Patents by Inventor Steven DenBaars

Steven DenBaars has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20230123976
    Abstract: A method of manufacture and resulting structure for a single crystal electronic device with an enhanced strain interface region. The method of manufacture can include forming a nucleation layer overlying a substrate and forming a first and second single crystal layer overlying the nucleation layer. These first and second layers can be doped by introducing one or more impurity species to form the strained single crystal layers. The first and second strained layers can be aligned along the same crystallographic direction to form a strained single crystal bi-layer having an enhanced strain interface region. Using this enhanced single crystal bi-layer to form active or passive devices results in improved physical characteristics, such as enhanced photon velocity or improved density charges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2022
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Inventors: Shawn R. GIBB, Steven DENBAARS, Jeffrey B. SHEALY
  • Patent number: 11557716
    Abstract: A method of manufacture and resulting structure for a single crystal electronic device with an enhanced strain interface region. The method of manufacture can include forming a nucleation layer overlying a substrate and forming a first and second single crystal layer overlying the nucleation layer. This first and second layers can be doped by introducing one or more impurity species to form a strained single crystal layers. The first and second strained layers can be aligned along the same crystallographic direction to form a strained single crystal bi-layer having an enhanced strain interface region. Using this enhanced single crystal bi-layer to form active or passive devices results in improved physical characteristics, such as enhanced photon velocity or improved density charges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Akoustis, Inc.
    Inventors: Shawn R. Gibb, Steven Denbaars, Jeffrey B. Shealy
  • Publication number: 20220042672
    Abstract: A light source or system configured to emit visible white light and infrared emissions includes a laser diode, a wavelength converter, and an infrared emitting laser diode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicant: KYOCERA SLD Laser, Inc.
    Inventors: James W. Raring, Paul Rudy, Melvin McLaurin, Troy Trottier, Steven DenBaars
  • Patent number: 11245382
    Abstract: A method of manufacture and structure for an acoustic resonator device having a hybrid piezoelectric stack with a strained single crystal layer and a thermally-treated polycrystalline layer. The method can include forming a strained single crystal piezoelectric layer overlying the nucleation layer and having a strain condition and piezoelectric layer parameters, wherein the strain condition is modulated by nucleation growth parameters and piezoelectric layer parameters to improve one or more piezoelectric properties of the strained single crystal piezoelectric layer. Further, the method can include forming a polycrystalline piezoelectric layer overlying the strained single crystal piezoelectric layer, and performing a thermal treatment on the polycrystalline piezoelectric layer to form a recrystallized polycrystalline piezoelectric layer. The resulting device with this hybrid piezoelectric stack exhibits improved electromechanical coupling and wide bandwidth performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: AKOUSTIS, INC.
    Inventors: Shawn R. Gibb, Craig Moe, Jeff Leathersich, Steven Denbaars, Jeffrey B. Shealy
  • Patent number: 11125415
    Abstract: A light source system or apparatus configured with an infrared illumination source includes a gallium and nitrogen containing laser diode based white light source. The light source system includes a first pathway configured to direct directional electromagnetic radiation from the gallium and nitrogen containing laser diode to a first wavelength converter and to output a white light emission. In some embodiments infrared emitting laser diodes are included to generate the infrared illumination. In some embodiments infrared emitting wavelength converter members are included to generate the infrared illumination. In some embodiments a second wavelength converter is optically excited by a UV or blue emitting gallium and nitrogen containing laser diode, a laser diode operating in the long wavelength visible spectrum such as a green laser diode or a red laser diode, by a near infrared emitting laser diode, by the white light emission produced by the first wavelength converter, or by some combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: KYOCERA SLD Laser, Inc.
    Inventors: James W. Raring, Paul Rudy, Melvin McLaurin, Troy Trottier, Steven DenBaars
  • Publication number: 20210018161
    Abstract: A light source system or apparatus configured with an infrared illumination source includes a gallium and nitrogen containing laser diode based white light source. The light source system includes a first pathway configured to direct directional electromagnetic radiation from the gallium and nitrogen containing laser diode to a first wavelength converter and to output a white light emission. In some embodiments infrared emitting laser diodes are included to generate the infrared illumination. In some embodiments infrared emitting wavelength converter members are included to generate the infrared illumination. In some embodiments a second wavelength converter is optically excited by a UV or blue emitting gallium and nitrogen containing laser diode, a laser diode operating in the long wavelength visible spectrum such as a green laser diode or a red laser diode, by a near infrared emitting laser diode, by the white light emission produced by the first wavelength converter, or by some combination thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2020
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Inventors: James W. Raring, Paul Rudy, Melvin McLaurin, Troy Trottier, Steven DenBaars
  • Patent number: 10718491
    Abstract: A light source system or apparatus configured with an infrared illumination source includes a gallium and nitrogen containing laser diode based white light source. The light source system includes a first pathway configured to direct directional electromagnetic radiation from the gallium and nitrogen containing laser diode to a first wavelength converter and to output a white light emission. In some embodiments infrared emitting laser diodes are included to generate the infrared illumination. In some embodiments infrared emitting wavelength converter members are included to generate the infrared illumination. In some embodiments a second wavelength converter is optically excited by a UV or blue emitting gallium and nitrogen containing laser diode, a laser diode operating in the long wavelength visible spectrum such as a green laser diode or a red laser diode, by a near infrared emitting laser diode, by the white light emission produced by the first wavelength converter, or by some combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Soraa Laser Diode, Inc.
    Inventors: James W. Raring, Paul Rudy, Melvin McLaurin, Troy Trottier, Steven DenBaars
  • Publication number: 20200119715
    Abstract: A method of manufacture and structure for an acoustic resonator device having a hybrid piezoelectric stack with a strained single crystal layer and a thermally-treated polycrystalline layer. The method can include forming a strained single crystal piezoelectric layer overlying the nucleation layer and having a strain condition and piezoelectric layer parameters, wherein the strain condition is modulated by nucleation growth parameters and piezoelectric layer parameters to improve one or more piezoelectric properties of the strained single crystal piezoelectric layer. Further, the method can include forming a polycrystalline piezoelectric layer overlying the strained single crystal piezoelectric layer, and performing a thermal treatment on the polycrystalline piezoelectric layer to form a recrystallized polycrystalline piezoelectric layer. The resulting device with this hybrid piezoelectric stack exhibits improved electromechanical coupling and wide bandwidth performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Inventors: Shawn R. GIBB, Craig MOE, Jeff LEATHERSICH, Steven DENBAARS, Jeffrey B. SHEALY
  • Patent number: 10523180
    Abstract: A method of manufacture and structure for an acoustic resonator device having a hybrid piezoelectric stack with a strained single crystal layer and a thermally-treated polycrystalline layer. The method can include forming a strained single crystal piezoelectric layer overlying the nucleation layer and having a strain condition and piezoelectric layer parameters, wherein the strain condition is modulated by nucleation growth parameters and piezoelectric layer parameters to improve one or more piezoelectric properties of the strained single crystal piezoelectric layer. Further, the method can include forming a polycrystalline piezoelectric layer overlying the strained single crystal piezoelectric layer, and performing a thermal treatment on the polycrystalline piezoelectric layer to form a recrystallized polycrystalline piezoelectric layer. The resulting device with this hybrid piezoelectric stack exhibits improved electromechanical coupling and wide bandwidth performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Akoustis, Inc.
    Inventors: Shawn R. Gibb, Craig Moe, Jeff Leathersich, Steven Denbaars, Jeffrey B. Shealy
  • Publication number: 20190259934
    Abstract: A method of manufacture and resulting structure for a single crystal electronic device with an enhanced strain interface region. The method of manufacture can include forming a nucleation layer overlying a substrate and forming a first and second single crystal layer overlying the nucleation layer. This first and second layers can be doped by introducing one or more impurity species to form a strained single crystal layers. The first and second strained layers can be aligned along the same crystallographic direction to form a strained single crystal bi-layer having an enhanced strain interface region. Using this enhanced single crystal bi-layer to form active or passive devices results in improved physical characteristics, such as enhanced photon velocity or improved density charges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Inventors: Shawn R. GIBB, Steven DENBAARS, Jeffrey B. SHEALY
  • Publication number: 20180342999
    Abstract: A method of manufacture and structure for an acoustic resonator device having a hybrid piezoelectric stack with a strained single crystal layer and a thermally-treated polycrystalline layer. The method can include forming a strained single crystal piezoelectric layer overlying the nucleation layer and having a strain condition and piezoelectric layer parameters, wherein the strain condition is modulated by nucleation growth parameters and piezoelectric layer parameters to improve one or more piezoelectric properties of the strained single crystal piezoelectric layer. Further, the method can include forming a polycrystalline piezoelectric layer overlying the strained single crystal piezoelectric layer, and performing a thermal treatment on the polycrystalline piezoelectric layer to form a recrystallized polycrystalline piezoelectric layer. The resulting device with this hybrid piezoelectric stack exhibits improved electromechanical coupling and wide bandwidth performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Publication date: November 29, 2018
    Inventors: Shawn R. GIBB, Craig MOE, Jeff LEATHERSICH, Steven DENBAARS, Jeffrey B. SHEALY
  • Patent number: 8679876
    Abstract: A laser diode and method for fabricating same, wherein the laser diode generally comprises an InGaN compliance layer on a GaN n-type contact layer and an AlGaN/GaN n-type strained super lattice (SLS) on the compliance layer. An n-type GaN separate confinement heterostructure (SCH) is on said n-type SLS and an InGaN multiple quantum well (MQW) active region is on the n-type SCH. A GaN p-type SCH on the MQW active region, an AlGaN/GaN p-type SLS is on the p-type SCH, and a p-type GaN contact layer is on the p-type SLS. The compliance layer has an In percentage that reduces strain between the n-type contact layer and the n-type SLS compared to a laser diode without the compliance layer. Accordingly, the n-type SLS can be grown with an increased Al percentage to increase the index of refraction. This along with other features allows for reduced threshold current and voltage operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Arpan Chakraborty, Monica Hansen, Steven Denbaars, Shuji Nakamura, George Brandes
  • Patent number: 8372204
    Abstract: A susceptor for holding semiconductor wafers in an MOCVD reactor during growth of epitaxial layers on the wafers is disclosed. The susceptor comprises a base structure made of a material having low thermal conductivity at high temperature, and has one or more plate holes to house heat transfer plugs. The plugs are made of a material with high thermal conductivity at high temperatures to transfer heat to the semiconductor wafers. A metalorganic chemical vapor deposition reactor is also disclosed utilizing a susceptor according to the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Shuji Nakamura, Steven DenBaars, Max Batres, Michael Coulter
  • Patent number: 8366830
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a susceptor mounting assembly for holding semiconductor wafers in an MOCVD reactor during growth of epitaxial layers on the wafers, that is particularly adapted for mounting a susceptor in an inverted type reactor chamber. It includes a tower having an upper and lower end with the upper end mounted to the top inside surface of the reactor chamber and a susceptor is arranged at the tower's lower end. Semiconductor wafers are held adjacent to the susceptor such that heat from the susceptor passes into wafers. A second embodiment of a susceptor mounting assembly according to the invention also comprises a tower having an upper and lower end. The tower's upper end is mounted to the top inside surface of the reactor chamber. A susceptor is housed within a cup and the cup is mounted to the tower's lower end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Shuji Nakamura, Steven DenBaars, Max Batres, Michael Coulter
  • Patent number: 8133322
    Abstract: A semiconductor fabrication reactor according to the invention comprises a rotatable susceptor mounted to the top of a reactor chamber. One or more wafers are mounted to a surface of the susceptor and the rotation of the susceptor causes the wafers to rotate within the chamber. A heater heats the susceptor and a chamber gas inlet allows semiconductor growth gasses into the reactor chamber to deposit semiconductor material on said wafers. A chamber gas outlet is included to allow growth gasses to exit the chamber. In a preferred embodiment, the inlet is at or below the level of said wafers and the outlet is preferably at or above the level of the wafers. A semiconductor fabrication system according to the invention comprises a source of gasses for forming epitaxial layers on wafers and a source of gasses for dopants in said epitaxial layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Shuji Nakamura, Steven DenBaars, Max Batres, Michael Coulter
  • Patent number: 8050304
    Abstract: A laser diode comprising a first separate confinement heterostructure and an active region on the first separate confinement heterostructure. A second separate confinement heterostructure is on the active region and one or more epitaxial layers is on the second separate confinement heterostructure. A ridge is formed in the epitaxial layers with a first mesa around the ridge. The first mesa is 0.1 to 0.2 microns above the second confinement heterostructure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Denbaars, Shuji Nakamura, Monica Hansen
  • Publication number: 20100330720
    Abstract: A laser diode comprising a first separate confinement heterostructure and an active region on the first separate confinement heterostructure. A second separate confinement heterostructure is on the active region and one or more epitaxial layers is on the second separate confinement heterostructure. A ridge is formed in the epitaxial layers with a first mesa around the ridge. The first mesa is 0.1 to 0.2 microns above the second confinement heterostructure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Inventors: STEVEN DENBAARS, Shuji Nakamura, Monica Hansen
  • Patent number: 7825006
    Abstract: One embodiment of a method according to the present invention for fabricating a high light extraction photonic device comprises growing a lift-off layer on a substrate and growing an epitaxial semiconductor device structure on the lift-off layer such that the lift-off layer is sandwiched between said device structure and substrate. The epitaxial semiconductor structure comprises an emitter adapted to emit light in response to a bias. The device structure, lift-off layer and substrate is flip-chip mounted on a submount such that the epitaxial semiconductor device structure is sandwiched between the submount and lift-off layer. The lift-off layer is removed to separate the substrate from the device structure. Different removal methods can be used such as removal by a photo electrochemical etch or by illuminating the lift-off layer with laser light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Shuji Nakamura, Steven DenBaars
  • Publication number: 20100273281
    Abstract: A laser diode and method for fabricating same, wherein the laser diode generally comprises an InGaN compliance layer on a GaN n-type contact layer and an AlGaN/GaN n-type strained super lattice (SLS) on the compliance layer. An n-type GaN separate confinement heterostructure (SCH) is on said n-type SLS and an InGaN multiple quantum well (MQW) active region is on the n-type SCH. A GaN p-type SCH on the MQW active region, an AlGaN/GaN p-type SLS is on the p-type SCH, and a p-type GaN contact layer is on the p-type SLS. The compliance layer has an In percentage that reduces strain between the n-type contact layer and the n-type SLS compared to a laser diode without the compliance layer. Accordingly, the n-type SLS can be grown with an increased Al percentage to increase the index of refraction. This along with other features allows for reduced threshold current and voltage operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Inventors: ARPAN CHAKRABORTY, Monica Hansen, Steven Denbaars, Shuji Nakamura, George Brandes
  • Patent number: 7813400
    Abstract: A laser diode comprising a first separate confinement heterostructure and an active region on the first separate confinement heterostructure. A second separate confinement heterostructure is on the active region and one or more epitaxial layers is on the second separate confinement heterostructure. A ridge is formed in the epitaxial layers with a first mesa around the ridge. The first mesa is 0.1 to 0.2 microns above the second confinement heterostructure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Denbaars, Shuji Nakamura, Monica Hansen