Patent · US Expired

Semiconductor laser and method of fabricating semiconductor laser

US6018539A · kind A · utility

14Cited by
4References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 9, 1998
Grant dateJan 25, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 9, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01S5/2272
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A semiconductor laser includes a first conductivity type semiconductor substrate having a gain region and a spot size changing region adjacent each other; a first conductivity type lower cladding layer disposed on the substrate; an active layer disposed on the lower cladding layer and having a thickness which is uniform in the gain region and gradually decreases in the spot size changing region with distance from the gain region; a second conductivity type upper cladding layer disposed on the active layer and having a stripe-shaped ridge, the ridge extending along the gain region and the spot size changing region; a first electrode disposed on the ridge of the upper cladding layer; and a second electrode disposed on a rear surface of the substrate. Current flow is concentrated in the ridge of the upper cladding layer. Further, when the ridge is fabricated, portions of the active layer in which a current will be injected during operation of the laser are not exposed to the atmosphere and not oxidized, resulting in a highly reliable semiconductor laser with an integrated spot size changing part and gain part.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.