Method for manufacturing gallium and nitrogen bearing laser devices with improved usage of substrate material
A plurality of dies includes a gallium and nitrogen containing substrate having a surface region and an epitaxial material formed overlying the surface region. The epitaxial material includes an n-type cladding region, an active region having at least one active layer overlying the n-type cladding region, and a p-type cladding region overlying the active region. The epitaxial material is patterned to form the plurality of dies on the surface region, the dies corresponding to a laser device. Each of the plurality of dies includes a release region composed of a material with a smaller bandgap than an adjacent epitaxial material. A lateral width of the release region is narrower than a lateral width of immediately adjacent layers above and below the release region to form undercut regions bounding each side of the release region. Each die also includes a passivation region extending along sidewalls of the active region.
1. A plurality of dies, comprising:
a gallium and nitrogen containing substrate having a surface region;
an epitaxial material formed overlying the surface region, the epitaxial material comprising an n-type cladding region, an active region comprising at least one active layer overlying the n-type cladding region, and a p-type cladding region overlying the active region, wherein the epitaxial material is patterned to form the plurality of dies on the surface region, the dies corresponding to a laser device, wherein each of the plurality of dies comprises:
a release region composed of a material with a smaller bandgap than an adjacent epitaxial material, wherein a lateral width of the release region is narrower than a lateral width of immediately adjacent layers above and below the release region to form undercut regions bounding each side of the release region; and
a passivation region extending along sidewalls of the active region.
2. The plurality of dies of claim 1 , wherein each die is shaped as a mesa.
3. The plurality of dies of claim 1 , wherein each of the dies comprises a pair of facets configured from a cleaving process or an etching process.
4. The plurality of dies of claim 1 , wherein the epitaxial material contains GaN, AlN, InN, InGaN, AlGaN, InAlN, and/or InAlGaN.
5. The plurality of dies of claim 1 , wherein the surface region is oriented along a polar, non-polar, or semi-polar plane.
6. The plurality of dies of claim 1 wherein each of the dies includes a bonding material comprising at least one of metal, oxide, spin-on-glass, soldering alloys, polymers, photoresists, and/or wax, the bonding material extending over a top of the die so that an upper surface of the bonding material is exposed.
7. The plurality of dies of claim 1 , wherein the release region is composed of InGaN, InN, InAlN, or InAlGaN.
8. The plurality of dies of claim 1 wherein the passivation region comprises a metal material.
9. The plurality of dies of claim 1 , wherein each of the dies comprises one or more components, the one or more components being selected from at least one of an electrical contact, a current spreading region, an optical cladding region, a laser ridge, a laser ridge passivation, or a pair of facets, either alone or in any combination.