IP Library Granted Patent US 8,416,825
Granted Patent B1
US 8,416,825 · App. 13/354,639 · Granted Apr 9, 2013

Optical device structure using GaN substrates and growth structure for laser applications

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,416,825
App. No.
13/354,639
Granted
Apr 9, 2013
Kind
B1
Abstract

An optical device having a structured active region configured for one or more selected wavelengths of light emissions.

Claims (66)

1. An optical device configured to emit electromagnetic radiation of more than about 500 nm wavelength comprising:

a gallium nitride substrate having a nonpolar crystalline surface region;

an n-GaN cladding layer overlying the surface region, the n-GaN cladding layer having a thickness between 100 nm and 3000 nm and a Si doping level between 1E17 to 5E19 cm-3;

an n-side SCH layer overlying the n-GaN cladding layer, the n-side SCH layer comprised of InGaN and having a molar fraction of indium between 3% and 7%, and a thickness between 20 and 150 nm;

a multiple quantum well active region overlying the n-side SCH layer, the multiple quantum well active region comprising a plurality of 3.5-7.5 nm InGaN quantum wells separated by 1.5-7.5 nm GaN or InGaN barriers;

a p-type cladding layer overlying the multiple quantum well active region, the p-type cladding layer having a thickness between 400 nm and 1000 nm with a Mg doping level between 5E17 cm-3 to 5E19 cm-3;

a p++-type contact layer overlying the p-type cladding layer, the p++-type contact layer having a thickness between 10 nm and 50 nm with a Mg doping level between 5E19 cm-3 and 1E21 cm-3; and

a p-side SCH region overlying the multiple quantum well region, where the p-side SCH region is comprised of InGaN with 0 to 7% molar fraction of InN and has a thickness between 5 nm and 70 nm.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the nonpolar crystalline surface region is characterized by an m-plane.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the nonpolar crystalline surface region has an offcut surface orientation.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the non-polar crystalline surface region is characterized by an off cut of −0.8 to −1.2 degrees towards (0001) plane and −0.3 to 0.3 degrees towards (11-20) plane.

5. An optical device configured to emit electromagnetic radiation of more than about 500 nm wavelength comprising:

a gallium nitride substrate having a nonpolar crystalline surface region;

an n-GaN cladding layer overlying the surface region, the n-GaN cladding layer having a thickness between 100 nm and 3000 nm and a Si doping level between 1E17 to 5E19 cm-3;

an n-side SCH layer overlying the n-GaN cladding layer, the n-side SCH layer comprised of InGaN and having a molar fraction of indium between 3% and 7%, and a thickness between 20 and 150 nm;

a multiple quantum well active region overlying the n-side SCH layer, the multiple quantum well active region comprising a plurality of 3.5-7.5 nm InGaN quantum wells separated by 1.5-7.5 nm GaN or InGaN barriers;

a p-type cladding layer overlying the multiple quantum well active region, the p-type cladding layer having a thickness between 400 nm and 1000 nm with a Mg doping level between 5E17 cm-3 to 5E19 cm-3;

a p++-type contact layer overlying the p-type cladding layer, the p++-type contact layer having a thickness between 10 nm and 50 nm with a Mg doping level between 5E19 cm-3 and 1E21 cm-3; and

an electron blocking layer region overlying the multiple quantum well active region, where the electron blocking layer is comprised of AlGaN or AlInGaN with between 5 and 30% molar fraction of AlN, and having a thickness between 5 nm and 30 nm.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the nonpolar crystalline surface region is characterized by an m-plane.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the nonpolar crystalline surface region has an offcut surface orientation.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the non-polar crystalline surface region is characterized by an off cut of −0.8 to −1.2 degrees towards (0001) plane and −0.3 to 0.3 degrees towards (11-20) plane.

9. An optical device configured to emit electromagnetic radiation of more than about 500 nm wavelength comprising:

a gallium nitride substrate having a nonpolar crystalline surface region;

an n-GaN cladding layer overlying the surface region, the n-GaN cladding layer having a thickness between 100 nm and 3000 nm and a Si doping level between 1E17 to 5E19 cm-3;

an n-side SCH layer overlying the n-GaN cladding layer, the n-side SCH layer comprised of InGaN and having a molar fraction of indium between 3% and 7%, and a thickness between 20 and 150 nm;

a multiple quantum well active region overlying the n-side SCH layer, the multiple quantum well active region comprising a plurality of 3.5-7.5 nm InGaN quantum wells separated by 1.5-7.5 nm GaN or InGaN barriers;

a p-type cladding layer overlying the multiple quantum well active region, the p-type cladding layer having a thickness between 400 nm and 1000 nm with a Mg doping level between 5E17 cm-3 to 5E19 cm-3; and

a p++-type contact layer overlying the p-type cladding layer, the p++-type contact layer having a thickness between 10 nm and 50 nm with a Mg doping level between 5E19 cm-3 and 1E21 cm-3.

wherein each of the barriers is comprised of InGaN with an InN molar fraction of 1 to 5% and each of the barriers is characterized by a thickness between 2 nm and 4.5 nm.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the nonpolar crystalline surface region is characterized by an m-plane.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the nonpolar crystalline surface region has an offcut surface orientation.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the non-polar crystalline surface region is characterized by an off cut of −0.8 to −1.2 degrees towards (0001) plane and −0.3 to 0.3 degrees towards (11-20) plane.

13. An optical device comprising:

a gallium nitride substrate having a semipolar crystalline surface region;

an n-GaN cladding layer overlying the surface region, the n-GaN cladding layer having a thickness from 100 nm to 3000 nm and a Si doping level of 1E17 to 5E19 cm-3;

an n-side SCH layer overlying the n-GaN cladding layer, the n-side SCH layer comprised of InGaN and having a molar fraction of indium between 3% and 8%, and a thickness between 20 and 150 nm;

a multiple quantum well active region overlying the n-side SCH layer, the multiple quantum well active region comprising a plurality of 2.5-6.5 nm InGaN quantum wells separated by 2.5-8.0 nm GaN or InGaN barriers;

a p-type cladding layer overlying the electron blocking layer, the p-type cladding layer having a thickness between 400 nm and 1000 nm with a Mg doping level between 5E17 cm-3 and 5E19 cm-3;

a p++-type contact layer overlying the p-type cladding layer, the p++-type contact layer having a thickness from 10 nm to 50 nm with Mg doping level of 5E19 cm-3 to 1E21 cm-3; and

a p-side SCH region overlying the multiple quantum well region, wherein the p-side SCH region is comprised of InGaN with 0 to 7% molar fraction of InN and ranging in thickness from 5 to 70 nm.

14. The optical device of claim 13 , wherein the semipolar crystalline surface region is oriented in a {20-21} plane or {30-31} plane.

15. The optical device of claim 14 , wherein the plane is offcut within +/−5 degree towards a c-plane.

16. The optical device of claim 13 , wherein the semipolar crystalline surface region is oriented in a {20-2-1} plane or {30-3-1} plane.

17. An optical device comprising:

a gallium nitride substrate having a semipolar crystalline surface region;

an n-GaN cladding layer overlying the surface region, the n-GaN cladding layer having a thickness from 100 nm to 3000 nm and a Si doping level of 1E17 to 5E19 cm-3;

an n-side SCH layer overlying the n-GaN cladding layer, the n-side SCH layer comprised of InGaN and having a molar fraction of indium between 3% and 8%, and a thickness between 20 and 150 nm;

a multiple quantum well active region overlying the n-side SCH layer, the multiple quantum well active region comprising a plurality of 2.5-6.5 nm InGaN quantum wells separated by 2.5-8.0 nm GaN or InGaN barriers;

a p-type cladding layer overlying the electron blocking layer, the p-type cladding layer having a thickness between 400 nm and 1000 nm with a Mg doping level between 5E17 cm-3 and 5E19 cm-3;

a p++-type contact layer overlying the p-type cladding layer, the p++-type contact layer having a thickness from 10 nm to 50 nm with Mg doping level of 5E19 cm-3 to 1E21 cm-3; and

an electron blocking region overlying the multiple quantum well region, wherein the electron blocking layer is comprised of AlGaN or AlInGaN with 5 to 30% molar fraction of AlN and ranging in thickness between 5 nm and 30 nm.

18. The optical device of claim 17 , wherein the semipolar crystalline surface region is oriented in a {20-21} plane or {30-31} plane.

19. The optical device of claim 18 , wherein the plane is offcut within +/−5 degree towards a c-plane.

20. The optical device of claim 17 , wherein the semipolar crystalline surface region is oriented in a {20-2-1} plane or {30-3-1} plane.

21. An optical device comprising:

a gallium nitride substrate having a semipolar crystalline surface region;

an n-GaN cladding layer overlying the surface region, the n-GaN cladding layer having a thickness from 100 nm to 3000 nm and a Si doping level of 1E17 to 5E19 cm-3;

an n-side SCH layer overlying the n-GaN cladding layer, the n-side SCH layer comprised of InGaN and having a molar fraction of indium between 3% and 8%, and a thickness between 20 and 150 nm;

a multiple quantum well active region overlying the n-side SCH layer, the multiple quantum well active region comprising a plurality of 2.5-6.5 nm InGaN quantum wells separated by 2.5-8.0 nm GaN or InGaN barriers;

a p-type cladding layer overlying the electron blocking layer, the p-type cladding layer having a thickness between 400 nm and 1000 nm with a Mg doping level between 5E17 cm-3 and 5E19 cm-3; and

a p++-type contact layer overlying the p-type cladding layer, the p++-type contact layer having a thickness from 10 nm to 50 nm with Mg doping level of 5E19 cm-3 to 1E21 cm-3;

wherein each of the barriers is comprised of InGaN with an InN molar fraction of 1 to 5% and range in thickness ranges from 2 nm to 4.5 nm.

22. The optical device of claim 21 , wherein the semipolar crystalline surface region is oriented in a {20-21} plane or {30-31} plane.

23. The optical device of claim 22 , wherein the plane is offcut within +/−5 degree towards a c-plane.

24. The optical device of claim 21 , wherein the semipolar crystalline surface region is oriented in a {20-2-1} plane or {30-3-1} plane.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 15, 2021
From: SORAA LASER DIODE, INC.
To: KYOCERA SLD LASER, INC.
Reel/Frame 056001/0313 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 23, 2014
From: SORAA, INC.
To: SORAA LASER DIODE, INC.
Reel/Frame 032743/0321 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2012
From: RARING, JAMES W.
To: SORAA, INC.
Reel/Frame 028318/0891 →