Patent ID: 7026178
Filing Date: 2006-04-11
Classification: H01S

Abstract:
1. A method for fabricating a surface-emitting laser having current confinement, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a first laser portion having a substrate, a semiconductor active region, and a bottom mirror disposed between the substrate and the active region; (b) epitaxially growing a first top spacer layer on the active region, the first top spacer layer comprising a current-spreading buffer layer disposed on the active region, a current-confinement layer disposed on the buffer layer, and a current-spreading platform layer disposed on the current-confinement layer, wherein the combined thickness of the platform and current-confinement layers is less than the thickness of the buffer layer; (c) forming, in the current-confinement layer, a current-confinement structure having an annular region of enhanced resistivity and a central aperture of comparatively lower resistivity, said step of forming comprising the step of performing ion implantation; and (d) after said forming of the current-confinement structure, performing epitaxial regrowth to form a top current-spreading layer.