IP Library Granted Patent US 8,519,378
Granted Patent B2
US 8,519,378 · App. 13/124,493 · Granted Aug 27, 2013

Semiconductor light-emitting element array including a semiconductor rod

Inventors: Kenji Hiruma (Sapporo, JP); Shinjiro Hara (Sapporo, JP); Junichi Motohisa (Sapporo, JP); Takashi Fukui (Sapporo, JP)
Assignees: National University Corporation Hokkaido University; Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,519,378
App. No.
13/124,493
Granted
Aug 27, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

Semiconductor surface emitting elements having a plurality of wavelengths being manufactured on a signal substrate through MOVPE selective growth. More specifically, provided is a semiconductor light emitting element array which comprises; a semiconductor crystal substrate; an insulating film disposed on a surface of the substrate, the insulating film being divided into two or more regions, each of which having two or more openings exposing the surface of the substrate; semiconductor rods extending from the surface of the substrate upward through the openings, the semiconductor rods each having an n-type semiconductor layer and a p-type semiconductor layer being laminated in its extending direction, thereby providing a p-n junction; a first electrode connected to the semiconductor crystal substrate; and a second electrode connected to upper portions of the semiconductor rods; wherein the heights of the semiconductor rods as measured from the substrate surface vary by each of the two or more regions.

Claims (51)

1. A semiconductor light-emitting element array, comprising:

a semiconductor crystal substrate;

an insulating film disposed on a surface of the semiconductor crystal substrate,

the insulating film being separated into two or more regions,

each of the two or more regions having two or more openings exposing the surface of the substrate;

a semiconductor rod extending from the surface of the substrate upward through each of the openings, the semiconductor rod having an n-type semiconductor layer and a p-type semiconductor layer being laminated in its extending direction, thereby providing a p-n junction;

a first electrode connected to the semiconductor crystal substrate; and

a second electrode connected to an upper portion of the semiconductor rod,

wherein the height of the semiconductor rod as measured from the substrate surface varies among the two or more regions, and wherein an average area of the openings varies among the two or more regions.

2. A semiconductor light-emitting element array, comprising:

a semiconductor crystal substrate;

an insulating film disposed on a surface of the semiconductor crystal substrate,

the insulating film being separated into two or more regions,

each of the two or more regions having two or more openings exposing the surface of the substrate;

a semiconductor rod extending from the surface of the substrate upward through each of the openings, the semiconductor rod having an n-type semiconductor layer and a p-type semiconductor layer being laminated in its extending direction, thereby providing a p-n junction;

a first electrode connected to the semiconductor crystal substrate; and

a second electrode connected to an upper portion of the semiconductor rod,

wherein the height of the semiconductor rod as measured from the substrate surface varies among the two or more regions, wherein an average center-to-center distance of the openings varies among the two or more regions.

3. The semiconductor light-emitting element array according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the semiconductor rod has a hetero-junction.

4. The semiconductor light-emitting element array according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the semiconductor rod has a quantum well structure.

5. The semiconductor light-emitting element array according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the semiconductor crystal substrate is formed by a semiconductor material selected from the group consisting of GaAs, InP, Si, InAs, GaN, SiC, and Al 2 O 3 , and

the surface of the substrate where the insulating film is provided is a crystal axis (111) surface.

6. The semiconductor light-emitting element array according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the semiconductor rod is formed by metal organic chemical vapor deposition or molecular beam epitaxy.

7. The semiconductor light-emitting element array according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein

the first electrode is an n-electrode, and

the second electrode is a p-electrode and a transparent electrode.

8. The semiconductor light-emitting element array according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein

the first electrode is a p-electrode, and

the second electrode is an n-electrode and a transparent electrode.

9. A method of manufacturing the semiconductor light-emitting element array according to claim 1 or 2 , comprising the steps of:

A) preparing the semiconductor crystal substrate with a crystal axis (111) surface covered by the insulating film,

the insulating film being divided into two or more regions,

each of the two or more regions having two or more openings exposing the crystal axis (111) surface; and

B) forming the semiconductor rod from the surface of the semiconductor crystal substrate covered by the insulating film by metal organic chemical vapor deposition or molecular beam epitaxy, including the steps of forming the n-type semiconductor layer and forming the p-type semiconductor layer.

10. An optical transmitter, comprising:

the semiconductor light-emitting element array according to claim 1 or 2 , and

an optical waveguide disposed in each of the two or more regions and receiving light emission from the semiconductor rod located in the respective two or more regions.

11. An optical transmitter, comprising:

the semiconductor light-emitting element array according to claim 1 or 2 , and

an optical waveguide for receiving light emission from the semiconductor rod located in the respective two or more regions.

12. An optical transmitter, comprising:

the semiconductor light-emitting element array according to claim 1 or 2 ;

an optical multiplexer for multiplexing light emission from the semiconductor rods located the respective two or more regions; and

an optical waveguide for receiving light emission multiplexed in the multiplexer.

13. An illuminator, comprising:

the semiconductor light-emitting array according to claim 1 or 2 ; and

an optical waveguide for receiving light emission from the semiconductor rods located in the respective two or more regions.

14. An illuminator, comprising:

the semiconductor light-emitting element array according to claim 1 or 2 ;

an optical multiplexer for multiplexing light emission from the semiconductor rods located in the respective two or more regions; and

an optical waveguide for receiving light emission multiplexed in the multiplexer.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 12, 2011
From: NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION HOKKAIDO UNIVERSITY
To: NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION HOKKAIDO UNIVERSITY; SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 026743/0854 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 4, 2011
From: HIRUMA, KENJI; HARA, SHINJIRO; MOTOHISA, JUNICHI; FUKUI, TAKASHI
To: NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION HOKKAIDO UNIVERSITY
Reel/Frame 026226/0222 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20110204327A1 · Aug 25, 2011