Emitter array with shared via to an ohmic metal shared between adjacent emitters

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11777280-B2
Application number	US-202016947086-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 17, 2020
Priority date	Mar 28, 2018
Publication date	Oct 3, 2023
Grant date	Oct 3, 2023

Abstract

An emitter array may comprise a plurality of emitters that includes two adjacent emitters. The emitter array may comprise a plurality of emitters that includes two adjacent emitters. The ohmic metal layer may include a portion that is shared by, and located between, the two adjacent emitters. The emitter array may comprise a protective layer over the ohmic metal layer. The emitter array may comprise a via through the protective layer to the portion. The via is shared by, and located between, the two adjacent emitters.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A space-conserving vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) array, comprising:
a plurality of VCSELs including two adjacent VCSELs,
wherein each of the two adjacent VCSELs has an independent optical aperture;

an ohmic metal layer associated with the plurality of VCSELs; and
a protective layer over the ohmic metal layer,
wherein the protective layer includes a via to the ohmic metal layer,
wherein the via is shared between the two adjacent VCSELs of the plurality of VCSELs,
wherein the ohmic metal layer comprises separate portions with corresponding vias, and
wherein the via is one of the corresponding vias and included in one of the separate portions.

2. The space-conserving VCSEL array of claim 1 , wherein the via is located in an interstitial area adjacent to the two adjacent VCSELs.

3. The space-conserving VCSEL array of claim 1 , wherein the separate portions are located in corresponding interstitial areas between adjacent VCSELs of the plurality of VCSELs,
wherein the one of the separate portions is located between the two adjacent VCSELs.

4. The space-conserving VCSEL array of claim 1 , wherein the ohmic metal layer comprises a portion that extends between corresponding optical apertures of the two adjacent VCSELs.

5. The space-conserving VCSEL array of claim 1 , wherein the via is located radially between a pair of trenches shared by the two adjacent VCSELs.

6. The space-conserving VCSEL array of claim 1 , wherein a radial distance between an optical aperture of one of the two adjacent VCSELs and the via is less than another radial distance between the optical aperture and a trench between the two adjacent VCSELs.

7. The space-conserving VCSEL array of claim 1 , wherein the separate portions are electrically isolated from one another in the ohmic metal layer.

8. A space-conserving emitter array, comprising:
a plurality of emitters that includes two adjacent emitters,
wherein each of the plurality of emitters has an independent optical aperture;

an ohmic metal layer associated with the plurality of emitters,
wherein the ohmic metal layer includes a portion that is shared by the two adjacent emitters,
wherein the ohmic metal layer comprises one or more other portions that are separate from the portion,
wherein the one or more other portions are associated with corresponding vias;

a protective layer over the ohmic metal layer; and
a via through the protective layer to the portion,
wherein the via is shared by the two adjacent emitters.

9. The space-conserving emitter array of claim 8 , wherein the via is located in an interstitial area between the two adjacent emitters.

10. The space-conserving emitter array of claim 8 ,
wherein the one or more other portions are associated with other emitters, of the space-conserving emitter array, that are adjacent to one of the two adjacent emitters.

11. The space-conserving emitter array of claim 10 , wherein the ohmic metal layer includes another portion associated with the one of the two adjacent emitters,
wherein the other portion electrically connects the portion and the one or more other portions to each other.

12. The space-conserving emitter array of claim 8 , wherein the via and the portion are located radially between two adjacent trenches between the two adjacent emitters.

13. The space-conserving emitter array of claim 8 , wherein the portion electrically connects corresponding optical apertures of the two adjacent emitters.

14. The space-conserving emitter array of claim 8 , wherein a radial distance between an optical aperture of one of the two adjacent emitters and the via is less than a radial distance between the optical aperture and a trench between the two adjacent emitters.

15. A method of forming a space-conserving laser array, comprising:
forming two adjacent lasers on or within a substrate,
wherein each of the two adjacent lasers has an independent optical aperture;

forming, in association with forming the two adjacent lasers, an ohmic metal layer including forming a portion of the ohmic metal layer shared by, and in a location between, the two adjacent lasers;
forming, in association with forming the ohmic metal layer, a protective layer over the space-conserving laser array; and
forming, in association with forming the protective layer, a via through the protective layer to the ohmic metal layer,
wherein the ohmic metal layer comprises additional portions with corresponding vias, and
wherein the via is one of the corresponding vias and included in one of the additional portions.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein forming the via comprises:
forming the via over the portion and such that the via is shared between the adjacent lasers.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein forming the via comprises:
forming the via in an interstitial area adjacent to the two adjacent lasers.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein forming the ohmic metal layer comprises:
forming the additional portions of the ohmic metal layer,
wherein the additional portions are physically separate from the portion of the ohmic metal layer.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein forming the ohmic metal layer comprises:
forming the portion and the additional portions in a radially spaced configuration around one of the two adjacent lasers.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein forming the via comprises:
forming the via radially between a pair of trenches shared by the two adjacent lasers.

Assignees

• Lumentum Operations Llc

Inventors

• Yuen Albert
• Barve Ajit Vijay

Classifications

• H01S5/423 Primary

  having a vertical cavity · CPC title

• H01S5/028

  Coatings {; Treatment of the laser facets, e.g. etching, passivation layers or reflecting layers} · CPC title

• H01S5/0282

  Passivation layers or treatments · CPC title

• H01S5/0425

  Electrodes, e.g. characterised by the structure · CPC title

• H01S5/04254

  characterised by the shape · CPC title