Cleaving process in manufacturing a semiconductor laser

Claim 1

A method of cleaving a semiconductor wafer comprising the steps of: a) coating a first photoresist on a front surface of a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of semiconductor laser elements formed on said semiconductor wafer; b) patterning the first photoresist so as to form guide mark patterns for cleaving in the first photoresist; c) coating a second photoresist on a rear surface of said semiconductor wafer; d) removing an edge part of the second photoresist, wherein said edge part is located at the guide mark patterns for cleaving; e) etching the semiconductor wafer to form guide marks using the patterned first photoresist and the second photoresist as masks, the guide marks being formed through said semiconductor wafer; f) patterning the second photoresist so as to form stripe patterns in the second photoresist on the rear surface; g) etching the rear surface of said semiconductor wafer so as to form V-shaped grooves; h) removing said first photoresist and said second photoresist; and i) cleaving said semiconductor wafer along said V-shaped grooves into bars, each bar being a semiconductor laser.

Claim 2

A method of cleaving a semiconductor wafer comprising the steps of: a) coating a first photoresist on a front surface of a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of semiconductor laser elements formed on said semiconductor wafer; b) patterning the first photoresist so as to form guide mark patterns for cleaving in the first photoresist; c) coating a second photoresist on a rear surface of said semiconductor wafer; d) removing an edge part of the second photoresist, wherein said edge part is located at the guide mark patterns for cleaving; e) etching the semiconductor wafer to form guide marks using the patterned first photoresist and the second photoresist as masks, the guide marks being formed through said semiconductor wafer; f) patterning the second photoresist so as to form stripe patterns in the second photoresist on the rear surface; g) etching the rear surface of said semiconductor wafer so as to form V-shaped grooves; h) removing said first photoresist and said second photoresist; and i) cleaving said semiconductor wafer along said V-shaped grooves into bars, each bar being a semiconductor laser.

Claim 3

A method of cleaving a semiconductor wafer comprising the steps of: a) coating a first photoresist on a first surface of a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of semiconductor laser elements formed on said semiconductor wafer; b) patterning the first photoresist so as to form guide mark patterns for cleaving in the first photoresist; c) coating a second photoresist on a second surface of said semiconductor wafer opposite the first surface; d) removing an edge part of the second photoresist, wherein said edge part is located at the guide mark patterns for cleaving; e) etching the semiconductor wafer to form guide marks using the patterned first photoresist as a mask, the guide marks being formed through said semiconductor wafer; f) patterning the second photoresist so as to form stripe patterns, in the second photoresist on the second surface, for cleaving using said guide marks; g) etching the second surface of said semiconductor wafer so as to form dovetail shaped cleaving lines; h) removing said first photoresist and said second photoresist; and i) cleaving said semiconductor wafer along said cleaving lines.

Claim 4

A method of cleaving a semiconductor wafer comprising the steps of: a) coating a first photoresist on a first surface of a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of semiconductor laser elements formed on said semiconductor wafer; b) patterning the first photoresist so as to form guide mark patterns for cleaving in the first photoresist; c) coating a second photoresist on a second surface of said semiconductor wafer opposite the first surface; d) removing an edge part of the second photoresist, wherein said edge part is located at the guide mark patterns for cleaving; e) etching the semiconductor wafer to form guide marks using the patterned first photoresist as a mask, the guide marks being formed through said semiconductor wafer; f) patterning the second photoresist so as to form stripe patterns, in the second photoresist on the second surface, for cleaving using said guide marks; g) etching the second surface of said semiconductor wafer so as to form dovetail shaped cleaving lines; h) removing said first photoresist and said second photoresist; and i) cleaving said semiconductor wafer along said cleaving lines.

Claim 5

A method of cleaving a semiconductor wafer comprising the steps of: a) coating a first photoresist on a first surface of a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of semiconductor laser elements formed on said semiconductor wafer; b) patterning the first photoresist so as to form guide mark patterns for cleaving in the first photoresist; c) coating a second photoresist on a second surface of said semiconductor wafer opposite the first surface; d) removing an edge part of the second photoresist, wherein said edge part is located at the guide mark patterns for cleaving; e) etching the semiconductor wafer to form guide marks using the patterned first photoresist and the second photoresist as masks, the guide marks being formed through said semiconductor wafer; f) patterning the second photoresist so as to form striped patterns in the second photoresist on the second surface for cleaving using said guide marks; g) etching the second surface of said semiconductor wafer so as to form lines of V-shaped or dovetail shaped grooves thereon; h) removing said first photoresist and said second photoresist; and i) cleaving said semiconductor wafer along said lines formed in step g) above.

Claim 6

A method of cleaving a semiconductor wafer comprising the steps of: a) coating a first photoresist on a first surface of a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of semiconductor laser elements formed on said semiconductor wafer; b) patterning the first photoresist so as to form guide mark patterns for cleaving in the first photoresist; c) coating a second photoresist on a second surface of said semiconductor wafer opposite the first surface; d) removing an edge part of the second photoresist, wherein said edge part is located at the guide mark patterns for cleaving; e) etching the semiconductor wafer to form guide marks using the patterned first photoresist and the second photoresist as masks, the guide marks being formed through said semiconductor wafer; f) patterning the second photoresist so as to form striped patterns in the second photoresist on the second surface for cleaving using said guide marks; g) etching the second surface of said semiconductor wafer so as to form lines of V-shaped or dovetail shaped grooves thereon; h) removing said first photoresist and said second photoresist; and i) cleaving said semiconductor wafer along said lines formed in step g) above.