Semiconductor laser including ridge structure extending between window regions

US5737351A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Mitsubishi Electric Corporation · JP

Inventor

• Kenichi Ono · Tokyo, JP

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 3, 1996
• Grant date: Apr 7, 1998
• Expiry date: Jun 3, 2016

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01S5/34326
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method of fabricating a semiconductor laser includes successively growing a lower cladding layer of a first conductivity type, an active layer having a superlattice structure, a first upper cladding layer of a second conductivity type, an etch stopping layer of the second conductivity type, and a second upper cladding layer of the second conductivity type on a semiconductor substrate of the first conductivity type; diffusing a dopant impurity into parallel stripe-shaped regions of the active layer to disorder the superlattice structure of the active layer in these regions; etching the second upper cladding layer to expose the etch stopping layer without exposing the etch stopping layer on the disordered regions, thereby producing a stripe-shaped ridge structure extending perpendicular to the disordered regions; and growing a current blocking layer on the etch stopping layer and on the disordered regions, contacting both sides of the ridge structure. Since an etchant used for patterning does not contact the etch stopping layer on the disordered regions of the active layer, unwanted penetration of the etch stopping layer is avoided.