Narrow sized laser diode

1. A gallium and nitrogen containing optical device operable as a laser diode, the device comprising:

a gallium and nitrogen containing member;

a chip formed from the gallium and nitrogen containing member, the chip having a width and a length, the width of the chip being a distance between sides of the chip and the length of the chip being a distance between ends of the chip, the chip also having a p-type region and an n-side contact opposite the p-type region;

a ridge waveguide configured to emit laser light, the ridge waveguide oriented substantially parallel to the length of the chip, the ridge waveguide having a width that is less than the width of the chip, where the width of the chip is less than 120 microns;

one or more wirebonding pads disposed on the n-side contact of the chip for coupling wires to the chip; and

a submount coupled to the chip such that the p-type region of the chip is facing the submount.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein a pair of etched facets are configured on the ends of the chip, wherein the etched facets are formed by a dry etching method selected from reactive ion etching (RIE), inductively plasma coupled etching (ICP), and chemical assisted ion beam etching (CAIBE).

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the width of the chip is either less than 110 microns or less than 70 microns.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the laser diode is operable at a wavelength from 430 nm to 480 nm or from 480 nm to 535 nm or from 390 nm to 430 nm.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the gallium and nitrogen containing member has a semipolar surface orientation selected from the (20-21) or (20-2-1) or (30-31) or (30-3-1) or (11-22) plane orientations, or an offcut of any of the foregoing orientations.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the gallium and nitrogen containing member has a nonpolar surface orientation, or an offcut thereof.

7. A gallium and nitrogen containing optical device operable as a laser diode, the device comprising:

a gallium and nitrogen containing member;

a chip formed from the gallium and nitrogen containing member, the chip having a width and a length, the width of the chip being a distance between sides of the chip and the length of the chip being a distance between ends of the chip, the chip also having a p-type region and an n-side contact opposite the p-type region;

a ridge waveguide configured to emit laser light, the ridge waveguide oriented substantially parallel to the length of the chip, the ridge waveguide having a width that is less than the width of the chip, where the width of the chip is less than 120 microns;

one or more wirebonding pads disposed on the n-side contact of the chip for coupling wires to the chip;

a pair of etched facets configured on the ends of the chip, the pair of etched facets including a first facet configured at a first end of the chip and a second facet configured at a second end of the chip; and

a submount coupled to the chip such that the p-type region of the chip is facing the submount.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the width of the chip is either less than 110 microns or less than 70 microns.

9. The device of claim 7 , wherein the laser diode is operable at a wavelength from 430 nm to 480 nm or from 480 nm to 535 nm or from 390 nm to 430 nm.

10. The device of claim 7 , wherein the gallium and nitrogen containing member has a semipolar surface orientation selected from the (20-21) or (20-2-1) or (30-31) or (30-3-1) or (11-22) plane orientations, or an offcut of any of the foregoing orientations.

11. The device of claim 7 , wherein the gallium and nitrogen containing member has a nonpolar surface orientation, or an offcut thereof.

12. A system comprising:

a lighting apparatus; and

an optical device configured to provide light for the lighting apparatus, the optical device operable as a laser diode, the optical device comprising:

a gallium and nitrogen containing member;

a chip formed from the gallium and nitrogen containing member, the chip having a width and a length, the width of the chip being a distance between sides of the chip and the length of the chip being a distance between ends of the chip, the chip also having a p-type region and an n-side contact opposite the p-type region;

a ridge waveguide configured to emit laser light, the ridge waveguide oriented substantially parallel to the length of the chip, the ridge waveguide having a width that is less than the width of the chip, where the width of the chip is less than 120 microns;

one or more wirebonding pads disposed on the n-side contact of the chip for coupling wires to the chip; and

a submount coupled to the chip such that the p-type region of the chip is facing the submount.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the optical device includes a pair of etched facets configured on the ends of the chip.

14. The device of claim 12 , wherein the width of the chip is less than 110 microns.

15. The device of claim 12 , wherein the width of the chip is less than 70 microns.

16. The device of claim 12 , wherein the optical device is operable at a wavelength from 430 nm to 480 nm.

17. The device of claim 12 , wherein the optical device is operable at a wavelength from 480 nm to 535 nm.

18. The device of claim 12 , wherein the optical device is operable at a wavelength from 390 nm to 430 nm.

19. The device of claim 12 , wherein the gallium and nitrogen containing member of the optical device has a semipolar surface orientation selected from the (20-21) or (20-2-1) or (30-31) or (30-3-1) or (11-22) plane orientations, or an offcut of any of the foregoing orientations.

20. The device of claim 12 , wherein the gallium and nitrogen containing member of the optical device has a nonpolar surface orientation, or an offcut thereof.