Electro-optical Component Featuring Current Conduction and Wave Guidance by Selective Oxidation

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This patent describes a method for manufacturing electro-optical components, such as semiconductor lasers, using a technique involving selective oxidation of a buried layer. By locally modifying (oxidizing) a first intermediate layer within the device stack, a sharp change in refractive index is created. This acts to confine both the flow of electrical current and the propagation of electromagnetic waves (light) within a specific region of the device, enhancing performance. Additionally, mechanical stresses induced by this modification support the precise formation of nanostructures (such as quantum dots or quantum wells) in subsequent layers, further improving device efficiency.

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• Manufacturing high-performance edge-emitting or vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) for optical communications
• Producing efficient semiconductor light emitters for data transmission in fiber optic networks
• Developing compact, high-brightness laser diodes for sensing, imaging, or medical instruments
• Designing photonic chips where precise optical waveguiding is essential
• Implementing quantum dot or quantum well lasers for advanced photonic and quantum technologies

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Enables strong lateral optical waveguiding, minimizing optical losses at device edges and improving efficiency
• Provides integrated current confinement (aperture) for higher electrical-to-optical conversion efficiency and reduced power consumption
• Facilitates self-aligned, precise positioning of light-generating nanostructures, enhancing optical emission quality
• Allows flexible design for either edge-emitting or vertically emitting devices with controlled mode profiles
• Simplifies manufacturing by combining current and optical confinement in a single process step
• Improves overall device reliability and reduces variability by using self-centered structural features

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Patent Abstract

The invention relates, inter alia, to a method for producing an electro-optical component (10, 200) suitable for emitting electromagnetic radiation (120). In said method, a first intermediate layer (60) is applied to a substrate, a second intermediate layer (70) is applied to the first intermediate layer, and after the second intermediate layer has been applied, the buried first intermediate layer is locally modified, wherein the local modification of the buried first intermediate layer causes a sudden refractive index increase in the lateral direction which affects a lateral wave guidance of the electromagnetic radiation (120) in the unmodified region of the first intermediate layer.