IP Library Granted Patent US 11,387,630
Granted Patent B1
US 11,387,630 · App. 17/108,914 · Granted Jul 12, 2022

Laser devices using a semipolar plane

Inventors: James W. Raring (Santa Barbara, CA); You-Da Lin (Goleta, CA); Christiane Elsass (Santa Barbara, CA)
Assignee: KYOCERA SLD Laser, Inc.
H01S5/34333H01L33/08H01S5/028H01S5/0287H01S5/2009H01S5/2201H01S5/2214H01S5/3216H01S5/320275H01S5/3401H01L21/0274H01L21/042H01L21/28123H01L21/302H01L21/311H01L21/461H01L21/469H01L21/4828H01L33/16H01L41/332H01S5/0014H01S5/04252H01S5/22H01S5/3214
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,387,630
App. No.
17/108,914
Granted
Jul 12, 2022
Kind
B1
Abstract

An optical device includes a gallium and nitrogen containing substrate comprising a surface region configured in a (20-2-1) orientation, a (30-3-1) orientation, or a (30-31) orientation, within +/−10 degrees toward c-plane and/or a-plane from the orientation. Optical devices having quantum well regions overly the surface region are also disclosed.

Claims (53)

1. A system comprising:

a housing;

a laser diode device disposed within the housing;

a power source electrically coupled to the laser diode device; wherein the laser diode device is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation with a peak wavelength of between 400 nm and 500 nm or between 500 nm and 560 nm; and

an application configured with the laser diode device, wherein the application is selected from one of a laser display application, a metrology application, a communications application, a health care application, a surgery application, a projector application, a pointer or illuminator application, a biomedical instrumentation application, a biomedical therapeutics application, an industrial imaging application, or an information technology application, the laser diode device comprising:

a gallium and nitrogen containing material comprising a semipolar surface configured on a (30-3-1) orientation, a (30-31) orientation, a (20-2-1) orientation, or a (30-3-2) orientation, the semipolar surface having an offcut of the orientation;

an n-type cladding region overlying the semipolar surface;

an active region comprising at least one light emitting active layer region overlying the n-type cladding region; the light emitting active layer region comprising a quantum well region or a double hetero-structure region;

a p-type cladding region overlying the active region;

a conductive oxide overlying the p-type cladding region;

a laser stripe region comprising at least a portion of the p-type cladding region and the conductive oxide, the laser stripe region being characterized by a cavity orientation substantially parallel to a projection of a c-direction, the laser stripe region having a first end and a second end;

a first facet provided on the first end of the laser stripe region; and

a second facet provided on the second end of the laser stripe region.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the offcut of the orientation is between +/−5 degrees toward a c-plane and between +/−10 degrees toward an a-plane.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the active region contains a plurality of quantum well regions comprising 1 to 7 quantum wells, each of the quantum well regions comprising substantially InGaN; the plurality of quantum well regions ranging in thickness from 2 nm to 5 nm or from 5 nm to 10 nm; or wherein the active region contains a double heterostructure region; the double heterostructure region ranging in thickness from 10 nm to about 25 nm.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first facet and the second facet are etched facets.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the conductive oxide comprises at least one of indium tin oxide (ITO) or zinc oxide (ZnO).

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a p-type gallium and nitrogen containing layer overlying the active region and underlying the conductive oxide.

7. A system comprising:

a housing;

a blue laser device;

a power source electrically coupled to the blue laser device; wherein the blue laser device is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation with a peak wavelength of between 400 nm and 500 nm; and

an application configured with the blue laser device, the blue laser device comprising:

a gallium and nitrogen containing material comprising a semipolar surface configured on a (30-3-1) orientation, a (30-31) orientation, a (20-2-1) orientation, a (20-21) orientation, or a (30-3-2) orientation, the semipolar surface having an offcut of the orientation;

an n-type cladding region overlying the semipolar surface;

an active region comprising at least one light emitting active layer region overlying the n-type cladding region; the light emitting active layer region comprising a quantum well region or a double hetero-structure region;

a laser stripe region overlying the active region, the laser stripe region comprising conductive oxide and being characterized by a cavity orientation substantially parallel to a projection of a c-direction, the laser stripe region having a first end and a second end;

a first facet provided on the first end of the laser stripe region; and

a second facet provided on the second end of the laser stripe region.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the offcut of the orientation is between +/−5 degrees toward a c-plane and between +/−10 degrees toward an a-plane.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the active region contains a plurality of quantum well regions comprising 1 to 7 quantum wells, each of the quantum well regions comprising substantially InGaN; the plurality of quantum well regions ranging in thickness from 2 nm to 5 nm or from 5 nm to 10 nm; or wherein the active region contains a double heterostructure region; the double heterostructure region ranging in thickness from about 10 nm to about 25 nm.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the first facet and the second facet are formed using a lithography and etching process.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the conductive oxide comprises at least one of indium tin oxide (ITO) or zinc oxide (ZnO).

12. The system of claim 7 , further comprising a p-type gallium and nitrogen containing layer overlying the active region and underlying the conductive oxide.

13. The system of claim 7 , wherein the first facet and the second facet are etched facets.

14. The system of claim 7 , wherein the application is selected from one of a laser display application, a metrology application, a communications application, a health care application, a surgery application, a projector application, a pointer or illuminator application, a biomedical instrumentation application, a biomedical therapeutics application, an industrial imaging application, or an information technology application.

15. A system comprising:

a housing having an aperture;

a laser device;

a power source electrically coupled to the laser device; wherein the laser device is configured to emit an electromagnetic radiation with a peak wavelength of between 400 nm and 500 nm or between 500 nm and 580 nm; and

an application configured with the laser device, the laser device comprising:

a gallium and nitrogen containing material comprising a semipolar surface configured on a (30-31) orientation, a (30-31) orientation, a (20-2-1) orientation, a (20-21) orientation, or a (30-3-2) orientation, the semipolar surface having an offcut of the orientation, the offcut of the orientation characterized by an offcut toward an a-plane;

an n-type cladding region overlying the semipolar surface;

an active region comprising at least one light emitting active layer region overlying the n-type cladding region; the light emitting active layer region comprising a quantum well region or a double hetero-structure region;

a p-type cladding region overlying the active region;

a laser stripe region overlying a portion of the semipolar surface, the laser stripe region being characterized by a cavity orientation substantially parallel to a projection of a c-direction, the laser stripe region having a first end and a second end;

a first etched facet provided on the first end of the laser stripe region; and

a second etched facet provided on the second end of the laser stripe region.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the offcut toward the a-plane is characterized by an absolute magnitude of angle between 3 and 10 degrees.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the offcut of the orientation is characterized by an offcut toward a c-plan of between +/−5 degrees.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the application is selected from one of a laser display application, a metrology application, a communications application, a health care application, a surgery application, a projector application, a pointer or illuminator application, a biomedical instrumentation application, a biomedical therapeutics application, an industrial imaging application, or an information technology application.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the active region contains a plurality of quantum well regions comprising 1 to 7 quantum wells, each of the quantum well regions comprising substantially InGaN; the plurality of quantum well regions ranging in thickness from 2 nm to 5 nm or from 5 nm to 10 nm; or wherein the active region contains a double heterostructure region; the double heterostructure region ranging in thickness from 10 nm to about 25 nm.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first facet and the second facet are etched facets.

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 Mar 3, 2021
From: SORAA, INC.
To: SORAA LASER DIODE, INC.
Reel/Frame 055479/0195 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 2, 2021
From: RARING, JAMES W.; LIN, YOU-DA; POBLENZ, CHRISTIANE
To: SORAA, INC.
Reel/Frame 055450/0549 →
Continuity (7)
Continuation 16730136 · Dec 30, 2019
Continuation 16118217 · Aug 30, 2018
Continuation 15424551 · Feb 3, 2017
Continuation 14883137 · Oct 14, 2015
Continuation 14604223 · Jan 23, 2015
Continuation 13651291 · Oct 12, 2012
Provisional Application 61546792 · Oct 13, 2011