Contact structure for an electrically operated II/VI semiconductor element and process for the production thereof

US6893950B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITÄT BERLIN · DE

Inventors

• Matthias Strassburg · Erlangen, DE
• Oliver Schulz · Göppingen, DE
• Udo W. Pohl · Hofheim, DE
• Dieter Bimberg · Aachen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 24, 2003
• Grant date: May 17, 2005
• Expiry date: Nov 24, 2023

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10H20/823
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A process for the production of contacts for electrically operated II/VI semiconductor structures (for example laser diodes). The contact materials palladium and gold hitherto used in relation to electrically operated II/VI semiconductor lasers are distinguished by a relatively great, not purely ohmic specific contact resistance in relation to the II/VI cover layer. The consequentially necessary higher operating voltages result in the unnecessary generation of heat and thus substantially accelerate degradation of the entire laser structure. That effect causes a limitation in terms of the service life of II/VI semiconductor laser diodes. The invention permits the operation of semiconductor laser diodes with lower operating voltages. The II/VI semiconductor laser diodes produced with our invention are distinguished by a longer service life. That permits inter alia commercial use of semiconductor laser diodes in the blue-green spectral range.