Semiconductor laser device

Abstract

A surface-emitting semiconductor laser device is provided that includes an edge-emitting laser formed in various layers of semiconductor material disposed on a semiconductor substrate, a polymer material disposed on the substrate laterally adjacent the layers in which the edge-emitting laser is formed, and a reflector formed in or on an angled side facet of the polymer material generally facing an exit end facet of the laser. Laser light passes out of the exit end facet propagates through the polymer material before being reflected by the reflector out of the device in a direction that is generally normal to the upper surface of the substrate.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention generally relates to semiconductor laser devices, and more particularly to semiconductor laser devices in which an edge-emitting laser and a reflector are integrated on the same chip to form a surface-emitting semiconductor laser device. Background technique [0002] Semiconductor lasers are commonly used in optical transceivers for communication and data communication networks. The lasers used in such optical transceivers are usually of the edge-emitting type. Edge-emitting lasers for optical transceivers are fabricated on semiconductor wafers by standard photolithographic and epitaxy methods, diced into chips, and a portion of each chip coated with reflective and anti-reflective coatings. The finished chip can then be tested. It is desirable to minimize the number of manufacturing steps and improve testability. [0003] Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) are often preferred by end users because they do not requi...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Monolithically integrating the diffractive lens on the same chip with the edge-emitting laser integrated therein requires multiple electron beam lithography (EBL) exposures and dry etching processes, thereby increasing the manufacturing cost of the device

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