Nitride semiconductor laser diodes

Summary form only given, as follows. The high bandgap semiconductor gallium nitride and its alloys AlGaInN are currently being developed for short wavelength (UV-violet-blue-green) light emitters. Within the past few years, high-quality nitride semiconductor films and heterostructures have been obtained by epitaxial deposition on sapphire (Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/) or SiC substrates, leading to efficient blue and green light-emitting diodes. Most recently, at Nichia Chemical Co., Japan, AlGaInN has been incorporated into commercially viable violet laser diodes, which will have an impact on optical storage and laser printing systems. In the tutorial, blue (nitride) semiconductor laser technology and applications are reviewed, with an emphasis on how device performance is related to the nitride material properties.