TWO-DIMENSIONAL PHOTONIC CRYSTAL SURFACE EMITTING LASER

Abstract

To provide a two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser capable of improving characteristics of light to be emitted, in particular, optical output power. The two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser includes: a two-dimensional photonic crystal including a plate-shaped base member and modified refractive index regions where the modified refractive index regions have a refractive index different from that of the plate-shaped base member and are two-dimensionally and periodically arranged in the base member; an active layer provided on one side of the two-dimensional photonic crystal; and a first electrode and a second electrode provided sandwiching the two-dimensional photonic crystal and the active layer for supplying current to the active layer, where the second electrode covers a region equal to or wider than the first electrode.

Claims

1. A two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser comprising: a two-dimensional photonic crystal including a plate-shaped base member and modified refractive index regions where the modified refractive index regions have a refractive index different from that of the plate-shaped base member and are two-dimensionally and periodically arranged in the base member; an active layer provided on one side of the two-dimensional photonic crystal; and a first electrode and a second electrode provided sandwiching the two-dimensional photonic crystal and the active layer for supplying current through a contact layer having electrical conductivity to the active layer, wherein the first electrode includes: a central conductor in direct contact with the contact layer, a plurality of ring-shaped conductors in direct contact with the contact layer, the plurality of ring-shaped conductors arranged concentrically around the central conductor, a high resistance portion provided in an inter-conductor region which is composed of a region between the central conductor and a ring-shaped conductor arranged innermost among the plurality of ring-shaped conductors, and a region between adjacent ring-shaped conductors in the plurality of ring-shaped conductors, and a connection conductor at least partially covering the central conductor, the plurality of ring-shaped conductors, and the high resistance portion and provided on an opposite side from the contact layer in the first electrode, so as to electrically connect the central conductor to all the plurality of ring-shaped conductors, and wherein the high resistance portion has electrical resistivity higher than electrical resistivities of the central conductor, the plurality of ring-shaped conductors, and the connection conductor.

2. The two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser according to claim 1, wherein the connection conductor covers the central conductor, the plurality of ring-shaped conductors, and the high resistance portion in their entirety.

3. The two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser according to claim 1, wherein, in a region facing the inter-conductor region, the contact layer has a high resistance region having electrical resistivity higher than electrical resistivity of another portion of the contact layer.

4. The two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser according to claim 1, further comprising a multilayer reflective film made of two kinds of films alternately stacked with different refractive indexes between the first electrode and the active layer, the multilayer reflective film having electrical conductivity, and wherein, in a region facing the inter-conductor region, the multilayer reflective film has a high resistance region having electrical resistivity higher than electrical resistivity of another portion of the multilayer reflective film.

5. The two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser according to claim 1, wherein the high resistance portion is made of an insulator.

6. A two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser comprising: a two-dimensional photonic crystal including a plate-shaped base member and modified refractive index regions where the modified refractive index regions have a refractive index different from that of the plate-shaped base member and are two-dimensionally and periodically arranged in the base member; an active layer provided on one side of the two-dimensional photonic crystal; and a first electrode and a second electrode provided sandwiching the two-dimensional photonic crystal and the active layer for supplying current through a contact layer having electrical conductivity to the active layer, wherein the first electrode includes: a central conductor in direct contact with the contact layer, and a plurality of ring-shaped conductors in direct contact with the contact layer, the plurality of ring-shaped conductors arranged concentrically around the central conductor, and wherein the contact layer has a high resistance region having electrical resistivity higher than electrical resistivity of another portion of the contact layer, in a region facing an inter-conductor region which is composed of a region between the central conductor and a ring-shaped conductor arranged innermost among the plurality of ring-shaped conductors, and a region between adjacent ring-shaped conductors in the plurality of ring-shaped conductors.

7. A two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser comprising: a two-dimensional photonic crystal including a plate-shaped base member and modified refractive index regions where the modified refractive index regions have a refractive index different from that of the plate-shaped base member and are two-dimensionally and periodically arranged in the base member; an active layer provided on one side of the two-dimensional photonic crystal; and a first electrode and a second electrode provided sandwiching the two-dimensional photonic crystal and the active layer for supplying current through a contact layer having electrical conductivity to the active layer, wherein the first electrode includes: a central conductor in direct contact with the contact layer, and a plurality of ring-shaped conductors in direct contact with the contact layer, the plurality of ring-shaped conductors arranged concentrically around the central conductor, the two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser further comprising a multilayer reflective film made of two kinds of films alternately stacked with different refractive indexes between the first electrode and the active layer, the multilayer reflective film having electrical conductivity, wherein the multilayer reflective film has a high resistance region having electrical resistivity higher than electrical resistivity of another portion of the multilayer reflective film, in a region facing an inter-conductor region which is composed of a region between the central conductor and a ring-shaped conductor arranged innermost among the plurality of ring-shaped conductors, and a region between adjacent ring-shaped conductors in the plurality of ring-shaped conductors.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0054] FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B are perspective views showing an embodiment of a two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser according to the present invention.

[0055] FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B are a perspective view and a plan view respectively showing an example of a two-dimensional photonic crystal in the two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser of the present embodiment.

[0056] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a charge injection region in the active layer of the two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser of the present embodiment in contrast with two-dimensional photonic crystal.

[0057] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a configuration of a first electrode in a two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser of a first embodiment.

[0058] FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B are graphs showing charge density distributions of the active layer according to the first embodiment, FIG. 5A shows a central part of the active layer and FIG. 5B shows a peripheral part of the active layer.

[0059] FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the central part and the peripheral part of the active layer in the first embodiment.

[0060] FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B are graphs showing results of calculating threshold gain differences in the first embodiment, FIG. 7A shows the difference depending on the ratio L.sub.i/L of the length L.sub.i of one side of a first conductive region to the length L=200 m of one side of the first electrode, and FIG. 7B shows the difference depending on L in a case of L.sub.i/L=0.5.

[0061] FIG. 8A to FIG. 8E are graphs each showing a result of calculating the difference of the charge density distribution of the active layer depending on the interval L.sub.2 between mesh lines of the first electrode in the first embodiment.

[0062] FIG. 9A to FIG. 9F are graphs each showing a result of calculating the difference of the charge density distribution of the active layer depending on the width L.sub.1 of the mesh line of the first electrode in the first embodiment.

[0063] FIG. 10A to FIG. 10C are plan views showing three modified examples of first electrodes in the first embodiment.

[0064] FIG. 11 is a plan view showing another modified example of the first electrode in the first embodiment.

[0065] FIG. 12A and FIG. 12B are graphs showing results of calculating threshold gain difference in the example of FIG. 11, FIG. 12A shows the difference depending on the ratio w.sub.p/L of the width w.sub.p of the Gaussian distribution of charge density to the length L=200 m of one side of the first electrode, and FIG. 12B shows the difference depending on L in a case of w.sub.p/L=0.25.

[0066] FIG. 13 is a plan view showing another modified example of the first electrode in the first embodiment.

[0067] FIG. 14 is a plan view showing a configuration of a first electrode in a two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser of a second embodiment.

[0068] FIG. 15 is a plan view showing a configuration of a first electrode in a two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser of a third embodiment.

[0069] FIG. 16 is a plan view showing a modified example of the first electrode in the two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser of the third embodiment.

[0070] FIG. 17A is a plan view showing a configuration of a first electrode in a two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser of a fourth embodiment.

[0071] FIG. 17B is a sectional view showing the configuration of the first electrode in the two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser of the fourth embodiment.

[0072] FIG. 18 is a sectional view showing a modification of the first electrode in the two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser of the fourth embodiment.

[0073] FIG. 19A is a sectional view showing another modification of the two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser of the fourth embodiment.

[0074] FIG. 19B is a sectional view showing still another modification of the two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser of the fourth embodiment.

[0075] FIG. 19C is a sectional view showing yet another modification of the two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser of the fourth embodiment.

[0076] FIG. 19D is a sectional view showing yet another modification of the two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser of the fourth embodiment.

[0077] FIG. 20A is a sectional view showing a two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser of a fifth embodiment.

[0078] FIG. 20B is a sectional view showing a modification of the two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser of the fifth embodiment.

[0079] FIG. 20C is a sectional view showing a configuration obtained by omitting the connection conductor from the two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser of the fourth embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0080] Embodiments of two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting lasers according to the present invention are described with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 20. Hereinafter, roughly five embodiments are described. First, a configuration common to the embodiments is described. Subsequently, the configurations characteristic to the respective embodiments are described mainly on the configuration of a first electrode.

Embodiments

Configuration Common to Embodiments

[0081] A two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser 10X of each embodiment has a configuration in which a first electrode 15X, a first cladding layer 141, an active layer 11, a spacer layer 13, a two-dimensional photonic crystal layer 12, a second cladding layer 142, and a second electrode 16 are stacked in this order (FIG. 1). The order of the active layer 11 and the two-dimensional photonic crystal layer 12 may be inverted from the above order. For the sake of convenience, FIG. 1 shows the first electrode 15X on the upper side while showing the second electrode 16 on the lower side. However, the orientation of the two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser 10X of each embodiment in use is not limited to that shown in this diagram. Hereinafter, the configurations of the layers and electrodes are described.

[0082] The active layer 11 receives charges injected from the first electrode 15X and the second electrode 16 to emit light having a predetermined wavelength band. As the material of the active layer 11, an InGaAs/AlGaAs multiple-quantum well (light emission wavelength band: 935 to 945 nm) is used in the present embodiment. However, the material is not limited to this in the present invention. The active layer 11 has a square shape with a thickness of approximately 2 m, and a side of the square has the same length as or a longer than that of the second electrode 16 or 16A described later. The dimension of the active layer 11 is not limited to this in the present invention, and another shape of layer, such as a circular, or hexagonal may be employed.

[0083] The two-dimensional photonic crystal layer 12 has, for example as shown in FIG. 2, arrangement in which modified refractive index regions 122 having a refractive index different from that of a plate-shaped base member 121 are periodically arranged on the base member 121. The material of the base member 121 is GaAs in the present embodiment, but is not limited to this in the present invention. The modified refractive index regions 122 are air holes (air or vacuum) in the present embodiment. Alternative made of a material (having refractive index) different from that of the base member 121 may be used. In the present embodiment, the modified refractive index regions 122 having a right-triangular plan shape are arranged on the respective lattice points of a square lattice parallel to the orthogonal sides. The lattice constant a of the square lattice was set to 287 nm corresponding to the wavelength in the light emission wavelength band in the active layer 11 in consideration of the refractive index in the two-dimensional photonic crystal layer 12. Alternatively, another configuration may be employed where the planar shapes of the modified refractive index regions 122 are circular, regular-triangular or the like, and the arrangement of the modified refractive index regions 122 is a triangular lattice. The planar shape of the base member 121 is the same as that of the active layer 11, and the thickness is approximately 300 nm. In FIG. 2, vertical six and horizontal six modified refractive index regions 122 are drawn. In actuality, the modified refractive index regions 122 more than those in the diagram are provided.

[0084] The spacer layer 13 that is not an essential component in the present invention is provided to connect the active layer 11 and the two-dimensional photonic crystal layer 12 that are made of different materials. The material of the spacer layer 13 is AlGaAs in the present embodiment. However, the material is appropriately changed in accordance with the materials of the active layer 11 and the two-dimensional photonic crystal layer 12.

[0085] The first electrode 15X has a configuration specific for each embodiment. The detail of the configuration of the first electrode 15X is described in each embodiment. In FIG. 1, the detailed configuration of the first electrode 15X is eliminated, and only the external shape is drawn. Here, the material and the overall size of the first electrode 15X common to the embodiments are described. The material of the first electrode 15X is a p-type semiconductor in the present embodiment, and is non-transparent for laser light (a wavelength of 940 nm in vacuum in the present embodiment) emitted from the two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser 10X. The entire of first electrode 15X has a square shape with the length L of one side being approximately 200 m, and is smaller than the active layer 11 and the two-dimensional photonic crystal 123. Around the first electrode 15X, a reflective layer (not shown) made of metal non-transparent for laser light is provided via an insulator. The reflective layer functions to cooperate with the first electrode 15X so as to reflect laser light generated by the two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser 10X and to emit the light to the outside from the second electrode 16.

[0086] In the example shown in FIG. 1A, the second electrode 16 is made of indium tin oxide (ITO) that is an n-type semiconductor transparent for the laser light. However, the material is not limited to this in the present invention, and indium zinc oxide (IZO) may be used instead, for example. The second electrode 16 has a square shape with each side having a length of approximately 800 m, and has plan dimension equal to or slightly smaller than those of the active layer 11 and the base member 121 of the two-dimensional photonic crystal layer 12. Instead of adoption of such a transparent electrode, a second electrode 16A shown in FIG. 1B may be used. The second electrode 16A has a configuration with a plate-shaped square member made of metal non-transparent for laser light, and a center part of the member is cut out to form a square shape. The hollow part after cutting the plate-shaped member is called a window 161A, and the remaining plate-shaped member is called a frame 162A. The square of the plate-shaped member (outside of the frame 162A) has a side of 800 m. The square of the window 161A has a side of 600 m. In this example, laser light generated by the two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser 10X passes through the window 161A and is emitted to the outside.

[0087] The first cladding layer 141 and the second cladding layer 142 that are not essential components in the present invention function to connect the first electrode 15X and the active layer 11, and the second electrode 16 and the two-dimensional photonic crystal layer 12, respectively, and to facilitate current injection from the first electrode 15X and the second electrode 16 into the active layer 11. To achieve these functions, a p-type semiconductor was used as the material of the first cladding layer 141, and an n-type semiconductor was used as the material of the second cladding layer 142. The first cladding layer 141 has a two-layer structure consisting of a layer made of p-GaAs and a layer made of p-AlGaAs in order from the first electrode 15X side; likewise, the second cladding layer 142 has a two-layer structure consisting of a layer made of n-GaAs and a layer made of n-AlGaAs in order from the second electrode 16 side (neither of the two-layer structures are not shown). Also as to these first cladding layer 141 and second cladding layer 142, the materials are not limited to the materials described above in the present invention. The plan dimensions of the first cladding layer 141 and the second cladding layer 142 are the same as those of the active layer 11 and the base member 121 of the two-dimensional photonic crystal layer 12. The thickness of the first cladding layer 141 is 2 m, and the thickness of the second cladding layer 142 is 200 m. Thus, the active layer 11 is much nearer to the first electrode 15X than the second electrode 16. Accordingly, a charge injection region 111 (FIG. 3) in the active layer 11 has a planar shape and size similar to those of the first electrode 15X. The two-dimensional photonic crystal 123 is larger than the first electrode 15X. Thus, this crystal is larger than the charge injection region 111 of the active layer 11 (FIG. 3).

[0088] The operation of the two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser 10X is described. A predetermined voltage is applied between the first electrode 15X and the second electrode 16. A method of applying the voltage is different depending on the mode of the first electrode 15X of each embodiment, and the detail thereof is described in each embodiment. Through application of the voltage, current from both electrodes are injected into the charge injection region 111 of the active layer 11. Thus, charges are injected into the charge injection region 111 to cause emission of light having a wavelength in a predetermined wavelength band from the charge injection region 111. The charge density distribution and light emission intensity distribution in the charge injection region 111 are described in each embodiment. Among the emission of light thus caused, light having a wavelength corresponding to the lattice constant a of the square lattice is selectively amplified in the two-dimensional photonic crystal 123, and causes laser oscillation. The oscillating laser light is emitted from the second electrode 16 side to the outside.

[0089] Hereinafter, each embodiment is described mainly on the characteristic configuration.

First EmbodimentMesh-Shaped Electrode

[0090] In a two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser of a first embodiment, a first electrode 15A having a configuration shown in FIG. 4 was used. The first electrode 15A has a square shape in an overall view, and includes two regions that are a square-shaped first conductive region 15A11 formed in the vicinity of the center, and a second conductive region 15A12 formed around the first conductive region 15A11. The first conductive region 15A11 is made of a uniform conductor (p-type semiconductor). Meanwhile, the second conductive region 15A12 has a mesh-shaped conductor. Areas between the mesh lines 15A2 are filled with inter-line regions 15A3 made of an insulator. SiN was used as the material of the inter-line regions 15A3. The conductor of the first conductive region 15A11 and the conductor constituting the mesh lines 15A2 in the second conductive region 15A12 are integrally formed and electrically connected to each other and thus equipotential. Such a mesh-shaped electrode can be fabricated using a typical lithography method.

[0091] In the present embodiment, the length L.sub.i (one side) of the square that is the plan shape of the first conductive region 15A11 was set to 100 m. The carrier diffusion length in the active layer 11 is estimated as 2.5 m by calculation; the size of current spreading L.sub.C is assumed to be substantially the same as the carrier diffusion length, and the interval L.sub.2 between the mesh lines 15A2 in the second conductive region 15A12 was set to 3.0 m, about 1.2 times as wide as the L.sub.C. The width L.sub.1 of the mesh line 15A2 was set to 1.25 m.

[0092] A result of calculating the charge density distribution formed in the charge injection region 111 of the active layer 11 in the two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser of the first embodiment is shown in FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B. In the calculation, the current spreading L.sub.C was set to 2.5 m equal to the carrier distribution length. Thus, the interval L.sub.2 between the mesh lines 15A2 is 1.2 times as large as L.sub.C. FIG. 5A shows the charge density distribution at a central part 1111 (see FIG. 6) in the charge injection region 111, which corresponds to the first conductive region 15A11, and FIG. 5B shows the charge density distribution in a peripheral part 1112 the same FIG. 6) corresponding to the second conductive region 15A12. In the graphs of FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B, the position of the central part 1111 from the center is taken as the x-axis. The ordinate axis is normalized so that the value of the center (the origin of the x-axis of the graph of FIG. 5A) of the central part 1111 has one. As shown in these graphs, in the central part 1111 and the peripheral part 1112, substantially uniform charge densities are formed. Over the entire charge injection region 111, the charge density distribution where the charge density at the central part 1111 is twice as high as that of the peripheral part 1112 is formed. Formation of such a charge density distribution causes emission of light having the intensity distribution where the maximum is at the central part 1111 in the charge injection region 111. This light emission is amplified in the two-dimensional photonic crystal 123, thereby facilitating laser oscillation in the fundamental mode. This reduces useless laser oscillation in a higher mode, thereby allowing the optical output power to be increased as a whole.

[0093] To verify facilitation of laser oscillation in the fundamental mode, the threshold gain difference in the first embodiment was obtained by calculation. The threshold gain difference has a value obtained by subtracting the threshold gain in the next-higher mode with antinodes and nodes whose numbers are next-smaller than those in the fundamental mode from the threshold gain of the fundamental mode oscillation. The threshold gain in each oscillation mode is a value representing the intensity of laser oscillation in the oscillation mode, and means that the larger the threshold gain difference , the easier the laser oscillation in the fundamental mode occurs.

[0094] First, a result of calculation of the threshold gain difference in a case where the length of one side of the first electrode is L=200 m as described above and L.sub.i has different values in a range of 0 to 200 m including 100 m described above is shown in a graph of FIG. 7A. The abscissa axis of this graph is indicated as L.sub.i/L. In the graph, the data of L.sub.i/L=1 is not in the present embodiment but in a conventional two-dimensional photonic crystal laser with the first electrode made of a uniform conductive plate uniform as a whole. The data of L.sub.i/L=0 shows that the first electrode is made of a mesh-shaped electrode with a uniform conductor density. According to this graph, it can be understood that in the case with the first conductive region made of the uniform conductor and the mesh-shaped second conductive region and L.sub.i/L0 and 1, the threshold gain difference is larger than the conventional case with L.sub.i/L=1 and laser oscillation in the fundamental mode easily occurs. In the data shown in FIG. 7A, in a case with L.sub.i/L=0.5, that is, the aforementioned case with L.sub.i=100 m and L=200 m, the threshold gain difference is the largest.

[0095] Next, a result of calculating the threshold gain difference in a case with L.sub.i/L of 0.5 and L of different values is shown in the graph of FIG. 7B. According to this graph, in a range larger than L of 300 m, the larger the L is, the smaller the threshold gain difference is. Meanwhile, the larger the L is, the larger the area of the entire first electrode is. Consequently, it is advantageous in view of achieving a high laser output. Based on the calculated values of obtained in FIG. 7B, when laser light output power was calculated in a case of the highest L with L=600 m (L.sub.i=300 m) among values of equal to or larger than the value of in the conventional example (L.sub.i/L=1) in FIG. 7A, a value of 2.4 W was obtained. This calculated value of optical output power is higher than experiment values of the two-dimensional photonic crystal lasers described in Non-Patent Literatures 1 and 2 (albeit differences between the calculated value and the experiment values reside).

[0096] The case where the interval L.sub.2 between the mesh lines 15A2 in the second conductive region 15A12 of the first electrode 15A is 3.0 m has heretofore been described. Results of calculating the charge density in the peripheral part 1112 in the active layer 11 in examples with different intervals L.sub.2 are shown in FIG. 8A to FIG. 8E. The width L.sub.1 of each mesh line 15A2 was set to 0.50 L.sub.cm. The interval L.sub.2 was set to 0.50 L.sub.cm in FIG. 8A, 0.80 L.sub.cm in FIG. 8B, 1.20 L.sub.cm in FIG. 8C (thus, FIG. 8C is a reproduction of FIG. 5B), 1.40 L.sub.c m in FIG. 8D, and 2.00 L.sub.cm in FIG. 8E. According to these calculations, the charge density distribution in the peripheral part 1112 is almost uniform in the cases of FIG. 8A to FIG. 8C, while a slight periodical fluctuation corresponding to the period of the mesh lines 15A2 is shown but the fluctuation width is confined to be less than 5% in the case of FIG. 8D. On the contrary, in the case of FIG. 8E with the interval L.sub.2 1.4 times wider than the current spreading L.sub.C, the width of periodical fluctuation of charge density distribution is large, exceeding 10%. In the case where the widths L.sub.1 of the mesh lines 15A2 are the same, the larger the interval L.sub.2 is, the lower the charge density is.

[0097] FIG. 9A to FIG. 9F each show a result of calculating the charge density in the peripheral part 1112 in the active layer 11 in examples with different widths L.sub.1 for in the case where the intervals L.sub.2 of the mesh lines 15A2 are the same. The interval L.sub.2 between the mesh lines 15A2 was set to 1.20 L.sub.cm. The width L.sub.1 was set to 0.50 L.sub.cm in FIG. 9A (thus, FIG. 9A is a reproduction of FIG. 5B and FIG. 8C), 0.32 L.sub.cm in FIG. 9B, 0.20 L.sub.cm in FIG. 9C, 0.16 L.sub.cm in FIG. 9D, 0.12 L.sub.cm in FIG. 9E, and 0.08 L.sub.cm in FIG. 9F.

[0098] According to these calculations, in the charge density distribution in the peripheral part 1112, the smaller the width L.sub.1 of the mesh line 15A2 is, the lower the charge density is.

[0099] As described above, when giving the difference in the intervals L.sub.2 and/or widths L.sub.1 of the mesh lines 15A2 in the first electrode 15A, the lower the area ratio of the conductor (line) in the meshes is, the lower the charge density is. Therefore, by setting these interval L.sub.2 and/or width L.sub.1, the charge density at the corresponding position in the active layer 11 can be defined.

[0100] Instead of the unique conductor in the aforementioned example, the first conductive region 15A11 may be made of a mesh having a larger conductor area ratio than the second conductive region 15A12, for example, having the larger width L.sub.1 of the mesh line than the second conductive region 15A12 (FIG. 10A) or having the same width L.sub.1 but the smaller width L.sub.2. Alternatively, three or more conductive regions (first conductive region 15A11, second conductive region 15A12, third conductive region 15A13 . . . ) may be provided so as to have the conductor area ratio gradually reducing from the center to the periphery of the first electrode 15A (FIG. 10B). As another example, a configuration may be provided in which a square-shaped first conductive region 15A11 having the highest conductor area ratio is provided at the center of a first electrode 15A, a second conductive region 15A12 having the next-highest conductor area ratio is provided in contact with the sides of the square of the first conductive region 15A11, and a third conductive region 15A13 having a lower conductor area ratio than the these two conductive regions is provided in contact with the vertexes of the square of the first conductive region 15A11 (FIG. 10C).

[0101] As shown in FIG. 11, from the center of the in-plane position of the first electrode 15A toward the outside, the area of each inter-line region 15A3 may gradually increase. In this example, the intervals L.sub.2 between the mesh lines 15A2 have the same value irrespective of the in-plane position, and the width L.sub.1 continuously varies so as to decrease gradually as the position is apart from the center of the in-plane position. At the center of the in-plane position, the width L.sub.1 is the same as the interval L.sub.2, and the inter-line regions 15A3 is not provided. According to the configuration, the conductor area ratio in the first electrode 15A substantially continuously changes so as to decrease gradually as the position is apart from the center of the in-plane position. In the charge injection region 111 of the active layer 11 into which current is injected from such a first electrode 15A, the charge density decreasing gradually from the center of the in-plane position toward the outside is formed; likewise, the intensity of light emission gradually decreases from the center of the in-plane position toward the outside. Such intensity distribution according to the position of light emission is more similar to the Gaussian distribution than the distribution in the other cases exemplified above. Consequently, laser oscillation in the fundamental mode easily occurs.

[0102] FIG. 12A and FIG. 12B each show, in a graph, a result of calculating the threshold gain difference in the example of FIG. 11. It is herein assumed that the Gaussian distribution of the charge density having the width w.sub.p is formed in the charge injection region 111. In FIG. 12A, L was fixed to 200 m, and w.sub.p/L was adopted as the abscissa axis of the graph. In FIG. 12B, w.sub.p/L was fixed to 0.25, and L was adopted as the abscissa axis. In FIG. 12A, data with w.sub.p/L=0 is not that in the present embodiment, but is that of the conventional two-dimensional photonic crystal laser where uniform charge distribution is formed in the active layer by the plate-shaped first electrode. It can be understood that the entire data in the present embodiment shown in FIG. 12A has a larger threshold gain difference than the conventional case with w.sub.p/L=0, and laser oscillation in the fundamental mode easily occurs. According to the graph of FIG. 12B, in a range with the value of L longer than 400 m, the longer L is, the smaller the threshold gain difference is. Meanwhile, the longer L is, the larger the area of the entire first electrode is. Thus, it is advantageous in view of increasing laser output. Based on the calculated values of obtained in FIG. 12B, when laser light output power was calculated in a case of the largest L with L=2200 m among values of equal to or larger than the value of in the conventional example in FIG. 12A, a value of 8 W was obtained. The calculated value of the optical output power is higher than the calculated value in a case where the charge density is adjusted only by two values using the aforementioned first conductive region 15A11 and second conductive region 15A12.

[0103] FIG. 13 shows an example of the first electrode 15A for selectively oscillating laser in a higher mode. In this example, in the square-shaped first electrode 15A, first conductive regions 15A11 were provided in the vicinity of the two vertexes on one diagonal line among the four vertexes of the square, and the remaining region was set to a second conductive region 15A12 having a lower conductor area ratio than the first conductive regions 15A11 do. This structure forms distribution where the current density is low in the vicinity of the center of the planar shape of the first electrode 15A, and the current density is high in the vicinity of the two vertexes. Injection of the current with such distribution into the active layer 11 causes light generated in the active layer 11 to become standing waves in the higher mode where a node is in the vicinity of the center and the anti-nodes are in the vicinity of the position corresponding to the two vertexes on the diagonal line in the two-dimensional photonic crystal 123. Consequently, laser in the higher mode oscillates.

Second EmbodimentConcentric-Circular Electrode

[0104] A two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser of a second embodiment uses a first electrode 15B having a configuration where ring-shaped conductors 15B1 are provided in a concentric manner, and the boundaries of the ring-shaped conductors 15B1 are insulated from each other with ring-shaped insulators 15B2 as shown in FIG. 14. A circular conductor 15B0 is provided at the center of the concentric circle. The circular conductor 15B0 and the ring-shaped conductors 15B1 are electrically connected to each other with a linear conductor 15B3. The width of the ring-shaped conductor 15B1 was set to have a ratio to the width of the ring-shaped insulator 15B2 being lower as apart from the center. Consequently, current density distribution where the density decreases as the position is apart from the center of the first electrode 15B is formed.

Third EmbodimentDivided Electrodes

[0105] In a two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser of a third embodiment, a first electrode 15C having a configuration shown in FIG. 15 was used. A first electrode 15C has a square shape in an overall view, and includes two regions that are a square-shaped first conductive region 15C11 formed in the vicinity of the center, and a second conductive region 15C12 formed around the first conductive region 15C11. An insulative region 15C21 made of an insulator linearly formed as with the four sides of a square is provided at the boundary between the first conductive region 15C11 and the second conductive region 15C12. In this structure, the first conductive region 15C11 and the second conductive region 15C12 function as the aforementioned sub-electrodes. The first electrode 15C includes a linear connective region 15C31 made of a conductor, extending from one vertex of the square of the first conductive region 15C11 on the diagonal line of the square of the second conductive region 15C12 and reaching one vertex of the second conductive region 15C12. An insulative region 15C21 is provided on both sides of the line of the connective region 15C31. The first electrode 15C can be fabricated using a typical lithography method.

[0106] The two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser of the third embodiment applies a first voltage V.sub.1 between the first conductive region 15C11 and the second electrode 16 while applying a second voltage V.sub.2 lower than the first voltage V.sub.1 between the second conductive region 15C12 and the second electrode 16. During the application, the first conductive region 15C11 is connected with a first power source (not shown) via the connective region 15C31 while the second conductive region 15C12 is directly connected with a second power source (not shown) other than the first power source. The first conductive region 15C11 and the second conductive region 15C12 are electrically separated from each other by the insulative region 15C21 as described above. Thus, different voltages can be applied to the respective regions. Such voltage application forms charge density distribution with the density higher at the central part 1111 than that at the peripheral part 1112 in the charge injection region 111 of the active layer 11. Therefore emission of light having intensity distribution in which the intensity is maximum at the central part 1111 occurs from the charge injection region 111. This emitted light is amplified in the two-dimensional photonic crystal 123 to facilitate laser oscillation in a fundamental mode. Consequently, useless laser oscillation in a higher mode can be reduced, thereby allowing the optical output power to be increased as a whole.

[0107] The first electrode 15C of the third embodiment may include three or more conductive regions (the first conductive region 15C11, second conductive region 15C12, third conductive region 15C13 . . . ) from the center toward the periphery (FIG. 16). In the case of providing three or more conductive regions, all the boundaries between the conductive regions are provided with insulative regions 15C21, 15C22 . . . . In conductive regions other than the conductive region residing at the outermost, connective regions 15C31 and 15C32 . . . are provided. The conductive regions (sub-electrodes) are connected with different power sources.

Fourth EmbodimentConcentric-Circular Electrode 2

[0108] As shown in FIGS. 17A and 17B, the two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser 10D of the fourth embodiment has a configuration in which a first electrode 15D, a contact layer 1411, a first cladding layer 141, an active layer 11, a spacer layer 13, a two-dimensional photonic crystal layer 12, a second cladding layer 142, and a second electrode 16 are stacked in this order. Of these layers, the contact layer 1411 is a layer made of p-GaAs, and the first cladding layer 141 has a single-layer structure of a layer made of p-AlGaAs. The configuration other than the contact layer 1411, the first cladding layer 141, and the first electrode 15D to be described later is the same as that of the two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser of the first embodiment.

[0109] The first electrode 15D includes a central conductor 15D0, a ring-shaped conductor 15D1, a connection conductor 15D2, and an insulating film (high resistance portion) 15D3 made of an insulator. The central conductor 15D0 has a circular shape in a plan view and the inside is filled with a conductive material. The ring-shaped conductor 15D1 has an annular shape in a plan view, and a plurality of ring-shaped conductors 15D1 are concentrically provided around the central conductor 15D0. The central conductor 15D0 and the ring-shaped conductors 15D1 are in electrical contact with the contact layer 1411.

[0110] Insulating films 15D3 are provided in the region between the central conductor 15D0 and the ring-shaped conductor 15D1 arranged innermost and in the regions between adjacent ring-shaped conductors 15D1 (these regions are referred to as inter-conductor regions). In addition, on the opposite side from the contact layer 1411 in the first electrode 15D, a connection conductor 15D2 covering the central conductor 15D0, the plurality of ring-shaped conductors 15D1, and the insulating films 15D3 in their entirety is provided. With this configuration, the central conductor 15D0 and the plurality of ring-shaped conductors 15D1 are electrically connected to each other by the connection conductor 15D2. The ratio of the width of each ring-shaped conductor 15D1 to the width of the inter-conductor region decreases as the distance from the central conductor 15D0 increases.

[0111] In the present example, the insulating film 15D3 and the connection conductor 15D2 are provided in a portion outside the ring-shaped conductor 15D1 arranged outermost, but there is no need to provide the insulating film 15D3 and the connection conductor 15D2 in this portion. In addition, although the case where the insulating film 15D3 is used as the high resistance portion is described, the connection conductor 15D2 has only to be in electrical non-contact with the contact layer 1411 in the inter-conductor region, and if there is no such possibility, a predetermined gas such as air or a vacuum may be used. Alternatively, a member having electrical conductivity and also having electrical resistivity higher than electrical resistivities of the central conductor 15D0, the ring-shaped conductor 15D1, and the connection conductor 15D2 may also be used as the high resistance portion.

[0112] Also in the present example, the connection conductor 15D2 is provided to cover the central conductor 15D0, the plurality of ring-shaped conductors 15D1, and the insulating film 15D3 in their entirety. Alternatively, the connection conductor 15D2 may be provided to partially cover the central conductor 15D0, the plurality of ring-shaped conductors 15D1, and the insulating film 15D3 as long as the connection conductor 15D2 has only to electrically connect the central conductor 15D0 to all the ring-shaped conductors 15D1.

[0113] As in the first to third embodiments, it is desirable that the second electrode 16 is equal to or wider than the first electrode 15D. In order to produce effects to be described later, the second electrode 16 may be narrower than the first electrode 15D.

[0114] When the two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser 10D of the fourth embodiment is used, one terminal of a power source (not shown) is connected to a part of the central conductor 15D0, the plurality of ring-shaped conductors 15D1, and the connection conductor 15D2 of the first electrode 15D, and the other terminal is connected to the second electrode 16. In addition to the above, applying a voltage between the first electrode 15D and the second electrode 16 by the power source injects a current into the active layer 11 from both electrodes. Here, since the central conductor 15D0, the plurality of ring-shaped conductors 15D1, and the connection conductor 15D2 are electrically connected to each other, current is injected into the active layer 11 from all the central conductor 15D0 and the ring-shaped conductors 15D1 through the contact layer 1411. On the other hand, since the insulating film 15D3 is provided in the inter-conductor region, no current is injected into the active layer 11 from the inter-conductor region. Then, since the ratio of the width of each ring-shaped conductor 15D1 to the width of the inter-conductor region decreases as the distance from the central conductor 15D0 increases, light emission having an intensity distribution with maximum at the center occurs in the charge injection region 111 of the active layer 11. This light emission is amplified in the two-dimensional photonic crystal layer 12, thereby facilitating laser oscillation in a fundamental mode. Therefore, useless laser oscillation in a higher mode can be reduced, thereby allowing the optical output power to be increased as a whole.

[0115] Thus, in the first electrode 15D, since one terminal of the power source has only to be connected to a part within a wide range including the central conductor 15D0, the plurality of ring-shaped conductors 15D1, and the connection conductor 15D2, the connection with the power source is easier than in the case of using the first electrode including the circular conductor 15B0, the plurality of ring-shaped conductors 15B1, and the linear conductor 15B3 of the second embodiment.

[0116] In the case where the connection conductor 15D2 covers the central conductor 15D0, the plurality of ring-shaped conductors 15D1, and the insulating film 15D3 in their entirety, the laser light directed toward the first electrode from the two-dimensional photonic crystal layer 12 can be reflected by the connection conductor 15D2 at almost uniform reflectivity. In addition, heat generated inside the two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser 10D is easily released from the connection conductor 15D2 to the outside.

[0117] Furthermore, in the fourth embodiment, as shown in FIG. 18, the contact layer 1411 preferably has a high resistance region 1411R in a region facing the inter-conductor region (a region not overlapping with the central conductor 15D0 and the ring-shaped conductors 15D1). The high resistance region 1411R is a region where electrical conductivity is decreased (electrical resistivity is increased) as compared with other portions of the contact layer 1411 due to having impurities, and for example, can be formed by impurity ion implantation treatment using as a mask the central conductor 15D0 and the plurality of ring-shaped conductors 15D1. As the impurity ions to be implanted, hydrogen ions and/or oxygen ions can be suitably used. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the current density distribution formed by the first electrode 15D from spreading in the in-plane direction before reaching the charge injection region 111 of the active layer 11. Therefore, a current density distribution that decreases as the distance from the center of the first electrode 15D increases can be more reliably formed.

[0118] As a modification of the fourth embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 19A to 19D, a multilayer reflective film 181 may be provided closer to the active layer 11 than the contact layer 1411 in the first cladding layer 141. The multilayer reflective film 181 has a structure in which a stacked body pair made of two types of semiconductor materials (for example, an Al.sub.xGa.sub.1xAs layer and an Al.sub.yGa.sub.1yAs layer (x>y. x=1 and/or y=0 may be satisfied)) having different refractive indexes is repeatedly stacked (about several to several tens of times) and has electrical conductivity. The multilayer reflective film 181 constitutes what is called a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) and has a function of selectively reflecting light of a specific wavelength. With this configuration, fundamental mode laser oscillation can be more easily generated.

[0119] It is preferable that a high resistance region 181R having an electrical resistivity higher than that of the two kinds of semiconductor materials as the material of the multilayer reflective film 181 is provided in a region facing the inter-conductor region in the multilayer reflective film 181. The high resistance region 181R can be formed by impurity ion implantation treatment as with the high resistance region 1411R in the contact layer 1411 described above. The high resistance region 181R can be provided to extend from the contact layer 1411 to the multilayer reflective film 181 (FIG. 19A), or can be provided to extend from the contact layer 1411 to a part of the cladding layer 141 through the multilayer reflective film 181 (FIG. 19B). Alternatively, the multilayer reflective film 181 is subjected to impurity ion implantation treatment prior to the preparation of the contact layer 1411, so that the high resistance region 181R is not provided in the contact layer 1411, but can be provided only in the multilayer reflective film 181 (FIG. 19C), or can be provided to extend to a part of the cladding layer 141 through the multilayer reflective film 181 (FIG. 19D). Providing a high resistance region 181R in the multilayer reflective film 181 can prevent the current density distribution formed by the first electrode 15D from spreading in the in-plane direction before reaching the charge injection region 111 of the active layer 11, and can more reliably form the current density distribution that decreases as the distance from the center of the first electrode 15D increases. In the case of using only the function of selectively reflecting the light of the specific wavelength, the high resistance region 181R is not necessarily provided in the multilayer reflective film 181.

[0120] In the fourth embodiment and its modification shown so far, the central conductor 15D0 having a circular shape in a plan view is used, but the central conductor 15D0 may present any shape in a plan view (for example, a polygon such as a triangle, a quadrangle, or a hexagon). Similarly, the ring of the ring-shaped conductor 15D1 in a plan view may present any shape.

Fifth EmbodimentConcentric-Circular Electrode 3

[0121] As described above, in the two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser 10D of the fourth embodiment, the central conductor 15D0 and the plurality of ring-shaped conductors 15D1 are electrically connected to each other by the connection conductor 15D2. Instead, the two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser may have a configuration where the connection conductor 15D2 and the insulating film 15D3 are eliminated from the configuration of the fourth embodiment, and when the two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser is mounted, the central conductor 15D0 and the plurality of ring-shaped conductors 15D1 may be electrically connected to each other by using solder or the like. FIG. 20A shows a configuration obtained by eliminating the connection conductor 15D2 and the insulating film 15D3 from the two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser shown in FIG. 18, and FIG. 20B shows a configuration obtained by eliminating the connection conductor 15D2 and the insulating film 15D3 from the two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser shown in FIG. 19A. The two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser may have a configuration obtained by eliminating the connection conductor 15D2 and the insulating film 15D3 from each of the two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting lasers shown in FIGS. 19B to 19D. Each of the configurations has the high resistance region 1411R provided in the contact layer 1411 and/or the high resistance region 181R provided in the multilayer reflective film 181. It is therefore possible to prevent the current density distribution formed by the first electrode 15D from spreading in the in-plane direction before reaching the charge injection region 111 of the active layer 11. It is also possible to form the current density distribution that decreases as the distance from the center of the first electrode 15D increases.

[0122] As shown in FIG. 20C, the two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser may also have a configuration obtained by eliminating the connection conductor 15D2 and the insulating film 15D3 from the two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser shown in FIGS. 17A and 17B. Also in this case, when the two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser is mounted, the central conductor 15D0 and the plurality of ring-shaped conductors 15D1 are electrically connected to each other by using solder or the like.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

[0123] 10X . . . Two-Dimensional Photonic Crystal Surface Emitting Laser

[0124] 11 . . . Active Layer

[0125] 111 . . . Charge Injection Region

[0126] 1111 . . . Central Part

[0127] 1112 . . . Peripheral Part

[0128] 12 . . . Two-Dimensional Photonic Crystal Layer

[0129] 121 . . . Base Member

[0130] 122 . . . Modified Refractive Index Regions

[0131] 123 . . . Two-Dimensional Photonic Crystal

[0132] 13 . . . Spacer Layer

[0133] 141 . . . First Cladding Layer

[0134] 1411 . . . Contact Layer

[0135] 1411R . . . High Resistance Region Of Contact Layer

[0136] 142 . . . Second Cladding Layer

[0137] 15A, 15B, 15C, 15D, 15X . . . First Electrode

[0138] 15A11, 15C11 . . . First Conductive Region

[0139] 15A12, 15C12 . . . Second Conductive Region

[0140] 15A13, 15C13 . . . Third Conductive Region

[0141] 15A2 . . . Mesh Line

[0142] 15A3 . . . Inter-Line Region

[0143] 15B0 . . . Circular Conductor

[0144] 15B1, 15D1 . . . Ring-Shaped Conductor

[0145] 15B2 . . . Ring-Shaped Insulator

[0146] 15B3 . . . Linear Conductor

[0147] 15C21, 15C22 . . . Insulative Region

[0148] 15C31, 15C32 . . . Connective Region

[0149] 15D0 . . . Central Conductor

[0150] 5D2 . . . Connection Conductor

[0151] 15D3 . . . Insulating Film (High Resistance Portion)

[0152] 16, 16A . . . Second Electrode

[0153] 161A . . . Window

[0154] 162A . . . Frame

[0155] 181 . . . Multilayer Reflective Film

[0156] 181R . . . High Resistance Region Of Multilayer Reflective Film