Patent Application
20120027341
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-167887, filed on Jul. 27, 2010; the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Embodiments described herein relate generally to a light emitting device and an optical transmission system.
Use of an optical fiber for connection between an optical transmitter and an optical receiver reduces noise generation and facilitates signal transmission resistant to the influence of electromagnetic noise.
A light emitting device can be used as a source of the optical transmitter, and a plastic fiber can be used as an optical fiber. Then, by a simple configuration, it is possible to provide data transmission between electronic equipments, control of industrial equipments, and optical communication. In this case, for a transmission rate of 100 Mbps, the fall time to 10% of the peak value at the falling edge of the optical pulse is required to be e.g. 10 ns or less.
In general, in a light emitting device, the output optical signal lags behind the input electrical signal. For instance, even if the electrical signal starts to fall, the fall of the optical pulse lags due to carriers generated inside the light emitting device. This is called the tailing or skirting phenomenon. Pulse width distortion resulting from the tailing phenomenon degrades the transmission quality and makes it difficult to increase the transmission rate.
In general, according to one embodiment, a light emitting device includes a substrate, a light emitting layer, a first conductivity type layer, a first distributed Bragg reflector layer and a second distributed Bragg reflector layer. The first conductivity type layer is provided between the substrate and the light emitting layer. The first distributed Bragg reflector layer is provided between the first conductivity type layer and the substrate. First layers and second layers are alternately stacked in the first distributed Bragg reflector layer. The second layers have refractive index different from refractive index of the first layers. The first distributed Bragg reflector layer has a center wavelength substantially same as emission wavelength of emission light from the light emitting layer. The second distributed Bragg reflector layer is provided between the light emitting layer and the first distributed Bragg reflector layer. Third layers and fourth layers are alternately stacked in the second distributed Bragg reflector layer. The fourth layers have refractive index different from refractive index of the third layers. The second distributed Bragg reflector layer has a center wavelength longer than the center wavelength of the first distributed Bragg reflector layer in a range of 5 nm or more and 20 nm or less, and number of the third layers is smaller than number of the first layers.
Various embodiments will be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The light emitting device includes a substrate 10, a first distributed Bragg reflector layer 20, a second distributed Bragg reflector layer 22, a first conductivity type layer 17, a light emitting layer 18, a second conductivity type layer 19, a first electrode 34, and a second electrode 36.
The substrate 10, the first distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) layer 20, and the second distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) layer 22 have the first conductivity type. The light emitting layer 18 has a first surface on the substrate 10 side, and a second surface on the opposite side from the first surface. The first conductivity type layer 17 is provided on the first surface side, and the second conductivity type layer 19 is provided on the second surface side. The stacked body composed of the light emitting layer 18, the first conductivity type layer 17, the second conductivity type layer 19, the first DBR layer 20, and the second DBR layer 22 can be made of Inx(GayAl1-y)1-xP (0≦x≦1, 0≦y≦1), AlxGa1-xAs (0≦x≦1), or InxGayAl1-x-yN (0≦x≦1, 0≦y≦1, x+y≦1).
In
The light emitting layer 18 can have an MQW (multiple quantum well) structure in which well layers (refractive index Nw) 18a made of In0.5(GauAl1-u)0.5P (0≦u≦1) and barrier layers (refractive index Nb) 18b made of In0.5(GavAl1-v)0.5P (0≦v≦1) are alternately stacked, where Nw>Nb. The light emitting layer 18 emits emission light G1 directed upward, emission light G2 directed laterally, and emission light G3 directed downward.
The first DBR layer 20 can be such that first layers 20a having the substantially same composition formula as the well layer 18a and second layers 20b having the substantially same composition formula as the barrier layer 18b are alternately stacked therein. The second DBR layer 22 can be such that third layers 22a having the substantially same composition formula as the well layer 18a and fourth layers 22b having the substantially same composition formula as the barrier layer 18b are alternately stacked therein. This can simplify the configuration and crystal growth process of the stacked body. The “same composition formula” means that, for instance, in the composition formula represented by Inx(GayAl1-y)1-xP (0≦x≦1, 0≦y≦1), not only the constituent elements (In, Ga, Al, and P in this specific example), but also x and y representing their ratios, are respectively identical. Here, the conductivity type may be either identical or different. For instance, the well layer 18a and the barrier layer 18b may be non-doped, whereas the first DBR layer 20 and the second DBR layer 22 may be of n-type.
In the first DBR layer 20, the optical path length experienced by emission light from the light emitting layer 18 passing through one pair of the first layer 20a and the second layer 20b is set to a half wavelength. Then, with the increase of the number of pairs, the reflected light beams interfere constructively, and the reflectance can be made higher. Thus, optical absorption in the substrate 10 can be reduced, and the optical output can be increased.
In this case, the optical path length of each layer may be set to about a quarter wavelength. For instance, the thickness Tw1 of the first layer 20a can be given by equation (1).
Tw1=(λ1/Nw)/4 (1)
where λ1 is the free space wavelength of the emission light.
That is, Tw1 can be set to a quarter of the in-medium wavelength in the first layer 20a. Furthermore, the thickness Tb1 of the second layer 20b can be given by equation (2).
Tb1=(λ1/Nb)/4 (2)
Thus, the center wavelength λbr1 of the first DBR layer 20 is substantially set to the wavelength λ1 of the emission light. On the other hand, the center wavelength λbr2 of the second DBR layer 22 is set to λ2, longer than λ1. This wavelength λ2 will be described later in detail. Here, in the second DBR layer 22, the optical path length experienced by light passing through one pair of the third layer 22a and the fourth layer 22b is set to half of the wavelength λ2. Then, with the increase of the number of pairs, the reflectance can be increased.
In this case, the optical path length of each layer may be set to a quarter of the wavelength λ2. For instance, the thickness Tw2 of the third layer 22a can be given by equation (3).
Tw2=(λ2/Nw)/4 (3)
Furthermore, the thickness Tb2 of the fourth layer 22b can be given by equation (4).
Tb2=(λ2/Nb)/4 (4)
The first conductivity type layer 17 includes e.g. a first cladding layer 16 adjacent to the light emitting layer 18, and a second cladding layer 14. The first and second cladding layer 16, 14 can be made of n-type In0.5Al0.5P. Then, emission light can be appropriately confined in the well layer 18a, and the light emission efficiency can be increased.
The second conductivity type layer 19 includes e.g. a cladding layer 24 made of p-type In0.5Al0.5P, a current spreading layer 26 made of p-type AlrGa1-rAs (0≦r≦1), a moisture-resistant layer 28 made of p-type In0.5(GaqAl1-q)0.5P (0≦q≦1), and a contact layer 30 made of p-type GaAs in this order. A current blocking layer 32 having a smaller size than the first electrode 34 can be provided. Then, the current from the first electrode 34 does not spread below the current blocking layer 32. This can reduce the current not contributing to light emission, and increase the light extraction efficiency.
While leaving the portion of the contact layer 30 immediately below the first electrode 34, the rest of the contact layer 30 can be removed. This suppresses absorption of emission light by the contact layer 30 made of GaAs, and the light extraction efficiency can be increased.
As shown in
The light emitting layer 118 can have an MQW structure in which well layers made of In0.5(GauAl1-u)0.5P (0≦u≦1) and barrier layers made of In0.5(GavAl1-v)0.5P (0≦v≦1) are alternately stacked. The light emitting layer 118 emits emission light G11 directed upward, emission light G12 directed laterally, and emission light G13 directed downward.
The first DBR layer 120 is such that first layers made of n-type In0.5(GayAl1-y)0.5P (0≦y≦1) and second layers made of n-type In0.5Al0.5P are alternately stacked therein. The first layer and the second layer have a refractive index difference therebetween.
The center wavelength λbr1 of the first DBR layer 120 is set to the center wavelength λ1 of the emission light. As shown in
In
A high-speed optical transmission link requires that the rise time tr at the rising edge (tr, specified by 10/90% of the pulse height) be 20 ns or less and the fall time td at the falling edge (td, specified by 90/10% of the pulse height) be 10 ns or less. However, as shown in
Typically, a semiconductor crystal contains crystal defects and impurities. These defects form specific energy levels in the band gap. Excessive electrons and holes generated by photoexcitation in PL measurement emit light with a different wavelength from emission light of the band gap wavelength intrinsic to the crystal. Thus, the crystalline quality can be known by measuring the PL intensity. The PL intensity in the DBR layer depends on the surface condition of the substrate. For instance, the PL intensity of the solid line is generally 10 times as high as the PL intensity of the dashed line. For a high PL intensity like the solid line, donor-acceptor pairs at deep levels present in the DBR layer are strongly excited by the operating current. The inventors have discovered that in the comparative example, light emission from donor-acceptor pairs at deep levels in the first DBR layer 120 lags 1-20 ns behind the emission light.
If the number of pairs in the first DBR layer 120 can be decreased in the comparative example, then the delayed light emission component can be reduced, and it is expected that the pulse width distortion is easily reduced. However, reduction of the number of pairs results in decreasing the reflectance of the first DBR layer 120 and decreasing the optical output. This shortens the transmissible distance.
In
The light emitting layer made of Inx(GayAl1-y)1-xP (0≦x≦1, 0≦y≦1) can emit light in the wavelength range of 600-700 nm. For optical pulses with tailing including the delayed light emission component, the inventors performed measurements using an optical spectrometer. By these measurements, the inventors have discovered that the main peak λ1 of the spectrum is accompanied by a sub-peak (wavelength λ2) spaced 5-20 nm on the long wavelength side.
Furthermore, as shown in
The emission light G3 having center wavelength λ1 and directed downward from the light emitting layer 18 can pass through the second DBR layer 22 whose center wavelength λbr2 is longer than λ1. On the other hand, deep levels in the first DBR layer 20 generate the delayed light emission component DL1 corresponding the sub-peak (wavelength λ2). However, most of the delayed light emission component DL1 is reflected by the second DBR layer 22 whose center wavelength λbr2 is substantially same as λ2. This suppresses external emission of the delayed light emission component DL1. That is, the wavelength component around the main peak of the emission light is selectively emitted outside. This suppresses delay of the optical pulse and reduces pulse width distortion. Thus, high transmission quality can be maintained.
Here, number of pairs of the second DBR layer 22 is defined as number of the third layers 22a. And number of pairs of the first DBR layer 20 is defined as number of the first layers 20a. Then, the number of the third layers 22a of the second DBR layer 22 is smaller than the number of the first layers 20a of the first DBR layer 20. Hence, the intensity of the delayed light emission component DL1 can be reduced. Furthermore, because λbr2=λ2, the delayed light emission component transmitted through the second DBR layer 22 and emitted outside is reduced. Here, the number of pairs of the second DBR layer 22 is preferably 10 or more to reflect the delayed light emission component while transmitting the emission light.
If the number of pairs of the first DBR layer 20 is 20 or more, the reflectance of emission light directed to the substrate is easily increased. However, if the number of pairs is too large, the delayed light emission component increases. Hence, the number of pairs is preferably 40 or less. Furthermore, more preferably, the number of pairs of the third layer 22a and the fourth layer 22b alternately stacked is made half or less the number of pairs of the first layer 20a and the second layer 20b alternately stacked. This is because the external emission of the delayed light emission component generated in the first DBR layer 20 is then suppressed.
A second cladding layer 14 made of e.g. n-type In0.5Al0.5P can be provided between the first DBR layer 20 and the second DBR layer 22. This facilitates confining light in each DBR layer. Furthermore, the distance D between the first DBR layer 20 and the second DBR layer 22 can be given by equation (5), for instance. This can facilitate operating the first DBR layer 20 and the second DBR layer 22 more independently.
D=λcl(m+1/2) (5)
where λcl is the wavelength of the emission light in the second cladding layer and m is an integer.
The optical transmission system includes an optical transmission device 50, an optical transmission device 52, and an optical fiber 54. The optical transmission device 50 is coupled to one end of the optical fiber 54 through e.g. an optical connector. The optical transmission device 52 is coupled to the other end of the optical fiber 54 through e.g. an optical connector. If the center wavelength of the emission light of the light emitting device 5 is set in the range of 600-700 nm, then POF (plastic optical fiber) can be used to achieve a transmission distance of approximately 50 m. If the center wavelength of the emission light is set in the range of 700-900 nm, then PCF (plastic cladding silica fiber) can be used to achieve a transmission distance of approximately 1000 m.
The optical transmission device 50 includes an optical transmitter 50a including a light emitting device 5, an optical receiver 50b including a light receiving device, an optical component, and a control circuit unit. The optical transmission device 52 includes an optical transmitter 52a including a light emitting device 5, an optical receiver 52b including a light receiving device, an optical component, and a control circuit unit. The light emitting device 5 of the embodiment can be used to achieve a high-speed optical transmission system with reduced pulse width distortion and improved transmission quality. Furthermore, because external emission of the delayed light emission component is suppressed inside the light emitting device 5, there is no need to externally provide a band reject filter, and the configuration of the optical transmission device can be simplified. While
Such an optical transmission system can be used for data transmission between electronic equipments, control of industrial equipments, and optical communication. In this case, high-speed transmission at 100 Mbps is easily achieved, and high capacity data can be transmitted.
While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventions. Indeed, the novel embodiments described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the embodiments described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-167887 | Jul 2010 | JP | national |
