Group-III nitride based laser diode and method for fabricating same
View Patent ↗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.
1. A method for fabricating a laser diode, comprising;
providing a growth wafer;
growing a first guiding layer on said growth wafer;
growing an active region on said first guiding layer;
growing a second guiding layer on said active region;
growing one or more epitaxial layers on said second guiding layer; and
etching a ridge and first mesa in said epitaxial layers, said first mesa being 0.1 to 0.2 microns above said second guiding layer.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising growing a first waveguiding element between said growth wafer and said first guiding layer, and wherein said one or more epitaxial layers comprises a second guiding element.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising growing an electron blocking layer between said active region and said second guiding layer.
4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising growing a n-contact layer between said first waveguiding element and a substrate, and a p-contact layer on said second waveguiding element.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said ridge etching is through said p-contact layer and partially through said second waveguiding element.
6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising forming a p-contact on said ridge and in electrical contact with said p-contact layer.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said p-contact has a setback from the ends of said ridge.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said substrate comprises an off-angle cut substrate.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising cleaving to form facets, said facets cleaned by a plasma cleaner following cleaving.
10. The method of claim 6 , wherein said p-contact is formed using lithography and liftoff, said laser diode cleaned by a plasma cleaner following said lithography and lift-off and said etching.
11. The method of claim 6 , further comprising annealing said p-contact in a nitrogen gas only.
12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising mounting said laser diode in a can using AuSn solder.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising cleaning said by a plasma cleaner before and after said mounting of said laser diode, and further comprising sealing said can.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein said can is filled with an inert gas.