TiO2+Al2O3 (good thermal conductivity); or Si+MgO, or of a metal. The top mirror is beneficially formed using a vacuum deposition method, such as e-beam or sputtering. The metal contacts are formed on the top DBR. The VCSELs further include a substrate with an electrical contact, a bottom DBR, a bottom spacer, an active region, and a top spacer. Such VCSELs are particularly beneficial at long wavelengths.

Abstract: A vertical cavity emitting laser (VCSEL) having a tunnel junction. The junction may be isolated with an implant into a top mirror and past the junction and p-layer. A trench around the VCSEL may result in reduced capacitance and more D.C. isolation of the junction. The implant may occur after the trench is made. Some implant may pass the trench to a bottom mirror. Additional isolation and current confinement may be provided with lateral oxidation of a layer below the junction. Internal trenches may be made from the top of the VCSEL vertically to an oxidizable layer below the junction. For further isolation, an open trench may be placed around a bonding pad and its bridge to the VCSEL and internal vertical trenches may be placed on the pad and its bridge down to the oxidizable layer.

Abstract: A VCSEL having a current confinement structure comprised of deep traps formed by implanting either iron (Fe) or chrome (Cr) into a group III-V compound, such as InP or GaAs. Beneficially, the VCSEL is part of an array of VCSELs produced on a common substrate.

Abstract: An oxide-confined VCSELs having a distributed Bragg reflector with a heavily doped high Al content oxide aperture forming layer disposed between a low Al content first layer and a medium Al content second layer. Between the first layer and the oxide aperture forming layer there may be a thin transition region wherein the Al content changes from a higher Al content to a lower Al content. In some embodiments, the Al concentration from the oxide aperture forming layer to the second layer may occur in a step. The oxide aperture forming layer may be disposed at or near a null or a node of the electric field produced by resonant laser light. During the oxidization of the oxide aperture forming layer, all or some of the other aluminum bearing DBR layers may also become oxidized, but to a substantially lesser degree. The junction between the oxidized portion and un-oxidized portion of these layers is believed to reduce the stability and/or reliability of the device.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a single mode VCSEL (vertical cavity surface emitting laser) component (100) is disclosed, comprising a semiconductor substrate (102) having a lower surface and an upper surface, a bottom electrical contact (104) disposed along the lower surface of the substrate, a lower mirror (106) formed of n-type material and disposed upon the upper surface of the substrate, an active region (108) having a plurality of quantum wells disposed upon the lower mirror portion, an upper mirror (110) formed from isotropic material and disposed upon the active region, an equipotential layer (112) disposed upon the upper mirror portion, a first upper electrical contact (120) disposed upon the equipotential layer, a second upper electrical contact (122) disposed upon the equipotential layer at a particular distance (124) from the first upper electrical contact, a first isolation region (126) disposed beneath the first upper contact and traversing the equipotential layer, the upper mirror, the activ

Abstract: A system and method for providing a single mode VCSEL (vertical cavity surface emitting laser) component (100) is disclosed, comprising a semiconductor substrate (102) having a lower surface and an upper surface, a bottom electrical contact (104) disposed along the lower surface of the substrate, a lower mirror (106) formed of n-type material and disposed upon the upper surface of the substrate, an active region (108) having a plurality of quantum wells disposed upon the lower mirror portion, an upper mirror (110) formed from isotropic material and disposed upon the active region, an equipotential layer (112) disposed upon the upper mirror portion, a first upper electrical contact (120) disposed upon the equipotential layer, a second upper electrical contact (122) disposed upon the equipotential layer at a particular distance (124) from the first upper electrical contact, a first isolation region (126) disposed beneath the first upper contact and traversing the equipotential layer, the upper mirror, the activ

Abstract: A VCSEL having a metallic heat spreading layer adjacent a semiconductor buffer layer containing an insulating structure. The heat spreading layer includes an opening that enables light emitted by an active region to reflect from a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) top mirror located above the heat spreading layer. A substrate is below the active region. A lower contact provides electrical current to that substrate. The lower contact includes an opening that enables light emitted from the active region to reflect from a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) lower mirror. Beneficially, the substrate includes a slot that enables light to pass through an opening in the lower contact. That slot acts as an alignment structure that enables optical alignment of an external feature to the VCSEL.

Abstract: MBE nitrogen sources of dimethylhydrazine, tertiarybutlyhydrazine, nitrogentrifloride, and NHx radicals. Those nitrogen sources are beneficial in forming nitrogen-containing materials on crystalline subtrates using MBE. Semiconductor lasers in general, and VCSEL in particular, that have nitrogen-containing layers can be formed using such nitrogen sources.

Abstract: Atomic hydrogen flux impinging on the surface of a growing layer of III-V compounds during VCSEL processing can prevent three-dimensional growth and related misfit dislocations. Use of hydrogen during semiconductor processing can allow, for example, more indium in InGaAs quantum wells grown on GaAs. Atomic hydrogen use can also promote good quality growth at lower temperatures, which makes nitrogen incorporated in a non-segregated fashion producing better material. Quantum wells and associated barriers layers can be grown to include nitrogen (N), aluminum (Al), antimony (Sb), and/or indium (In) placed within or about a typical GaAs substrate to achieve long wavelength VCSEL performance, e.g., within the 1260 to 1650 nm range.

Abstract: A wavelength selective detector having a first absorbing layer for absorbing light with a wavelength below a lower band cutoff, a second absorbing layer downstream of the first absorbing layer for absorbing light with a wavelength below an upper band cutoff, and a confinement layer situated between the first and second absorbing layers. The lower and upper band cutoffs can be set by controlling the bandgaps and/or thicknesses of the first and second absorbing layers. The wavelength selective detector of the present invention has a good out-of-band rejection, a narrow spectral responsivity, and a high in-band responsivity. In addition, the wavelength selective detector is relatively easy to manufacture using conventional integrated circuit fabrication techniques.

Abstract: A wavelength selective detector having a first absorbing layer for absorbing light with a wavelength below a lower band cutoff, a second absorbing layer downstream of the first absorbing layer for absorbing light with a wavelength below an upper band cutoff, and a confinement layer situated between the first and second absorbing layers. The lower and upper band cutoffs can be set by controlling the bandgaps and/or thicknesses of the first and second absorbing layers. The wavelength selective detector of the present invention has a good out-of-band rejection, a narrow spectral responsivity, and a high in-band responsivity. In addition, the wavelength selective detector is relatively easy to manufacture using conventional integrated circuit fabrication techniques.

Abstract: Methods and Systems producing flattening layers associated with nitrogen-containing quantum wells and to prevent 3-D growth of nitrogen containing layers using high As fluxes. MEE (Migration Enhanced Epitaxy) is used to flatten layers and enhance smoothness of quantum wells interfaces and to achieve narrowing of the spectrum of light emitted from nitrogen containing quantum wells. MEE is performed by alternately depositing single atomic layers of group III and V before, and/or after, and/or in-between quantum wells. Where GaAs is used, the process can be accomplished by alternately opening and closing Ga and As shutters in an MBE system, while preventing both from being open at the same time. Where nitrogen is used, the system incorporates a mechanical means of preventing nitrogen from entering the MBE processing chamber, such as a gate valve.