Method of producing luminescent or laser diodes having an internally limited luminescent surface

Claim 1

In a method for producing a pn-luminescent or laser diode having an emission area in the semiconductor body of said diode defined by lateral limitations of a pn-junction wherein a plurality of semiconductor layers are epitaxially deposited onto a substrate body or on one another and electrodes are applied, the improvement comprising: (1) generating a mesa having side surfaces and a top plane surface dimensioned according to a desired luminescent surface area on a select semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type; (2) epitaxially depositing a first layer of a semiconductor material of a second, opposing conductivity type relative to that of the substrate, onto the surfaces of the substrates and the mesa in such a manner that said first layer is generated with a lesser thickness in the area of the mesa surfaces relative to the thickness thereof on the substrate surfaces located around said mesa; (3) removing a sufficient portion of said first layer so that at least the entire mesa plane surface is uncovered; (4) epitaxially depositing a second layer of a semiconductor material of the first conductivity type on said first layer and on the uncovered plane surface of said mesa; and (5) thereafter applying a layer sequence required for luminescent or laser diodes and providing electrodes.