US5382812A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Diamond and II-VI heterojunction semiconductor light emitting device
Assignee: Bayer AG
•
Filing: 1993-04-14
•
Granted: 1995-01-17
•
Expires: 2013-04-14
Abstract
Abstract A light emitting semiconductor heterojunction includes a first layer of n-type semiconducting material comprising a Group II-VI material, and a second layer of p-type semiconducting diamond on the first layer. Preferably the Group II-VI material includes a Group II material selected from the group consisting of zinc and cadmium, and the Group VI material is selected from the group consisting of sulfur and selenium. The light emitting heterojunction will produce light having a wavelength in the range of about 440-550 nanometers, depending on the composition and the temperature of operation. One embodiment of the device is a surface emitting device and includes a contact layer on the diamond layer having a predetermined shape, such as a ring, overlying only a portion of the diamond layer for permitting surface emission of light from diamond layer. The light emitting heterojunction may also be configured as an edge emitting device, such as a laser, wherein the first and second layers both have opposing cleaved edge faces transverse to the heterojunction to thereby define a Fabry-Perot etalon therebetween. A contact stripe is preferably provided on the second layer of the laser. To further define the edge emitting region of the heterojunction, two laterally spaced apart and lengthwise extending insulating layers may be formed between the contact stripe and the diamond. Methods for fabricating the devices are also disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 David L. Dreifus
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 08:49
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10H; H10H20/00; H10H20/80; H10H20/81; H10H20/822; H10D; H10D62/00; H10D62/80; H10D62/82; H10H20/811
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
41 words
A light emitting semiconductor device comprising: a first layer comprising an n-type semiconducting Group II-VI material; and a second layer on said first layer, said second layer comprising p-type semiconducting diamond thereby forming a light emitting heterojunction with said first layer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
41 words
A light emitting semiconductor device comprising: a first layer comprising an n-type semiconducting Group II-VI material; and a second layer on said first layer, said second layer comprising p-type semiconducting diamond thereby forming a light emitting heterojunction with said first layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
A light emitting semiconductor device according to claim 1 further comprising an electrically conductive contact layer on said second layer opposite said first layer, wherein said contact layer has a predetermined shape overlying only a portion of said second layer for permitting surface emission of light from said second layer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
A light emitting semiconductor device according to claim 2 wherein said predetermined shape of said contact layer is ring-like defining a central opening therethrough.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
A light emitting semiconductor device according to claim 1 further comprising an electrically conductive contact layer on said second layer opposite said first layer, and wherein said contact layer has a stripe shape to thereby define an edge emitting device.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
A light emitting semiconductor device according to claim 4 wherein said first and second layers both have opposing cleaved edge surfaces transverse to the heterojunction to thereby define a Fabry-Perot etalon therebetween for laser light emission from one of said cleaved edge surfaces.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
A light emitting semiconductor device according to claim 4 wherein said contact layer has a pair of lengthwise extending spaced apart side portions, and further comprising respective insulating layers positioned between said pair of side portions and respective underlying portions of said semiconducting diamond layer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
A light emitting semiconductor device according to claim 1 wherein said first layer has a thickness in the range of about 0.5 to 100 μm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
A light emitting semiconductor device according to claim 1 wherein said second layer has a thickness in the range of about 0.5 to 100 μm.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
A light emitting semiconductor device according to claim 1 wherein said first layer has a dopant level in the range of about 10 16 to 10 20 cm -3 .
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
A light emitting semiconductor device according to claim 1 wherein said second layer has a dopant level in the range of about 10 16 to 10 21 cm -3 .
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
A light emitting semiconductor device according to claim 1 further comprising an electrically conductive substrate on said first layer opposite said second layer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
A light emitting semiconductor device according to claim 11 wherein said electrically conductive substrate is silicon-doped gallium arsenide.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
A light emitting semiconductor device according to claim 11 further comprising a contact layer on-said electrically conductive substrate opposite said first layer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
A light emitting semiconductor device according to claim 1 wherein said second layer comprises polycrystalline diamond.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
68 words
A light emitting semiconductor device comprising: a first layer comprising an n-type semiconducting Group II-VI material, the Group II material selected from the group consisting of zinc and cadmium, and the Group VI material selected from the group consisting of sulfur and selenium; and a second layer on said first layer, said second layer comprising p-type semiconducting diamond thereby forming a light emitting heterojunction with said first layer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
68 words
A light emitting semiconductor device comprising: a first layer comprising an n-type semiconducting Group II-VI material, the Group II material selected from the group consisting of zinc and cadmium, and the Group VI material selected from the group consisting of sulfur and selenium; and a second layer on said first layer, said second layer comprising p-type semiconducting diamond thereby forming a light emitting heterojunction with said first layer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
50 words
A light emitting semiconductor device according to claim 15 further comprising an electrically conductive contact layer on said second layer opposite said first layer, wherein said contact layer has a predetermined shape overlying only a portion of said second layer for permitting surface emission of light from said second layer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
A light emitting semiconductor device according to claim 16 wherein said predetermined shape of said contact layer is ring-like defining a central opening therethrough.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
39 words
A light emitting semiconductor device according to claim 15 further comprising an electrically conductive contact layer on said second layer opposite said first layer, and wherein said contact layer has a stripe shape thereby defining an edge emitting device.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
43 words
A light emitting semiconductor device according to claim 18 wherein said first and second layers both have opposing cleaved edge surfaces transverse to the heterojunction to thereby define a Fabry-Perot etalon therebetween for laser light emission from one of said cleaved edge surfaces.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
45 words
A light emitting semiconductor device according to claim 18 wherein said contact layer has a pair of lengthwise extending spaced apart side portions, and further comprising respective insulating layers positioned between said pair of side portions and respective underlying portions of said semiconducting diamond layer.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
A light emitting semiconductor device according to claim 15 wherein said first layer has a thickness in the range of about 0.5 to 100 μm.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
25 words
A light emitting semiconductor device according to claim 15 wherein said second layer has a thickness in the range of about 0.5 to 100 μm.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
37 words
A light emitting semiconductor device according to claim 15 further comprising an electrically conductive substrate on said first layer opposite said second layer, and a metal contact layer on said electrically conductive substrate opposite said first layer.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
18 words
A light emitting semiconductor device according to claim 23 wherein said electrically conductive substrate is silicon-doped gallium arsenide.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
52 words
A light emitting semiconductor device comprising: a first layer comprising a Group II-VI semiconducting material, said first layer having a first conductivity type; and a second layer comprising semiconducting diamond on said first layer, said second layer having a second conductivity type thereby forming a light emitting heterojunction with said first layer.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
52 words
A light emitting semiconductor device comprising: a first layer comprising a Group II-VI semiconducting material, said first layer having a first conductivity type; and a second layer comprising semiconducting diamond on said first layer, said second layer having a second conductivity type thereby forming a light emitting heterojunction with said first layer.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
35 words
A light emitting semiconductor device according to claim 25 wherein said first layer is doped with an n-type dopant to a level in the range of about 10 16 to 10 20 cm -3 .
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
35 words
A light emitting semiconductor device according to claim 25 wherein said second layer is doped with a p-type dopant to a level in the range of about 10 16 to 10 21 cm -3 .
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
25 words
A light emitting semiconductor device according to claim 25 wherein said first layer has a thickness in the range of about 0.5 to 100 μm.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
25 words
A light emitting semiconductor device according to claim 25 wherein said second layer has a thickness in the range of about 0.5 to 100 μm.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4122407A
Cited
US4685979A
Cited
US4819058A
Cited
US4377423A
Cited
US5173443A
Cited
US4972250A
Cited
US4875967A
Cited
GB2209869A
Cited
US5045894A
Cited
US5008891A
Cited
US5117267A
Cited
US5252840A
Cited
US5229028A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-01-16 | 1998-07-18 | 1999-01-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-01-16 | 2002-07-18 | 2003-01-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-01-16 | 2006-07-18 | 2007-01-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |