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 having 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;

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 and having a pair of etched facets configured on the ends thereof, the ridge waveguide having a width that is less than the width of the chip;

at least one wirebond disposed on the n-side contact of the chip for coupling a wire to the chip, wherein the width of the chip is no more than a width of the at least one wirebond; 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 the pair of etched facets are formed by a dry etching method selected from reactive ion etching (ME), 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 ( 20 - 21 ) surface orientation or an offcut thereof.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the gallium and nitrogen containing member has a ( 30 - 31 ) surface orientation or an offcut thereof.

7. 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 and having a pair of etched facets configured on the ends thereof, the ridge waveguide having a width that is less than the width of the chip;

at least one wirebond disposed on the n-side contact of the chip for coupling a wire to the chip, wherein the width of the chip is no more than a width of the at least one wirebond plus a minimum wirebonding placement tolerance; 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 pair of etched facets are configured on the ends of the chip.

9. The device of claim 7 , wherein the width of the chip is less than 110 microns.

10. The device of claim 7 , wherein the width of the chip is less than 70 microns.

11. The device of claim 7 , wherein the optical device is operable at a wavelength from 430 nm to 480 nm.

12. The device of claim 7 , wherein the optical device is operable at a wavelength from 480 nm to 535 nm.

13. The device of claim 7 , wherein the optical device is operable at a wavelength from 390 nm to 430 nm.

14. The device of claim 7 , 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.

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

16. A method of forming gallium and nitrogen containing optical device operable as a laser diode, the method comprising:

providing a gallium and nitrogen containing member;

forming a chip 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;

forming a ridge waveguide configured to emit laser light, the ridge waveguide oriented substantially parallel to the length of the chip and having a pair of etched facets configured on the ends thereof, the ridge waveguide having a width that is less than the width of the chip;

forming at least one wirebond on the n-side contact of the chip for coupling a wire to the chip, wherein the width of the chip is no more than a width of the at least one wirebond; and

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

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the width of the chip is either less than 110 microns or less than 70 microns.

18. The method of claim 16 , 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.

19. The method of claim 16 , 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.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the gallium and nitrogen containing member has a nonpolar surface orientation, or an offcut thereof.