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Junction-type semiconductor light emitting device with mesa

Assignee: Tohoku University
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Filing: 1985-03-28
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Granted: 1988-05-03
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Expires: 2005-03-28
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Abstract

Abstract A junction-type semiconductor light emitting device comprising a plate portion, a column formed on one surface of the plate portion and electrodes provided on each of opposite surfaces of the plate portion including the column wall, the column having a pn junction formed therein and extending perpendicular to the plate portion, the plate portion having a pn junction formed therein and extending in parallel with the plate portion, these pn junctions being connected with each other, the current density through the pn junction in the column being larger than that through the pn junction in the plate portion under the application of a predetermined voltage across the electrodes, so as to facilitate the continuous oscillation of this light emitting device at room temperature with the resultant light emission through the column. The light emitting device can be readily arranged in matrix and readily integrated in high degree. Various kinds of sophisticated optical functions can be realized by accumulating a photodetector, a saturable light absorbing layer and the like thereon in the direction of thickness.

Inventors

  • 👤 Hiromasa Ito
  • 👤 Humio Inaba

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-26 19:58
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10H; H10H20/00; H10H20/80; H10H20/81; H10H20/819; H10H20/821; B; B82; B82Y; B82Y20/00; H01; H01S; H01S5/00; H01S5/06; H01S5/062; H01S5/06209; H01S5/10; H01S5/18; H01S5/183; H01S5/18344; H01S5/18347; H01S5/185; H01S5/02; H01S5/026; H01S5/0262; H01S5/0264; H01S5/06233; H01S5/06243; H01S5/20; H01S5/2004; H01S5/2018; H01S5/2027; H01S5/30; H01S5/34; H01S5/3428

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim 114 words
A junction-type semiconductor light emitting device comprising a semiconductor plate portion, a semiconductor column formed on one surface of the plate portion and electrodes provided on each of opposite surfaces of the plate portion, the column having a pn junction formed therein and said column and said pn junction extending perpendicular to the plate portion, the plate portion having a pn junction formed therein and extending parallel to the plate portion, the current density J1 of a circuit through the pn junction in the column being at least 0.1 times the current density J2 of a circuit through the pn junction in the plate portion when a predetermined voltage is applied across the electrodes.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 114 words
A junction-type semiconductor light emitting device comprising a semiconductor plate portion, a semiconductor column formed on one surface of the plate portion and electrodes provided on each of opposite surfaces of the plate portion, the column having a pn junction formed therein and said column and said pn junction extending perpendicular to the plate portion, the plate portion having a pn junction formed therein and extending parallel to the plate portion, the current density J1 of a circuit through the pn junction in the column being at least 0.1 times the current density J2 of a circuit through the pn junction in the plate portion when a predetermined voltage is applied across the electrodes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 19 words
A device as defined in claim 1 wherein the current density J1 is greater than the current density J2.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 46 words
A device as defined in claim 2 wherein the plate portion comprises a barrier layer made of a semiconductor having a wider energy gap than the semiconductor forming the column, and the pn junction extending parallel to the plate portion is positioned within the barrier layer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 56 words
A device as defined in claim 3 wherein the pn junctions present within the column and within the plate portion are formed by the diffusion of an impurity element of one of p-type and n-type into said column of type opposite to said impurity element and said portion of type opposite to said impurity element respectively.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 13 words
A device as defined in claim 4 wherein the impurity element is Zn.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 17 words
A device as defined in claim 1 wherein the column is at least 2 μm in height.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 29 words
A device as defined in claim 3 wherein reflecting means is provided at each of longitudinally opposite sides of the pn junction within the column to provide optical resonance.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 46 words
A device as defined in claim 7 wherein the column has a distributed feedback laser structure formed of at least two kinds of semiconductor materials having at least a first refractive index and at least a second refractive index lower than said first refractive index, respectively.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 22 words
A device as defined in claim 7 or 8 wherein the column has a multiquantum well arranged alternatively into a multilayer structure.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 41 words
A device as defined in claim 7 wherein the plate portion has a distributed Bragg reflector having alternatively arranged semiconductor material with a first refractive index and a second refractive index lower than said first refractive index forming a multilayer structure.
Claim 12
Independent Claim 28 words
A device as defined in any one of claims 2 to 6 wherein the plate portion has a saturable absorbing layer means for controlling emission of light pulses.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 18 words
A device as defined in claim 1 wherein condenser means is provided on the column to converge light.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 22 words
A device as defined in claim 1 wherein an optical element means for a given. hysteresis is provided on the plate portion.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 111 words
A junction-type semiconductor light emitting device comprising a semiconductor plate portion, a semiconductor column formed on one surface of the plate portion and electrodes provided on each of opposite surfaces of the plate portion, the column having a pn junction formed therein and said column and said pn junction extending perpendicular to the plate portion, the plate portion having a pn junction formed therein and extending parallel to the plate portion, the device having a structure for causing a larger amount of current to be injected into the pn junction within the column than into the pn junction within the plate portion when a predetermined voltage is applied across the electrodes.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 111 words
A junction-type semiconductor light emitting device comprising a semiconductor plate portion, a semiconductor column formed on one surface of the plate portion and electrodes provided on each of opposite surfaces of the plate portion, the column having a pn junction formed therein and said column and said pn junction extending perpendicular to the plate portion, the plate portion having a pn junction formed therein and extending parallel to the plate portion, the device having a structure for causing a larger amount of current to be injected into the pn junction within the column than into the pn junction within the plate portion when a predetermined voltage is applied across the electrodes.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 46 words
A device as defined in claim 14 wherein the plate portion comprises a barrier layer made of a semiconductor having a wider energy gap than the semiconductor forming the column, and the pn junction extending parallel to the plate portion is positioned within the barrier layer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 55 words
A device as defined in claim 14, wherein the pn junctions present within the column and within the plate portion are formed by the diffusion of an impurity element of one of p-type and n-type into said column of type opposite to said impurity and said plate portion of type opposite to said impurity, respectively.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 13 words
A device as defined in claim 16 wherein the impurity element is Zn.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 17 words
A device as defined in claim 14 wherein the column is at least 2 μm is height.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 28 words
A device as defined in claim 14 wherein reflecting means is provided at each of longitudinally opposite sides of the pn junction within the column for optical resonance.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 46 words
A device as defined in claim 14 wherein the column has a distributed feedback laser structure formed of at least two kinds of semiconductor materials having at least a first refractive index and at least a second refractive index lower than said first refractive index, respectively.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 22 words
A device as defined in claim 7 or 14 wherein the column has a multiquantum well arranged alternatively into a multilayer structure.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 46 words
A device as defined in claim 14 wherein the plate portion has a distributed Bragg reflector having alternatively arranged semiconductor material with at least a first refractive index and at least a second refractive index lower than said first refractive index forming a multilayer structure, respectively.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 23 words
A device as defined in claim 14, wherein the plate portion has a saturable absorbing layer means for controlling emission of light pulses.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 24 words
A device as defined in claim 1 wherein an optical element means for a given hysteresis is provided on and beneath the plate portion.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 22 words
A device as defined in claim 1 wherein an optical element means for a given hysteresis is provided beneath the plate portion.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 23 words
A device as defined in claim 1 wherein an electronic element means for a given differential gain is provided on the plate portion.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 23 words
A device as defined in claim 1 wherein an electronic element means for a given differential gain is provided beneath the plate portion.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 25 words
A device as defined in claim 1 wherein an electronic element means for a given differential gain is provided on and beneath the plate portion.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4611222A Cited
JPS5791574A Cited
JPS57152178A Cited
US4503540A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1991-05-03 1991-11-02 1992-05-03 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1995-05-03 1995-11-02 1996-05-03 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1999-05-03 1999-11-02 2000-05-03 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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