Advanced Epitaxial Growth of Extended-Performance Semiconductor Lasers

This Phase I Small Business Innovation Research proposal describes a means to develop a new epitaxial growth technique which as far-reaching use for increasing semiconductor laser performances in terms of power, temperature stability, and emission wavelength. The technique is most beneficial to semiconductors lasers, both edge-emitters and vertical-cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs), but it also applies to modulators, detectors, light-emitting diodes, and electronic devices. Material quality, use of wafer area, and manufacturability are not compromised by the technique. In many ways, manufacturabiltiy is enhanced. The Phase I effort will first choose the target device, most likely a 1.3 um VCSEL or edge -emitter. Growth of the active region by the proposed technique will then be performed, followed by growth development of the other laser regions, e.g. mirrors or confinement regions, which are consistent with the growth technique. The proposed technique is compatible with additional Picolight technology to maximize VCSEL efficiency, manufacturabiltiy and performance. the Phase I effort will, at a minimum, produce an optically-pumped extended-performance VCSEL or an electrically-pumped edge-emitter with extended performance. Extended-performance VCSELs and edge-emitters are sought for applications including data communication, mid-distance telecom, WDM systems, spectroscopic sensors, phased-array antennae, and eye-safe sensors. Transmitter modules for data/tele-com alone are >$1.5B/year markets in the year 2001 with growth rate. Short-wavelength VCSELs and edge-emitters benefitting from the technique are useful for barcode scanners, printers and in optical storage, which combine for a $2000/yr laser market.