Low voltage multi-junction vertical cavity surface emitting laser

Abstract

An optical device with a wavelength of operation, the device comprising a light emitting region which emits light at the wavelength of operation, the light emitting region including an active region and a contact region of a first conductivity type and a second conductivity type wherein the light emitting region is positioned within an optical gain cavity which includes a mirror and an opposed mirror and a substrate solder bonded using a bonding layer to at least one of the mirror and the opposed mirror.

1 - 72 . (Canceled)  
     
     
         73 . An optical device with a wavelength of operation, the device comprising: 
 a light emitting region which emits light at the wavelength of operation, the light emitting region including an active region and a contact region of a first conductivity type and a second conductivity type wherein the light emitting region is positioned within an optical gain cavity which includes a mirror and an opposed mirror; and    a substrate solder bonded using a bonding layer to at least one of the mirror and the opposed mirror.    
     
     
         74 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 73  wherein the substrate includes at least one of indium phosphide (InP), gallium arsenide (GaAs), silicon (Si), and another suitable substrate material which has suitable thermally conductive and supporting properties.  
     
     
         75 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 73  wherein at least one of the mirror and the opposed mirror include a metamorphically grown distributed Bragg reflector which includes an alloy of AlGaAs.  
     
     
         76 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 73  wherein at least one of the mirror and the opposed mirror include a distributed Bragg reflector which includes alternate layers of silicon oxide (SiO) and titanium oxide (TiO).  
     
     
         77 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 73  wherein at least one of the mirror and the opposed mirror include a distributed Bragg reflector which includes alternate layers of magnesium fluoride (MgF) and zinc selenide (ZnSe).  
     
     
         78 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 73  wherein the active region includes a plurality of quantum structures with a bandgap wavelength substantially equal to the wavelength of operation, wherein the plurality of quantum structures include at least one of quantum wells, quantum dots, and another similar quantum structure which enhances light emission.  
     
     
         79 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 78  wherein each quantum structure is positioned between quantum barrier layers wherein each quantum barrier layer has a bandgap wavelength smaller than the bandgap wavelength of the quantum structure layers.  
     
     
         80 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 78  wherein each adjacent quantum structure of the plurality of quantum structures in the active region is spaced apart such that constructive interference occurs between each adjacent quantum structure.  
     
     
         81 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 73  wherein at least one of the mirror and the opposed mirror include alloys of aluminum gallium arsenide (AlGaAs) which are continuously graded in composition to form continuously graded heterointerfaces.  
     
     
         82 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 73  wherein a portion of the light emitting region is isolation implanted with at least one of hydrogen ions (H + ), helium ions (He +  or He ++ ), and another suitable ion to form a light path channel which extends from the mirror to the opposed mirror.  
     
     
         83 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 73  wherein the wavelength of operation is within a range given approximately from 1.2 μm to 1.6 μm.  
     
     
         84 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 73  wherein the bonding layer includes at least one of gold/silicon (Au/Si), gold/tin (Au/Sn), gold/germanium (Au/Ge), or another suitable solder material with a desired property for adhesion.  
     
     
         85 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 84  wherein the bonding layer includes a window to allow substantial light emission through the substrate.  
     
     
         86 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 73  wherein at least one contact region of at least one of the first and second conductivity types includes at least two layers of the same conductivity type and a substantially different doping concentration.  
     
     
         87 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 73  wherein a trench is formed within one of the mirror and the opposed mirror and adjacent to a light path region and the substrate wherein the trench forms an ion implantation path and provides substantial current confinement.  
     
     
         88 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 87  wherein the trench includes a metal contact region positioned therein, the metal contact region being positioned adjacent to the substrate and electrically connected to one of the contact region of the first and second conductivity type.  
     
     
         89 . An optical device with a wavelength of operation, the device comprising: 
 a light emitting region which emits light at the wavelength of operation, the light emitting region including an active region with a plurality of quantum structure layers and a contact region of a first conductivity type and a second conductivity type such that the light emitting region is sandwiched between contact regions of opposite conductivity types;    a first stack of alternate layers of a first material with a first index of refraction and a second material with a second index of refraction, the first stack of alternate layers being positioned on the light emitting region wherein the first index of refraction is substantially different from the second index of refraction so that the first stack of alternate layers forms a first mirror;    a substrate solder bonded to the first stack of alternate layers; and    a second stack of alternate layers of a third material with a third index of refraction and a fourth material with a fourth index of refraction positioned on the light emitting region wherein the third index of refraction is substantially different from the fourth index of refraction so that the second stack of alternate layers forms a second mirror.    
     
     
         90 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 89  wherein the substrate includes at least one of indium phosphide (InP), gallium arsenide (GaAs), silicon (Si), and another suitable substrate material which has suitable thermally conductive and supporting properties.  
     
     
         91 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 89  wherein at least one of the first and second stack of alternate layers include alternate layers of silicon oxide (SiO) and titanium oxide (TiO) and wherein each layer in the alternate layers has a thickness approximately equal to one quarter of the wavelength of operation.  
     
     
         92 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 89  wherein at least one of the first and second stack of alternate layers include alternate layers of magnesium fluoride (MgF) and zinc selenide (ZnSe) and wherein each layer in the alternate layers has a thickness approximately equal to one quarter of the wavelength of operation.  
     
     
         93 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 89  wherein each adjacent quantum structure of the plurality of quantum structures in the active region is spaced apart such that constructive interference occurs between each adjacent quantum structure.  
     
     
         94 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 89  wherein the substrate is solder bonded using a bonding layer which includes at least one of gold/silicon (Au/Si), gold/tin (Au/Sn), gold/germanium (Au/Ge), or another suitable solder material with a desired property for adhesion.  
     
     
         95 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 94  wherein the bonding layer includes a window to allow substantial light emission through the second substrate.  
     
     
         96 . A multijunction laser with a wavelength of operation, the laser comprising: 
 a light emitting region which substantially emits light at the wavelength of operation, the light emitting region being positioned within an optical gain cavity which includes a mirror and an opposed mirror wherein the light emitting region includes at least two active regions wherein each active region is separated by alternate contact regions of a first conductivity type and a second conductivity type such that each active region has a separate direct current path.    
     
     
         97 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 96  wherein each active region is formed between a first cladding region and a second cladding region.  
     
     
         98 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 96  wherein the substrate includes at least one of indium phosphide (InP), gallium arsenide (GaAs), silicon (Si), and another suitable substrate material which has suitable thermally conductive properties.  
     
     
         99 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 96  wherein at least one of the first and second stack of alternate layers include an alloy of AlGaAs and wherein each layer of the first, second, third, and fourth material has a thickness approximately equal to one quarter of the wavelength of operation.  
     
     
         100 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 96  wherein at least one of the first and second stack of alternate layers include alternate layers of silicon oxide (SiO) and titanium oxide (TiO) and wherein each layer has a thickness approximately equal to one quarter of the wavelength of operation.  
     
     
         101 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 96  wherein at least one of the first and second stack of alternate layers include alternate layers of magnesium fluoride (MgF) and zinc selenide (ZnSe) and wherein each layer has a thickness approximately equal to one quarter of the wavelength of operation.  
     
     
         102 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 96  wherein at least one of the first and second stack of alternate layers include alloys of AlGaAs which are continuously graded in composition to form continuously graded heterointerfaces.  
     
     
         103 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 96  wherein at least a portion of one of the first and second cladding regions is isolation implanted with at least one of hydrogen ions (H + ), helium ions (He +  or He ++ ), and another suitable ion to form a light path channel which extends from the first stack of alternate layers to the second stack of alternate layers.  
     
     
         104 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 96  wherein a plurality of index guide regions are formed adjacent to the second stack of alternate layers to form a light path channel.  
     
     
         105 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 96  wherein each active region includes a plurality of quantum structures wherein each adjacent quantum structure is spaced apart such that constructive interference occurs between each adjacent quantum structure.  
     
     
         106 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 96  wherein the wavelength of operation is within a range given approximately from 1.2 μm to 1.6 μm.  
     
     
         107 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 96  wherein the substrate is solder bonded using a bonding layer which includes at least one of gold/silicon (Au/Si), gold/tin (Au/Sn), gold/germanium (Au/Ge), or another suitable solder material with a desired property for adhesion.  
     
     
         108 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 107  wherein the bonding layer includes a window to allow a substantial light emission through the second substrate.  
     
     
         109 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 96  wherein at least one contact region includes at least two layers of the same conductivity type and substantially different doping concentrations.  
     
     
         110 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 96  wherein each adjacent active region in the at least two active regions includes a substantially equal current path such that each active region emits a substantially equal amount of light.  
     
     
         111 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 96  wherein each contact region in the alternate contact regions includes a substantially equal current path between each adjacent contact region.  
     
     
         112 . A multijunction laser with a wavelength of operation, the laser comprising: 
 a light emitting region which substantially emits light at the wavelength of operation positioned within an optical gain cavity wherein the light emitting region includes a plurality of active regions and wherein each active region is separated by alternate contact regions of a first conductivity type and a second conductivity type.    
     
     
         113 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 111  wherein the multijunction vertical cavity surface emitting laser is one of electrically and optically pumped such that light emitted from each active region is resonant with light emitted from each adjacent active region.