Laser diode array, method of manufacturing same, printer, and optical communication device

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a laser diode array capable of inhibiting electric cross talk is provided. The method of manufacturing a laser diode array includes a processing step of forming a peel layer containing an oxidizable material and a vertical resonator structure over a first substrate sequentially from the first substrate side by crystal growth, and then selectively etching the peel layer and the vertical resonator structure to the first substrate, thereby processing into a columnar shape, a peeling step of oxidizing the peel layer from a side face, and then peeling the vertical resonator structure of columnar shape from the first substrate, and a rearrangement step of jointing a plurality of vertical resonator structures of columnar shape obtained by the peeling step to a surface of a metal layer of a second substrate formed with the metal layer on the surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A laser diode array comprising:
 a support substrate including a support base, a first insulating layer, an adhesive layer, and a metal layer;   a plurality of vertical resonator structures of columnar shape jointed to a surface of the metal layer, where each vertical resonator structure includes a first contact layer jointed to the metal layer, a first DBR layer, a first spacer layer, an active layer, a second spacer layer, a second DBR layer, and a second contact layer sequentially from the metal layer side; and   an aperture formed in a second insulating layer configured to expose a portion of the metal layer.   
     
     
       2. The laser diode array according to  claim 1 , wherein the respective vertical resonator structures are obtained by removing a second substrate from a structure formed by crystal growth on the second substrate. 
     
     
       3. The laser diode array according to  claim 1 , wherein the vertical resonator structure is made of a material different from a material of the support substrate. 
     
     
       4. The laser diode array according to  claim 1 , wherein in the support substrate, one or a plurality of connection parts that penetrate a portion other than the metal layer in the support substrate are formed to be in contact with the metal layer. 
     
     
       5. A printer using the laser diode array of  claim 1  as a light source. 
     
     
       6. An optical communication device using the laser diode array of  claim 1  as a light source. 
     
     
       7. The laser diode array according to  claim 1 , wherein a current confinement layer is between the second spacer layer and the second DBR layer. 
     
     
       8. The laser diode array according to  claim 1 , wherein the current confinement layer comprises a current confinement region that is in a peripheral region of a current injection region. 
     
     
       9. A laser diode array comprising:
 a support substrate including a support base, a first insulating layer, an adhesive layer, a metal layer, and a second insulating layer; and   a plurality of vertical resonator structures, each having columnar shape and electrically connected to the metal layer, where each of the vertical resonator structures includes a first contact layer directly connected to the metal layer, a first DBR layer, a first spacer layer, an active layer, a second spacer layer, a second DBR layer, and a second contact layer sequentially from the metal layer side,   wherein an aperture is formed in the second insulating layer so as to expose a portion of the metal layer, and   wherein the second insulating layer is formed over said each of the vertical resonator structures.   
     
     
       10. An optical communication module using the laser diode array of claim 9 as a light source. 
     
     
       11. The optical communication module according to claim 10, further comprising:
 a waveguide member optically coupled to the laser diode array.   
     
     
       12. The laser diode array according to claim 9, wherein said each of the vertical resonator structures is discretely formed from the support substrate and jointed to the support substrate. 
     
     
       13. The laser diode array according to claim 9, wherein said each of the vertical resonator structures is made of a material different from a material of the support substrate. 
     
     
       14. The laser diode array according to claim 9, wherein in the support substrate, one or a plurality of connection parts that penetrate a portion other than the metal layer in the support substrate are formed to be in contact with the metal layer. 
     
     
       15. A printer using the laser diode array of claim 9 as a light source. 
     
     
       16. The laser diode array according to claim 9, wherein said each of the vertical resonator structures further includes a current confinement layer formed between the second spacer layer and the second DBR layer. 
     
     
       17. The laser diode array according to claim 16, wherein the current confinement layer includes a current confinement region that is in a peripheral region of a current injection region. 
     
     
       18. A laser diode array comprising:
 a support substrate including a support base, a first insulating layer, an adhesive layer, a metal layer, and a second insulating layer, sequentially formed in this order; and   a plurality of vertical resonator structures electrically connected to the metal layer, wherein at least a portion of each of the vertical resonator structures has a columnar shape,   wherein each of the vertical resonator structures includes a first contact layer jointed to the metal layer, a first DBR layer of the first type, a first spacer layer of the first type, an active layer, a second spacer layer of a second type being different from the first type, a second DBR layer of the second type, a second contact layer, and a metal electrode sequentially from the metal layer side,   an aperture is formed in the second insulating layer so as to expose a portion of the metal layer, and   the metal layer is connected to a predetermined potential through the exposed portion corresponding to the aperture.   
     
     
       19. The laser diode array according to claim 18, wherein each of the resonator structures is discretely formed from each other and jointed to the support substrate such that the resonator structures does not have a common resistance component. 
     
     
       20. The laser diode array according to claim 18, wherein each of the vertical resonator structures is made of a material different from a material of the support base. 
     
     
       21. The laser diode array according to claim 20, wherein the material of the support base is a conductive material. 
     
     
       22. The laser diode array according to claim 21, wherein the support base is made of a silicon substrate. 
     
     
       23. The laser diode array according to claim 18, wherein the first contact layer is directly connected to the metal layer. 
     
     
       24. The laser diode array according to claim 18, wherein a hole in the support substrate penetrates (i) at least a portion of the support base, (ii) the first insulating layer and (iii) the adhesive layer. 
     
     
       25. The laser diode array according to claim 24, wherein a connection part that penetrate a portion other than the metal layer in the support substrate is formed in the hole such that the connection part is in contact with the metal layer. 
     
     
       26. The laser diode array according to claim 18, further comprising:
 a plurality of electrode pads and wirings,   wherein each of the electrode pads is connected to the metal electrode of respective one of the vertical resonator structures via a corresponding one of the wirings.   
     
     
       27. The laser diode array according to claim 26, wherein the wirings are wiring layers which are directly formed on the second insulating layer. 
     
     
       28. The laser diode array according to claim 18, wherein the first type is n-type and the second type is p-type. 
     
     
       29. The laser diode array according to claim 18, wherein the predetermined potential is a ground potential. 
     
     
       30. The laser diode array according to claim 18, wherein each of the first contact layer and the second contact layer is made of a semiconductor layer of the first type and a semiconductor layer of the second type, respectively. 
     
     
       31. The laser diode array according to claim 18, wherein each of the vertical resonator structures further includes a current confinement layer formed between the second spacer layer and the second DBR layer. 
     
     
       32. The laser diode array according to claim 31, wherein the current confinement layer includes a current confinement region that is in a peripheral region of a current injection region.