Proton-implanted stripe-geometry (Al, Ga)As lasers using SiO2masking

Proton-bombarded gain-guided stripe-geometry (Al, Ga)As lasers have been made using an SiO2proton-implant mask. The Plasma-deposited SiO2was anisotropically plasma etched to yield vertical-walled stripes which acted as the high-resolution implant mask, Stripe width is determined solely by photolithography, and consequently strict tolerances can be maintained for optimum laser performance yields. A typical SiO2proton mask was 2.5 µm thick and 4.5 µm wide. The electrical and optical characteristics and accelerated aging behavior of these lasers are identical to those of lasers originating from neighboring wafer sites which were wire masked. The use of an anisotropically etched dielectric mask has many advantages over wire or plated metal implant masks, making it ideally suited for use on large wafers.