Surface-emitting laser, surface-emitting laser array, method of manufacturing surface-emitting laser, method of manufacturing surface-emitting laser array and optical apparatus equipped with surface-emitting laser array

摘要

A method of manufacturing a surface-emitting laser that allows precise alignment of the center position of a surface relief structure and that of a current confinement structure and formation of the relief structure by means of which a sufficient loss difference can be introduced between the fundamental transverse and higher order transverse mode. Removing the dielectric film on the semiconductor layers and the first-etch stop layer along the second pattern, using a second- and third-etch stop layer are conducted in single step after forming the confinement structure. The relief structure is formed by three layers including a lower, middle and upper layer, and total thickness of three layers is equal to the optical thickness of an odd multiple of ¼ wavelength (λ: oscillation wavelength, n: refractive index of the semiconductor layer). The layer right under the lower layer is the second-etch stop layer and the first-etch stop layer is laid right on this etch stop layer.

主权项

1. A method of manufacturing a surface-emitting laser having a plurality of semiconductor layers including a lower reflecting mirror, an active layer and an upper reflecting mirror stacked on a substrate, a light emission portion of the upper reflecting mirror being provided with a surface relief structure formed by using a stepped structure, the surface-emitting laser being produced as a mesa structure, comprising:
forming a first dielectric film on a plurality of semiconductor layers; forming a first pattern for defining a mesa structure and also forming a second pattern for defining a surface relief structure in the first dielectric film in the single step; removing the surface of the stacked semiconductor layers along the first and second patterns, using the first dielectric film having the first and second patterns formed therein as mask and also a first etch stop layer in the upper reflecting mirror, to form the first and second patterns on the surface of the semiconductor layers; forming a second dielectric film on the semiconductor layers and on the first dielectric film having the first and second patterns formed therein; removing a part of the second dielectric film formed on the semiconductor layers along the first pattern formed thereon; forming the mesa structure from a portion where the second dielectric film has been removed; forming a current confinement structure after the forming of the mesa structure; and removing the second dielectric film and the first dielectric film on the semiconductor layers and also removing the first etch stop layer along the second pattern in a single step, using the semiconductor layer arranged right under the first etch stop layer as second etch stop layer, after the forming of the current confinement structure.