Method of fabricating quantum wire semiconductor laser via photo induced evaporation enhancement during in situ epitaxial growth

Claim 1

A method of forming a quantum wire semiconductor laser structure comprising the steps of: epitaxially depositing several semiconductor layers on a substrate, at least one of said semiconductor layers or said substrate having at least one groove, at least one of said semiconductor layers, immediately adjacent to one of said semiconductor layers having at least one groove, being an active quantum well layer, which provides lightwave generation and propagation under lasing conditions, interrupting the epitaxial growth of said semiconductor layers after the deposition of said quantum well layer, selectively desorbing in situ, employing photo induced evaporation, portions of said quantum well layer in said at least one groove to the interface with the semiconductor layer therebeneath forming at least one quantum wire in the vertex of at least one of said at least one groove, and continuing the epitaxial deposition of the remaining semiconductor layers.

Claim 2

A method of forming a quantum wire semiconductor laser structure comprising the steps of: epitaxially depositing several semiconductor layers on a substrate, at least one of said semiconductor layers or said substrate having at least one groove, at least one of said semiconductor layers, immediately adjacent to one of said semiconductor layers having at least one groove, being an active quantum well layer, which provides lightwave generation and propagation under lasing conditions, interrupting the epitaxial growth of said semiconductor layers after the deposition of said quantum well layer, selectively desorbing in situ, employing photo induced evaporation, portions of said quantum well layer in said at least one groove to the interface with the semiconductor layer therebeneath forming at least one quantum wire in the vertex of at least one of said at least one groove, and continuing the epitaxial deposition of the remaining semiconductor layers.

Claim 8

A method of forming a buried reverse bias junction in a quantum wire semiconductor laser structure comprising the steps of: epitaxially depositing several semiconductor layers on a substrate, at least one of said semiconductor layers or said substrate having at least one groove, at least one of said semiconductor layers, immediately adjacent to one of said semiconductor layers having at least one groove, being an active quantum well layer, which provides lightwave generation and propagation under lasing conditions, interrupting the epitaxial growth of said semiconductor layers after the deposition of said quantum well layer, selectively desorbing in situ, employing photo induced evaporation, portions of said quantum well layer in said at least one groove to the interface with the semiconductor layer therebeneath forming at least one quantum wire in the vertex of at least one of said at least one groove, epitaxially depositing several semiconductor layers on said at least one quantum wire and said semiconductor layer therebeneath, one of said semiconductor layers being a quantum well layer and having a doping content of opposite conductivity type relative to immediately adjacent semiconductor layers, interrupting the epitaxial growth of said semiconductor layers after the deposition of said quantum well layer having a doping content of opposite conductivity type, selectively desorbing in situ portions of said quantum well layer having a doping content of opposite conductivity type to the interface with the semiconductor layer therebeneath employing photo induced evaporation to form a reverse bias junction containing at least one current channel, and continuing the epitaxial deposition of the remaining semiconductor layers.

Claim 9

A method of forming a buried reverse bias junction in a quantum wire semiconductor laser structure comprising the steps of: epitaxially depositing several semiconductor layers on a substrate, at least one of said semiconductor layers or said substrate having at least one groove, at least one of said semiconductor layers, immediately adjacent to one of said semiconductor layers having at least one groove, being an active quantum well layer, which provides lightwave generation and propagation under lasing conditions, interrupting the epitaxial growth of said semiconductor layers after the deposition of said quantum well layer, selectively desorbing in situ, employing photo induced evaporation, portions of said quantum well layer in said at least one groove to the interface with the semiconductor layer therebeneath forming at least one quantum wire in the vertex of at least one of said at least one groove, epitaxially depositing several semiconductor layers on said at least one quantum wire and said semiconductor layer therebeneath, one of said semiconductor layers being a quantum well layer and having a doping content of opposite conductivity type relative to immediately adjacent semiconductor layers, interrupting the epitaxial growth of said semiconductor layers after the deposition of said quantum well layer having a doping content of opposite conductivity type, selectively desorbing in situ portions of said quantum well layer having a doping content of opposite conductivity type to the interface with the semiconductor layer therebeneath employing photo induced evaporation to form a reverse bias junction containing at least one current channel, and continuing the epitaxial deposition of the remaining semiconductor layers.

Claim 14

A method of forming a buried reverse bias junction in a quantum wire semiconductor laser structure comprising the steps of: epitaxially depositing several semiconductor layers on a substrate, at least one of said semiconductor layers or said substrate having at least one groove, one of said subsequently deposited semiconductor layers being a quantum well layer and having a doping content of opposite conductivity type relative to immediately adjacent semiconductor layers, interrupting the epitaxial growth of said semiconductor layers after the deposition of said quantum well layer having a doping content of opposite conductivity type, selectively desorbing in situ portions of said quantum well layer having a doping content of opposite conductivity type to the interface with the semiconductor layer therebeneath employing photo induced evaporation to form a reverse bias junction containing at least one current channel, epitaxially depositing several semiconductor layers on said reverse bias junction, at least one of said semiconductor layers, immediately adjacent to one of said semiconductor layers having at least one groove being an active quantum well layer, which provides lightwave generation and propagation under lasing conditions, interrupting the epitaxial growth of said semiconductor layers after the deposition of said quantum well layer, selectively desorbing in situ, employing photo induced evaporation, portions of said quantum well layer in said at least one groove to the interface with the semiconductor layer therebeneath forming at least one quantum wire in the vertex of at least one of said at least one groove, and continuing the epitaxial deposition of the remaining semiconductor layers.

Claim 15

A method of forming a buried reverse bias junction in a quantum wire semiconductor laser structure comprising the steps of: epitaxially depositing several semiconductor layers on a substrate, at least one of said semiconductor layers or said substrate having at least one groove, one of said subsequently deposited semiconductor layers being a quantum well layer and having a doping content of opposite conductivity type relative to immediately adjacent semiconductor layers, interrupting the epitaxial growth of said semiconductor layers after the deposition of said quantum well layer having a doping content of opposite conductivity type, selectively desorbing in situ portions of said quantum well layer having a doping content of opposite conductivity type to the interface with the semiconductor layer therebeneath employing photo induced evaporation to form a reverse bias junction containing at least one current channel, epitaxially depositing several semiconductor layers on said reverse bias junction, at least one of said semiconductor layers, immediately adjacent to one of said semiconductor layers having at least one groove being an active quantum well layer, which provides lightwave generation and propagation under lasing conditions, interrupting the epitaxial growth of said semiconductor layers after the deposition of said quantum well layer, selectively desorbing in situ, employing photo induced evaporation, portions of said quantum well layer in said at least one groove to the interface with the semiconductor layer therebeneath forming at least one quantum wire in the vertex of at least one of said at least one groove, and continuing the epitaxial deposition of the remaining semiconductor layers.

Claim 20

A method of forming a buried reverse bias junction in a quantum wire semiconductor laser structure comprising the steps of: epitaxially depositing several semiconductor layers on a substrate, at least one of said semiconductor layers or said substrate having at least one groove, one of said subsequently deposited semiconductor layers being a quantum well layer and having a doping content of opposite conductivity type relative to immediately adjacent semiconductor layers, interrupting the epitaxial growth of said semiconductor layers after the deposition of said quantum well layer having a doping content of opposite conductivity type, selectively desorbing in situ portions of said quantum well layer having a doping content of opposite conductivity type to the interface with the semiconductor layer therebeneath employing photo induced evaporation to form a first reverse bias junction containing at least one current channel, epitaxially depositing several semiconductor layers on said first reverse bias junction, at least one of said semiconductor layers, immediately adjacent to one of said semiconductor layers having at least one groove being an active quantum well, which provides lightwave generation and propagation under lasing conditions, interrupting the epitaxial growth of said semiconductor layers after the deposition of said quantum well layer, selectively desorbing in situ, employing photo induced evaporation, portions of said quantum well layer in said at least one groove to the interface with the semiconductor layer therebeneath forming at least one quantum wire in the vertex of at least one of said at least one groove, epitaxially depositing several semiconductor layers on said at least one quantum wire and said semiconductor layer therebeneath, one of said semiconductor layers being a quantum well layer and having a doping content of opposite conductivity type relative to immediately adjacent semiconductor layers, interrupting the epitaxial growth of said semiconductor layers after the deposition of said quantum well layer having a doping content of opposite conductivity type, selectively desorbing in situ portions of said quantum well layer having a doping content of opposite conductivity type to the interface with the semiconductor layer therebeneath employing photo induced evaporation to form a second reverse bias junction containing at least one current channel, and continuing the epitaxial deposition of the remaining semiconductor layers.

Claim 21

A method of forming a buried reverse bias junction in a quantum wire semiconductor laser structure comprising the steps of: epitaxially depositing several semiconductor layers on a substrate, at least one of said semiconductor layers or said substrate having at least one groove, one of said subsequently deposited semiconductor layers being a quantum well layer and having a doping content of opposite conductivity type relative to immediately adjacent semiconductor layers, interrupting the epitaxial growth of said semiconductor layers after the deposition of said quantum well layer having a doping content of opposite conductivity type, selectively desorbing in situ portions of said quantum well layer having a doping content of opposite conductivity type to the interface with the semiconductor layer therebeneath employing photo induced evaporation to form a first reverse bias junction containing at least one current channel, epitaxially depositing several semiconductor layers on said first reverse bias junction, at least one of said semiconductor layers, immediately adjacent to one of said semiconductor layers having at least one groove being an active quantum well, which provides lightwave generation and propagation under lasing conditions, interrupting the epitaxial growth of said semiconductor layers after the deposition of said quantum well layer, selectively desorbing in situ, employing photo induced evaporation, portions of said quantum well layer in said at least one groove to the interface with the semiconductor layer therebeneath forming at least one quantum wire in the vertex of at least one of said at least one groove, epitaxially depositing several semiconductor layers on said at least one quantum wire and said semiconductor layer therebeneath, one of said semiconductor layers being a quantum well layer and having a doping content of opposite conductivity type relative to immediately adjacent semiconductor layers, interrupting the epitaxial growth of said semiconductor layers after the deposition of said quantum well layer having a doping content of opposite conductivity type, selectively desorbing in situ portions of said quantum well layer having a doping content of opposite conductivity type to the interface with the semiconductor layer therebeneath employing photo induced evaporation to form a second reverse bias junction containing at least one current channel, and continuing the epitaxial deposition of the remaining semiconductor layers.

Claim 26

A method of forming an optical waveguide in a quantum wire semiconductor laser structure comprising the steps of: epitaxially depositing several semiconductor layers on a substrate, at least one of said semiconductor layers or said substrate having at least one groove, at least one of said semiconductor layers, immediately adjacent to one of said semiconductor layers having at least one groove, being an active quantum well layer, which provides lightwave generation and propagation under lasing conditions, interrupting the epitaxial growth of said semiconductor layers after the deposition of said quantum well layer, selectively desorbing in situ, employing photo induced evaporation, portions of said quantum well layer in said at least one groove to the interface with the semiconductor layer therebeneath forming at least one quantum wire in the vertex of at least one of said at least one groove, epitaxially depositing several semiconductor layers on said at least one quantum wire and said semiconductor layer therebeneath, one of said semiconductor layers containing a concentration of an impurity species between 10 19 /cm 3 and the point of saturated concentration of said impurity species in said impurity layer, interrupting the epitaxial growth of said semiconductor layers after the deposition of said impurity layer, selectively desorbing in situ portions of said one impurity layer to the interface with the semiconductor layer therebeneath employing photo induced evaporation, and continuing the epitaxial deposition of the remaining semiconductor layers inducing at least initial impurity disordering of regions of epitaxially deposited semiconductor layers in proximity to the remaining portions of said impurity layer to form an optical waveguide between said disordered regions.

Claim 27

A method of forming an optical waveguide in a quantum wire semiconductor laser structure comprising the steps of: epitaxially depositing several semiconductor layers on a substrate, at least one of said semiconductor layers or said substrate having at least one groove, at least one of said semiconductor layers, immediately adjacent to one of said semiconductor layers having at least one groove, being an active quantum well layer, which provides lightwave generation and propagation under lasing conditions, interrupting the epitaxial growth of said semiconductor layers after the deposition of said quantum well layer, selectively desorbing in situ, employing photo induced evaporation, portions of said quantum well layer in said at least one groove to the interface with the semiconductor layer therebeneath forming at least one quantum wire in the vertex of at least one of said at least one groove, epitaxially depositing several semiconductor layers on said at least one quantum wire and said semiconductor layer therebeneath, one of said semiconductor layers containing a concentration of an impurity species between 10 19 /cm 3 and the point of saturated concentration of said impurity species in said impurity layer, interrupting the epitaxial growth of said semiconductor layers after the deposition of said impurity layer, selectively desorbing in situ portions of said one impurity layer to the interface with the semiconductor layer therebeneath employing photo induced evaporation, and continuing the epitaxial deposition of the remaining semiconductor layers inducing at least initial impurity disordering of regions of epitaxially deposited semiconductor layers in proximity to the remaining portions of said impurity layer to form an optical waveguide between said disordered regions.

Claim 29

A method of forming an optical waveguide in a quantum wire semiconductor laser structure comprising the steps of: epitaxially depositing several semiconductor layers on a substrate, at least one of said semiconductor layers or said substrate having at least one groove, at least one of said semiconductor layers, immediately adjacent to one of said semiconductor layers having at least one groove, being an active quantum well layer, which provides lightwave generation and propagation under lasing conditions, interrupting the epitaxial growth of said semiconductor layers after the deposition of said quantum well layer, selectively desorbing in situ, employing photo induced evaporation, portions of said quantum well layer in said at least one groove to the interface with the semiconductor layer therebeneath forming at least one quantum wire in the vertex of at least one of said at least one groove, continuing the epitaxial deposition of the remaining semiconductor layers, said last epitaxially deposited semiconductor layer containing a concentration of an impurity species between 10 19 /cm 3 and the point of saturated concentration of said impurity species in said impurity layer, selectively desorbing in situ portions of said impurity layer to the interface with the semiconductor layer therebeneath, and inducing at least initial impurity disordering of regions of deposited semiconductor layers in proximity to the remaining portions of said impurity layer to form an optical waveguide between said disordered regions.

Claim 30

A method of forming an optical waveguide in a quantum wire semiconductor laser structure comprising the steps of: epitaxially depositing several semiconductor layers on a substrate, at least one of said semiconductor layers or said substrate having at least one groove, at least one of said semiconductor layers, immediately adjacent to one of said semiconductor layers having at least one groove, being an active quantum well layer, which provides lightwave generation and propagation under lasing conditions, interrupting the epitaxial growth of said semiconductor layers after the deposition of said quantum well layer, selectively desorbing in situ, employing photo induced evaporation, portions of said quantum well layer in said at least one groove to the interface with the semiconductor layer therebeneath forming at least one quantum wire in the vertex of at least one of said at least one groove, continuing the epitaxial deposition of the remaining semiconductor layers, said last epitaxially deposited semiconductor layer containing a concentration of an impurity species between 10 19 /cm 3 and the point of saturated concentration of said impurity species in said impurity layer, selectively desorbing in situ portions of said impurity layer to the interface with the semiconductor layer therebeneath, and inducing at least initial impurity disordering of regions of deposited semiconductor layers in proximity to the remaining portions of said impurity layer to form an optical waveguide between said disordered regions.

Claim 32

A method of forming an optical waveguide in a quantum wire semiconductor laser structure comprising the steps of: epitaxially depositing several semiconductor layers on a substrate, at least one of said semiconductor layers or said substrate having at least one groove, one of said semiconductor layers containing a concentration of an impurity species between 10 19 /cm 3 and the point of saturated concentration of said impurity species in said impurity layer, interrupting the epitaxial growth of said semiconductor layers after the deposition of said impurity layer, selectively desorbing in situ portions of said one impurity layer to the interface with the semiconductor layer therebeneath employing photo induced evaporation, epitaxially depositing several semiconductor layers on said impurity layer and said semiconductor layer therebeneath, at least one of said semiconductor layers, immediately adjacent to one of said semiconductor layers having at least one groove, being an active quantum well layer, which provides lightwave generation and propagation under lasing conditions, interrupting the epitaxial growth of said semiconductor layers after the deposition of said quantum well layer, selectively desorbing in situ, employing photo induced evaporation, portions of said quantum well layer in said at least one groove to the interface with the semiconductor layer therebeneath forming at least one quantum wire in the vertex of at least one of said at least one groove, continuing the epitaxial deposition of the remaining semiconductor layers, and inducing at least initial impurity disordering of regions of epitaxially deposited semiconductor layers in proximity to the remaining portions of said impurity layer to form an optical waveguide between said disordered regions.

Claim 33

A method of forming an optical waveguide in a quantum wire semiconductor laser structure comprising the steps of: epitaxially depositing several semiconductor layers on a substrate, at least one of said semiconductor layers or said substrate having at least one groove, one of said semiconductor layers containing a concentration of an impurity species between 10 19 /cm 3 and the point of saturated concentration of said impurity species in said impurity layer, interrupting the epitaxial growth of said semiconductor layers after the deposition of said impurity layer, selectively desorbing in situ portions of said one impurity layer to the interface with the semiconductor layer therebeneath employing photo induced evaporation, epitaxially depositing several semiconductor layers on said impurity layer and said semiconductor layer therebeneath, at least one of said semiconductor layers, immediately adjacent to one of said semiconductor layers having at least one groove, being an active quantum well layer, which provides lightwave generation and propagation under lasing conditions, interrupting the epitaxial growth of said semiconductor layers after the deposition of said quantum well layer, selectively desorbing in situ, employing photo induced evaporation, portions of said quantum well layer in said at least one groove to the interface with the semiconductor layer therebeneath forming at least one quantum wire in the vertex of at least one of said at least one groove, continuing the epitaxial deposition of the remaining semiconductor layers, and inducing at least initial impurity disordering of regions of epitaxially deposited semiconductor layers in proximity to the remaining portions of said impurity layer to form an optical waveguide between said disordered regions.

Claim 35

A method of forming a multiple quantum wire semiconductor laser structure comprising the steps of: epitaxially depositing several semiconductor layers on a substrate, at least one of said semiconductor layers or said substrate having at least one groove, at least one of said semiconductor layers, immediately adjacent to one of said semiconductor layers having at least one groove, being an active quantum well layer, which provides lightwave generation and propagation under lasing conditions, interrupting the epitaxial growth of said semiconductor layers after the deposition of said quantum well layer, selectively desorbing in situ, employing photo induced evaporation, portions of said quantum well layer in said at least one groove to the interface with the semiconductor layer therebeneath forming at least one quantum wire in the vertex of at least one of said at least one groove, alternating epitaxially depositing a semiconductor barrier layer having at least one groove; depositing a quantum well layer; and selectively desorbing in situ, employing photo induced evaporation, portions of said quantum well layer in said at least one groove to the interface with the semiconductor layer or semiconductor barrier layer therebeneath forming at least one quantum wire in the vertex of at least one of said at least one groove, and continuing the epitaxial deposition of the remaining semiconductor layers.

Claim 36

A method of forming a multiple quantum wire semiconductor laser structure comprising the steps of: epitaxially depositing several semiconductor layers on a substrate, at least one of said semiconductor layers or said substrate having at least one groove, at least one of said semiconductor layers, immediately adjacent to one of said semiconductor layers having at least one groove, being an active quantum well layer, which provides lightwave generation and propagation under lasing conditions, interrupting the epitaxial growth of said semiconductor layers after the deposition of said quantum well layer, selectively desorbing in situ, employing photo induced evaporation, portions of said quantum well layer in said at least one groove to the interface with the semiconductor layer therebeneath forming at least one quantum wire in the vertex of at least one of said at least one groove, alternating epitaxially depositing a semiconductor barrier layer having at least one groove; depositing a quantum well layer; and selectively desorbing in situ, employing photo induced evaporation, portions of said quantum well layer in said at least one groove to the interface with the semiconductor layer or semiconductor barrier layer therebeneath forming at least one quantum wire in the vertex of at least one of said at least one groove, and continuing the epitaxial deposition of the remaining semiconductor layers.

Claim 41

A method of forming a quantum wire semiconductor laser structure comprising the steps of: epitaxially depositing several semiconductor layers on a substrate, at least one of said semiconductor layers or said substrate having at least one groove, at least one of said semiconductor layers, immediately adjacent to one of said semiconductor layers having at least one groove, being an active quantum well layer, which provides lightwave generation and propagation under lasing conditions, interrupting the epitaxial growth of said semiconductor layers after the deposition of said quantum well layer, selectively desorbing in situ, employing photo induced evaporation, portions of said quantum well layer in said at least one groove to the interface with the semiconductor layer therebeneath forming at least one quantum wire in the vertex of at least one of said at least one groove, epitaxially depositing several semiconductor layers on said at least one quantum wire and said semiconductor layer therebeneath, one of said semiconductor layers containing a concentration of an impurity species between 10 19 /cm 3 and the point of saturated concentration of said impurity species in said impurity layer, interrupting the epitaxial growth of said semiconductor layers after the deposition of said impurity layer, selectively desorbing in situ portions of said one impurity layer to the interface with the semiconductor layer therebeneath employing photo induced evaporation, and continuing the epitaxial deposition of the remaining semiconductor layers inducing at least initial impurity disordering of regions of epitaxially deposited semiconductor layers in proximity to the remaining portions of said impurity layer such that said at least one quantum wire is bounded between said disordered regions and said lightwave generation and propagation under lasing conditions is perpendicular to said at least one quantum wire.

Claim 42

A method of forming a quantum wire semiconductor laser structure comprising the steps of: epitaxially depositing several semiconductor layers on a substrate, at least one of said semiconductor layers or said substrate having at least one groove, at least one of said semiconductor layers, immediately adjacent to one of said semiconductor layers having at least one groove, being an active quantum well layer, which provides lightwave generation and propagation under lasing conditions, interrupting the epitaxial growth of said semiconductor layers after the deposition of said quantum well layer, selectively desorbing in situ, employing photo induced evaporation, portions of said quantum well layer in said at least one groove to the interface with the semiconductor layer therebeneath forming at least one quantum wire in the vertex of at least one of said at least one groove, epitaxially depositing several semiconductor layers on said at least one quantum wire and said semiconductor layer therebeneath, one of said semiconductor layers containing a concentration of an impurity species between 10 19 /cm 3 and the point of saturated concentration of said impurity species in said impurity layer, interrupting the epitaxial growth of said semiconductor layers after the deposition of said impurity layer, selectively desorbing in situ portions of said one impurity layer to the interface with the semiconductor layer therebeneath employing photo induced evaporation, and continuing the epitaxial deposition of the remaining semiconductor layers inducing at least initial impurity disordering of regions of epitaxially deposited semiconductor layers in proximity to the remaining portions of said impurity layer such that said at least one quantum wire is bounded between said disordered regions and said lightwave generation and propagation under lasing conditions is perpendicular to said at least one quantum wire.