Lens comprising at least one oxidized layer and method for forming same

Claim 2

An aperture comprising: at least a first lens layer having a first thickness, said first lens layer comprising a first oxidized portion and a first non-oxidized portion, said first lens layer comprising a semiconductor material having a first aluminum content greater than 20%; at least a second layer having a second thickness and in communication with said first lens layer, said second layer comprising a non-oxidized semiconductor having a second aluminum content not equal to said first aluminum content; and at least a first interdiffused region partially disposed in said first non-oxidized portion comprising materials from both of said first and second layers, said first interdiffused region penetrating to a first thickness at a first point in said first non-oxidized portion and to a lesser thickness at a second point in said first oxidized portion.

Claim 3

The aperture recited in claim 1, wherein said interdiffused region has an aluminum content less than said first aluminum content.

Claim 4

The aperture recited in claim 1, wherein said first non-oxidized portion at said first point extends entirely through said first lens layer.

Claim 5

The aperture recited in claim 1, wherein said first interdiffused region extends only partially through said first lens layer.

Claim 6

The aperture recited in claim 1, further comprising: at least a third layer having a third thickness and in communication with said second layer, said third layer comprising a third oxidized portion and a third non-oxidized portion, said third non-oxidized portion comprising a semiconductor having a third aluminum content; and at least a second interdiffused region partially disposed in said third non-oxidized portion comprising materials from both of said second and third layers, said second interdiffused region penetrating to a third thickness at a third point in said third non-oxidized portion and to a lesser thickness at a fourth point in said third oxidized portion.

Claim 7

The aperture recited in claim 5, wherein said first non-oxidized portion penetrates entirely through said first lens layer over a first area, and said third non-oxidized portion penetrates entirely through said third layer over a third area, said third area being at least 4% larger than said first layer.

Claim 8

The aperture recited in claim 5 in which said third thickness differs from said first thickness by a value greater than 2.5 Å.

Claim 9

The aperture recited in claim 7, wherein said third thickness is less than said first thickness.

Claim 10

The aperture recited in claim 5, wherein said first non-oxidized portion penetrates entirely through said first lens layer over a first area, and said third non-oxidized portion penetrates entirely through said third layer over a third area, said third area being at least 4% larger than said first area.

Claim 11

The aperture recited in claim 5, wherein said third thickness differs from said first thickness by a value greater than 4% of said first thickness.

Claim 12

The aperture recited in claim 10, wherein said first non-oxidized portion penetrates entirely through said first lens layer over a first area, and said third non-oxidized portion penetrates entirely through said third layer over a third area, said third area being at least 4% larger than said first area.

Claim 13

The aperture recited in claim 5, wherein said third aluminum content differs from said first aluminum content by a value greater than 0.01% of said first aluminum content.

Claim 14

The aperture recited in claim 12, wherein said fist non-oxidized portion penetrates entirely through said first lens layer over a first area, and third non-oxidized portion penetrates entirely through said third layer over a third area, said third area being at least 4% larger than said first area.

Claim 15

The aperture recited in claim 5, further comprising: at least a fourth layer having a fourth thickness and in communication with said third layer, said fourth layer comprising a non-oxidized semiconductor having a fourth aluminum content; and at least a third interdiffused region partially disposed in said third non-oxidized portion comprising materials from both of said third and fourth layers, said third interdiffused region penetrating to a fifth thickness at a fifth point in said third non-oxidized portion and to a lesser thickness at a sixth point in said third oxidized portion.

Claim 16

The aperture recited in claim 14, wherein said fourth aluminum content differs from said second aluminum content by a value greater than 0.01% of said second aluminum content.

Claim 17

The aperture recited in claim 15, wherein said first non-oxidized portion extends entirely through said first lens layer over a first area, and said third non-oxidized portion extends entirely through said third lens layer over a third area, and in which said first area is at least 4% larger than said third area.

Claim 18

The aperture recited in claim 14, wherein said fourth thickness differs from said second thickness by a value greater than 5% of said second thickness.

Claim 19

The aperture recited in claim 17, wherein said first non-oxidized portion extends entirely through said first lens layer over a first area, and said third non-oxidized portion extends entirely through said third layer over a third area, and in which said first area is at least 4% larger than said third area.

Claim 20

The aperture recited in claim 5, wherein centers of said first and third layers are separated by less than 1000 Å.

Claim 21

The aperture recited in claim 1, further comprising: a first conductive layer having a first conductivity type; a light emitting material, said light emitting material disposed above said first conductive layer and in electrical communication therewith; a second conductive layer having a second conductivity type, said second conductive layer being disposed above said light emitting material and in electrical communication therewith; electrical communication means for providing electrical communication to said light emitting material; and wherein said first lens layer proximal to said light emitting material.

Claim 22

The light emitting device recited in claim 20, further comprising a first mirror disposed below said light emitting material and a second mirror disposed above said light emitting material.

Claim 23

An aperture comprising: at least a first lens layer having a first thickness, said first lens layer comprising a first oxidized portion and a first non-oxidized portion, said first lens layer comprising a semiconductor material having a first aluminum content greater than 20%; at least a second layer adjacent to said first lens layer, said second layer comprising a non-oxidized semiconductor having a second aluminum content not equal to said first aluminum content; at least a first interdiffused region aligned with said first non-oxidized portion comprising materials from both of said first and second layers, said first interdiffused region penetrating to a first thickness at a first point in said first non-oxidized portion and to a lesser thickness at a second point in said first oxidized portion, a difference between said first thickness and said second thickness being sufficiently large to reduce an oxidation rate of said first lens layer in said interdiffused region to less than 50% of an oxidation rate of said first lens layer outside of said interdiffused region.

Claim 24

An aperture comprising: at least a first lens layer having a first thickness, said first lens layer comprising a first oxidized portion and a first non-oxidized portion, said first lens layer comprising a semiconductor material having a first aluminum content greater than 20%; at least a second layer adjacent to said first lens layer, said second layer comprising a non-oxidized semiconductor having a second aluminum content not equal to said first aluminum content; at least a first interdiffused region aligned with said first non-oxidized portion comprising materials from both of said first and second layers, said first interdiffused region penetrating to a first thickness at a first point in said first non-oxidized portion and to a lesser thickness at a second point in said first oxidized portion, a difference between said first thickness and said second thickness being sufficiently large to reduce an oxidation rate of said first lens layer in said interdiffused region to less than 50% of an oxidation rate of said first lens layer outside of said interdiffused region.

Claim 25

The aperture recited in claim 22, further comprising: a first conductive layer having a first conductivity type; a light emitting material, said light emitting material disposed above said first conductive layer and in electrical communication therewith; a second conductive layer having a second conductivity type, said second conductive layer being disposed above said light emitting material and in electrical communication therewith; electrical communication means for providing electrical communication to said light emitting material; and wherein said first lens layer proximal to said light emitting material.

Claim 26

The light emitting device recited in claim 23, further comprising a first mirror disposed below said light emitting material and a second mirror disposed above said light emitting material.