JP7617541B2 - Manufacturing method for laser diode bars - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing laser diode bars.

In recent years, expectations for laser processing have been rising for various materials such as copper, gold, and resin. For example, in the automotive industry, there is demand for electrification, miniaturization, high rigidity, greater freedom in design, and improved productivity, and expectations for laser processing are very high. In particular, copper processing for motors and batteries for electric vehicles requires a blue-violet to blue (wavelength 350 to 450 nm) laser light source with high light absorption efficiency, and to achieve highly productive processing, a laser light source with high output and highly focused beam quality is necessary.

A wavelength beam combining (WBC) system is known as a system that can focus multiple laser beams to obtain high-output, high-beam quality laser beams. A wavelength beam combining system is described, for example, in Patent Document 1.

The wavelength beam combining system has a laser diode bar, a beam twister unit, a transmissive or reflective diffraction grating, and an external resonator mirror. An emitter that emits light is arranged in the laser diode bar, and multiple beams of light are emitted from one end face of the emitter. The beam twister unit rotates each of the multiple beams of light emitted from the laser diode bar by 90 degrees to prevent individual beams of light having close wavelengths from interfering with each other. When the diffraction grating is a transmissive type, the diffraction grating diffracts the incident beam of light at a diffraction angle determined by its wavelength and emits it. The beam of light emitted from the diffraction grating is incident on the external resonator mirror, and part of the beam of light is reflected perpendicularly in the direction of the diffraction grating by the external resonator mirror, which is a partially transmissive mirror. As a result, laser light of a wavelength (sometimes called the locking wavelength) that is uniquely determined by the relative positions of the individual emitters, diffraction grating, and external resonator mirror in the laser diode bar causes external resonance of light between the reflective film on the side of the laser diode bar opposite the side from which the laser light is emitted and the external resonator mirror, and the laser light is output.

Since each emitter in the laser diode bar is positioned differently relative to the diffraction grating, they will externally resonate at different wavelengths and emit laser light, but these are combined at a single point by an external resonator mirror. Therefore, in a wavelength beam combining system, it is possible to obtain high-output, high-quality laser light by adding up the output of the individual emitters.

JP 2015-106707 A

However, in wavelength beam combining systems, due to the structure of the laser diode bar, a difference may occur between the wavelength value at which the laser diode bar can oscillate most strongly (sometimes called the gain peak wavelength) and the lock wavelength that is uniquely determined by the configuration of the wavelength beam combining system. If this difference becomes large, there is a risk that laser oscillation will not be possible, resulting in a problem of reduced oscillation performance.

The object of the present disclosure is to provide a wavelength beam combining system with improved oscillation performance, as well as a manufacturing method for a laser diode bar and a laser diode bar that can improve the oscillation performance of a wavelength beam combining system.

The present disclosure, which solves the above-mentioned problems, is
1. A method for manufacturing a laser diode bar for use in a wavelength beam combining system, comprising:
preparing a nitride semiconductor substrate having a substrate surface oriented in the (0001) plane and having an off-angle of greater than 0° from the (0001) plane toward at least one of the m-axis and the a-axis;
determining the size of the laser diode bar required for the wavelength beam combining system, and setting a layout related to the planned formation position of the laser diode bar in the nitride semiconductor substrate so that the principal axis direction of the off-angle coincides with the waveguide direction;
forming a laminated structure including a first conductive type cladding layer, an active layer, and a second conductive type cladding layer on the nitride semiconductor substrate;
estimating a distribution of gain peak wavelengths of the laser diode bars to be formed in the nitride semiconductor substrate;
forming a plurality of emitters arranged in a stripe pattern in the laminated structure such that a principal axis direction of the off-angle coincides with a waveguide direction;
cutting the laser diode bar having the plurality of emitters from the nitride semiconductor substrate;
determining a position of the laser diode bar in the wavelength beam combining system based on a distribution of gain peak wavelengths of the laser diode bar and a lock wavelength determined by a configuration of the wavelength beam combining system;
The method for producing a laser diode bar includes the steps of:

The manufacturing method of the laser diode bar disclosed herein can improve the oscillation performance of the wavelength beam combining system.

Illustrates the manufacturing method of laser diode bars. Perspective view of a laser diode bar Schematic of a wavelength beam combining system using transmission gratings Schematic of a wavelength beam combining system using a reflective grating Diagram showing the relationship between the laser diode bar and the diffraction grating A diagram showing the relationship between the lock wavelength of each emitter in Table 2 and the emitter position. Diagram showing the wavelength range of the emitters of laser diode bars A diagram showing the range in which laser oscillation is possible within the emitter of a laser diode bar. A diagram showing the range in which laser oscillation is possible within the emitter of a laser diode bar. A diagram showing the range in which laser oscillation is possible within the emitter of a laser diode bar. FIG. 1 shows the distribution of off-angles in a gallium nitride substrate whose main axis of off-angle is in the +m-axis direction and in a gallium nitride substrate whose main axis of off-angle is in the +a-axis direction. FIG. 1 shows the off-angle distribution of gallium nitride substrates according to an embodiment and a comparative example. Layout diagram of laser diode bars on a gallium nitride substrate FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the distribution of gain wavelengths in the gallium nitride substrate of FIG. 12. FIG. 2 shows λ _{g_CENTER} of the laser diode bar of the embodiment. FIG. 1 shows the difference between λ _g on the left side and λ _g on the right side for a laser diode bar according to an embodiment. FIG. 13 is a graph showing Δλ _{g_BAR} when the transmissive film and the reflective film are interchanged in the laser diode bar of the embodiment. FIG. 1 shows the position and number of laser diode bars in an embodiment. FIG. 1 shows the position and number of laser diode bars in a comparative example. FIG. 1 is a diagram comparing the number of laser diode bars and the value of λ _{g_CENTER} in the examples and comparative examples. A graph showing the relationship between the longitudinal length of a laser diode bar and Δλ _{g_BAR.}

First, we will explain the configuration of the wavelength beam combining system, the configuration of the laser diode bar, the locking wavelength of the laser diode bar, and the range of wavelengths that the laser diode bar can oscillate using specific examples.

Wavelength Beam Combining System
3 shows a transmissive wavelength beam combining system 30. An actual wavelength beam combining system may have elements such as optical components in addition to the elements shown in FIG. 3, but these elements are omitted.

The wavelength beam combining system 30 has a laser diode bar array 20T including a plurality of laser diode bars 20a-20e, a transmission type diffraction grating 37, and an external resonator mirror 38. Note that in practice, optical components such as a beam twister unit (not shown) may be provided between the laser diode bars 20a-20e and the diffraction grating 37.

Figure 4 shows a reflective wavelength beam combining system 40. The wavelength beam combining system 40 has a similar configuration to the transmissive wavelength beam combining system 30, except that a reflective diffraction grating 39 is used.

In the wavelength beam combining system 30, the light emitted from the laser diode bars 20a-20e is diffracted by the diffraction gratings 37, 39, and then a portion of the light is reflected vertically in the direction of the diffraction grating by the external resonator mirror 38. This causes external resonance of light between the reflective film 17 of the laser diode bars 20a-20e and the external resonator mirror, and laser light is output. The multiple laser diode bars 20a-20e may be arranged in order from the short-wavelength laser diode bar 20a to the long-wavelength laser diode bar 20e.

<Laser diode bar>
2 shows a laser diode bar 20. The laser diode bar 20 has a plurality of emitters 13 formed at intervals from one another. The plurality of emitters 13 are arranged in a line along the longitudinal direction of the laser diode bar 20 in a stripe shape.

Specifically, the emitter 13 of the laser diode bar 20 is formed in a laminated structure 12 of a first conductive cladding layer 21, an active layer 22, and a second conductive cladding layer 23 on a nitride semiconductor substrate 10. The laser diode bar 20 has a P-side electrode 15 on its upper surface and an N-side electrode 24 on its lower surface. A transparent film 16 is provided on the entire end face of the laser diode bar 20 on the side from which light is emitted, and a reflective film 17 is provided on the entire end face of the laser diode bar 20 on the side from which light is not emitted, facing the transparent film 16. The laser diode bar 20 shown in FIG. 2 can be used as the laser diode bars 20a to 20e in a wavelength beam combining system 30 as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5.

The longitudinal direction of the laser diode bar 20 is W, and the waveguide direction is D. The white arrow in FIG. 2 indicates the main axis direction of the off-angle of the nitride semiconductor substrate 10, which is the base material of the laser diode bar 20.

The P-side electrode 15 is a current injection region that injects current into multiple emitters 13 formed at intervals on the end face of the laser diode bar 20. The P-side electrodes 15 are arranged in a stripe pattern along the longitudinal direction of the laser diode bar 20. When current is injected in parallel from a power supply unit (not shown) into the P-side electrodes 15 of the laser diode bar 20, laser light 25 is simultaneously emitted in the waveguide direction (i.e., the external resonance direction) from the multiple emitters 13 corresponding to each P-side electrode 15.

The laser diode bar 20 shown in FIG. 2 has a structure with a current injection region in which protrusions called ridge stripes are formed in a stripe shape, but the laser diode bar 20 may have an embedded structure, in which case the current injection region can be selectively formed.

<Lock wavelength>
2, 3 and 5, a method for calculating the locking wavelength of the laser diode bars 20 required for the wavelength beam combining system 30 will be described.

Figure 5 is a diagram explaining the method for calculating the lock wavelength and each emitter of the laser diode bars 20a to 20e. Figure 6 is a diagram showing the relationship between each emitter 13 of the laser diode bars 20a to 20e and the lock wavelength.

Of the laser light 25 emitted from each emitter 13 of the laser diode bar 20, only the lock wavelength that satisfies the diffraction conditions of the diffraction grating 37 and is vertically reflected by the external resonator mirror 38 returns to the original emitter 13, causing external resonance between the end face (reflective film 17) of the laser diode bar 20 from which light is not emitted and the external resonator mirror 38, resulting in laser oscillation.

Assuming that the locking wavelength of the laser diode bar 20 shown in FIG. 3 and each emitter 13 corresponding to the injection region is λ _L , the period of the diffraction grating 37 is d, the incident angle is α, the exit angle is β, and the order is m, the locking wavelength λ _L can be calculated by the following formula (1).
d(sinα+sinβ)=mλ _L ...(1)

Note that it is common to select a diffraction grating arrangement with order m=1.

For example, when a laser wavelength beam combining system 30 is configured by arranging five laser diode bars 20a to 20e as shown in FIG. 3 so that the incident angle α increases by 0.8 deg from 21.6 deg, the locking wavelength λ _{L_CENTER} of the emitter 13 located at the center of each of the laser diode bars 20a to 20e (hereinafter referred to as the "locking wavelength λ _{L_CENTER} at the longitudinal center position of the laser diode bar 20") is 435.9 nm and 440.3 nm for the laser diode bars 20a and 20b, and 453.0 nm for the laser diode bar 20e, which is longer by approximately 4.3 nm each, as shown in Table 1.

Next, λ _L in the laser diode bars 20a to 20e will be described using the laser diode bar 20 as an example.

In the example shown in FIG. 5, 25 emitters 13 are formed on the laser diode bar 20. The longitudinal length W of the laser diode bar 20 is 10 mm.

Here, a diffraction grating (d = 0.333 μm) 37 with a groove period of 3,000 lines/mm is used, and light with a wavelength of about 400 to 500 nm is arranged so that the angle of incidence α is 21.6°, the length W of the laser diode bar 20 is 10 mm, and the distance L from the laser diode bar 20 to the diffraction grating 37 is 2.6 m.

In this case, as shown in Table 2, the locking wavelength _λL of the first emitter from the right side of the laser diode bar 20 is 435.37 nm, and the locking wavelength _λL of each emitter of the laser diode bar 20 is longer by about 0.05 nm for each emitter. Therefore, the locking wavelength _λL of the 25th emitter is 420T.51 nm, and the difference _{ΔλL_BAR} between the locking wavelengths _λL of the emitters at both ends of the laser diode bar 20 (hereinafter referred to as the "locking wavelength difference _{ΔλL_BAR} between the two ends of the laser diode bar 20") is about 1.1 nm (see FIG. 6).

Similarly, when the distance L from the laser diode bar 20 to the diffraction grating 37 is 1.3 m, as shown in Table 3, the lock wavelength difference Δλ _{L_BAR} between both ends of the laser diode bar 20 is 2.3 nm.

As described above, the change amount of the lock wavelength λ _{L_CENTER} at the center position in the longitudinal direction of the laser diode bar 20 and the lock wavelength difference Δλ _{L_BAR} at both end positions of the laser diode bar 20 differs depending on the arrangement of the wavelength beam combining system 30 and the design of the components, but when W is 10 mm, the lock wavelength difference Δλ _{L_BAR} at both end positions of the laser diode bar 20 needs to be 1.0 to 2.5 nm. Note that, although the above description has been given based on the transmissive wavelength beam combining system 30, the change amount of the lock wavelength λ _{L_CENTER} at the center position in the longitudinal direction of the laser diode bar 20 and the lock wavelength difference Δλ _{L_BAR} at both end positions of the laser diode bar 20 can also be calculated in the reflective wavelength beam combining system 40 in a similar manner.

<Wavelength range that laser diode bars can oscillate in>
The range of wavelengths at which the laser diode bar 20 can oscillate will be described with reference to FIG. 7. The curve in FIG. 7 shows an example of the gain wavelength spectrum of the laser diode bar 20. The laser diode bar 20 can oscillate only at wavelengths at which the gain wavelength intensity is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. In other words, the laser diode bar 20 oscillates at a lock wavelength within a predetermined range from the gain peak wavelength _λg of the laser diode bar 20, and does not oscillate at a lock wavelength outside the predetermined range. In the example of FIG. 7, when the lock wavelength is wavelength 1 due to the configuration of the wavelength beam combining system 30, the laser oscillates because it is within the range of wavelengths that can be oscillated, but when the lock wavelength is wavelength 2, the laser oscillates because it is outside the range of wavelengths that can be oscillated.

8 to 10 show the relationship between the gain peak wavelength λ _g of each emitter 13 arranged in one laser diode bar 20 and the locking wavelength λ _L determined by the configuration of the wavelength beam combining system 30. The locking wavelength λ _L has a unique value and slope corresponding to the change in the angle of incidence to the diffraction grating 37. As shown in FIG. 7, the gain peak wavelength λ _g has a certain range in which laser oscillation can occur.

If the relationship between the lock wavelength λ _L and the gain peak wavelength λ _g is as shown in the example of FIG. 8 , then in all of the emitters 13, either the upper or lower limit of the gain peak wavelength λ _g falls within the range of the lock wavelength difference Δλ _{L_BAR} between both ends of the laser diode bar 20, and therefore all of the emitters 13 in the laser diode bar 20 can oscillate.

Even in the case of FIG. 9, all the emitters 13 can oscillate. When the direction of the gain peak wavelength λ _g of the emitters of the laser diode bar 20 is different from the slope of the lock wavelength λ _L , neither the upper nor lower limit of the gain peak wavelength λ _g falls within the range of the lock wavelength difference Δλ _{L_BAR} at both ends of the laser diode bar 20. If this is the case, laser oscillation cannot be achieved in all the emitters 13. However, if the emission surface and the non-emission surface of the laser diode bar 20 in FIG. 3 are interchanged and the reflective film 17 and the transmissive film 16 are formed, the distribution of the gain peak wavelength λ _g is inverted and the slope can be inverted. Therefore, the configuration is the same as that of FIG. 8, and either the upper or lower limit range of the gain peak wavelength λ _g falls within the range of the lock wavelength difference Δλ _{L_BAR} at both ends of the laser diode bar 20, so that all the emitters of the laser diode bar 20 can oscillate.

In contrast, as shown in FIG. 10 , when the magnitude of the slope of the gain peak wavelength _λg at each position along the longitudinal direction of the laser diode bar 20 (i.e., the gain peak wavelength difference _{Δλg_BAR} at both ends of the laser diode bar 20) is greater than the magnitude of the slope of the lock wavelength _λL at each position along the longitudinal direction of the laser diode bar 20 (i.e., the lock wavelength difference _{ΔλL_BAR} at both ends of the laser diode bar 20), neither the upper nor lower limit of oscillation of the gain peak wavelength _λg at both ends of the laser diode bar 20 falls within the range of the lock wavelength difference _{ΔλL_BAR} at both ends of the laser diode bar 20, and therefore laser oscillation by external resonance cannot be obtained.

The laser diode bar 20 of the present disclosure has a small gain peak wavelength difference Δλ _{g_BAR} between both ends of the laser diode bar 20 due to ingenuity used during manufacturing of the laser diode bar 20, thereby reducing the number of emitters 13 that cannot oscillate among the multiple emitters 13 formed in the laser diode bar 20.

Next, we will describe the manufacturing method of the laser diode bar 20, the calculation method of the gain peak wavelength of the laser diode bar 20, and the characteristics of the distribution shape.

<Method of manufacturing laser diode bars>
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a method for manufacturing a laser diode bar 20. As shown in FIG.

The method for manufacturing the laser diode bar 20 includes the steps of forming a first conductivity type cladding layer 21, an active layer 22, and a second conductivity type cladding layer 23 on a nitride semiconductor substrate 10, forming an emitter 13, and forming a P-side electrode and an N-side electrode. The first conductivity type cladding layer 21, the active layer 22, and the second conductivity type cladding layer 23 can be formed by epitaxial growth. The emitter 13 may be formed as a ridge stripe structure.

The manufacturing method of the laser diode bar 20 further includes a step of cutting out a plurality of laser diode bars 20 each having a plurality of emitters 13, and a step of forming a transparent film 16 on the light-emitting end face of the laser diode bar 20 and forming a reflective film 17 on the end face opposite the face on which the transparent film 16 is formed. Furthermore, a laser diode bar array 20T for use in the wavelength beam combining system 30 is manufactured by combining a plurality of the cut out laser diode bars 20.

<Calculation method of gain peak wavelength and characteristics of distribution shape>
The gain peak wavelength _λg can be calculated with a certain degree of accuracy after epitaxial growth by performing a known Photo Luminescence Spectroscopy measurement (hereinafter referred to as PL measurement) after a step of stacking the first conductivity type cladding layer 21, the active layer 22, and the second conductivity type cladding layer 23 on the nitride semiconductor substrate 10 (hereinafter referred to as epitaxial growth).

The distribution of the gain peak wavelength _λg in the nitride semiconductor substrate 10 has various characteristics depending on the gas flow rate of the epitaxial growth, the equipment conditions, and the quality of the substrate. For example, when the temperature distribution in the substrate surface during epitaxial growth is concentric, the in-plane distribution is also concentric. In addition, when the deviation amount (called the off-angle in the present invention) of the normal line of the substrate surface from the normal line (crystal axis) of the crystal plane (0001) of the substrate 10 differs in the vertical direction of the nitride semiconductor substrate 10, the gain peak wavelength _λg is distributed in the vertical direction of the nitride semiconductor substrate 10 according to the distribution of the off-angle.

In particular, when the nitride semiconductor active layer contains 3% or more, more specifically 7% or more, of indium (In) in the composition of the entire layer, the distribution of the gain peak wavelength _λg in the substrate due to the off-angle distribution of the nitride semiconductor substrate 10 becomes noticeable.

When manufacturing a blue-violet to blue semiconductor laser with an oscillation wavelength of about 350 nm to 450 nm, a gallium nitride substrate (hereafter referred to as a GaN substrate) whose wavelength calculated from the band gap is close to the oscillation wavelength is preferably used as the base material.

Normally, GaN substrates are tilted at a certain off-angle (greater than 0°, about 0.3° to 0.7°) with respect to a certain axis in order to improve the crystal quality of the active layer. The main axis of the off-direction within the substrate plane is uniquely determined, and the main axis direction of the off-angle (representing the inclination direction of the sliced surface with respect to the crystal plane with an off-angle of 0°; the same applies below) is generally uniaxial along the ±m-axis or ±a-axis directions.

In addition, since GaN substrates are formed by crystal growth using heterogeneous substrates with different thermal expansion coefficients, crystal warping is generally more likely to occur in GaN substrates than in Si or GaAs. Therefore, according to the findings of the inventors of the present application, when a GaN substrate is cut from an ingot with an off-angle provided on the (0001) plane of the GaN substrate, the off-angle gradually increases from one side of the main axis direction of the off-angle to the other side within the substrate plane of the GaN substrate, as shown in FIG. 11.

According to the findings of the inventors of the present application, for example, when an InGaN layer is used for the active layer, the In composition of the InGaN layer is affected by the off-angle distribution present in the GaN substrate surface, and in areas where the off-angle is large, the In composition tends to be small, and the oscillation wavelength tends to be short (see FIG. 14). Specifically, in a semiconductor laser formed by epitaxially growing an InGaN layer on a GaN substrate, the emission wavelength of the semiconductor laser changes at a rate of 30 nm/° in response to changes in the off-angle of the GaN substrate.

This means that when the laser diode bar 20 is formed on the GaN substrate, if the waveguide direction of the laser diode bar 20 (emitter 13) coincides with the main axis direction of the off-angle of the GaN substrate, the difference in the off-angle of the GaN substrate at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the laser diode bar 20 becomes small. In other words, by forming the laser diode bar 20 so that the waveguide direction of the laser diode bar 20 (emitter 13) coincides with the main axis direction of the off-angle of the GaN substrate, it is possible to reduce the gain peak wavelength difference Δλ _{g_BAR} at both ends of the laser diode bar 20. Based on this knowledge, the inventors of the present application have devised a method for manufacturing the laser diode bar 20.

The manufacturing method for the laser diode bar 20 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described below.

<Preparation of the substrate>
In the manufacturing method of the laser diode bar 20 of the present disclosure, the nitride semiconductor substrate 10 has a main surface (0001) and has an off-angle larger than 0° in at least one of the m-axis and the a-axis. In this embodiment, a GaN substrate is used as the nitride semiconductor substrate 10. The GaN substrate 10 has a main off-axis direction in the +m-axis direction, and an off-angle of 0.5° is imparted to the center of the GaN substrate 10. The distribution of the off-angle in the GaN substrate 10 is +0.3 to +0.7° in the +m-axis direction, and the distribution of the off-angle in the +a-axis direction is -0.1° to 0.1°.

<Laser diode bar layout>
The size of the laser diode bars 20 required for the wavelength beam combining system 30 is determined, and the positions and number of the laser diode bars 20 to be disposed within the GaN substrate 10 are determined.

<Epitaxial growth>
A first conductivity type cladding layer 21, an active layer 22 containing 7% In with respect to the composition of the entire active layer, and a second conductivity type cladding layer 23 are formed by epitaxial growth on a GaN substrate 10. In order to prevent a distribution of the gain peak wavelength _λg caused by the growth temperature, the substrate temperatures during epitaxial growth are preferably 900 to 1,150° C. for the first conductivity type cladding layer 21 and second cladding layer 23, and 800 to 850° C. for the active layer 22. More preferably, temperature control is performed by shaping a member for heating the GaN substrate 10 so that the temperature distribution within the plane of the GaN substrate 10 falls within ±2° C.

<Calculation of gain peak wavelength>
A PL measurement is performed at room temperature on the surface of the GaN substrate 10 on which epitaxial growth has been performed, using a He-Cd laser with an excitation wavelength of 325 nm as excitation light. This allows light to be excited from the active layer 22, and the value of the gain peak wavelength _λg of the laser diode bar 20 laid out in the GaN substrate 10 can be known with a certain degree of accuracy.

The results of the PL measurement in the GaN substrate 10 are obtained, and the distribution of the gain peak wavelength _λg in the GaN substrate 10 is plotted. The peak top wavelength of the PL measurement and the gain peak wavelength _λg are not necessarily the same value depending on the structure of the active layer 22, for example, the number of well layers in the active layer 22, and may be offset by about several nm. Therefore, it is desirable to know in advance the offset value between the gain peak wavelength _λg and the PL peak wavelength.

Using the PL measurement and the offset value as reference, a reference value λ _{g_CENTER} (meaning the gain peak wavelength of the emitter 13 located at the middle position among the multiple emitters 13 arranged in the longitudinal direction of the laser diode bar 20; the same applies below) of the gain peak wavelength of each laser diode bar 20 when the laser diode bar 20 is arranged in the GaN substrate 10 is calculated.

Additionally, the gain peak wavelength difference Δλ _{g_BAR} between both ends of the laser diode bar 20 when the +m-axis direction of the GaN substrate 10 is facing upward is calculated.

<Laser diode bar emitter formation, cutting, light emission surface selection, and film formation>
The emitters 13 are formed by aligning the main axis direction 11 of the off-angle of the GaN substrate 10 on which epitaxial growth has been performed, i.e., the m-axis direction, with the waveguide direction D of the laser diode bar 20. Next, the P-side electrode 15 and the N-side electrode 24 are formed, and the laser diode bars 20 are cut out from the GaN substrate 10 on which the emitters 13 have been formed. A transmission film 16 is formed in the −m-axis direction and a reflection film 17 is formed in the +m-axis direction for the laser diode bars 20 in which the value obtained by subtracting the gain peak wavelength λ _g of the right-end emitter 13 from the gain peak wavelength λ _g of the left-end emitter 13 of the laser diode bar 20 is positive, and a reflection film 17 is formed in the −m-axis direction and a transmission film 16 is formed in the +m-axis direction for the laser diode bars 20 in which the value obtained by subtracting the gain peak wavelength λ _g of the right-end emitter 13 from the gain peak wavelength λ _g of the left-end emitter 13 is negative.

Calculate the gain peak wavelength difference Δλ _{g_BAR} between both end positions of the laser diode bar 20 as viewed from the emission surface of the laser diode bar 20. As described above, if the value obtained by subtracting the gain peak wavelength λ _g of the rightmost emitter 13 from the λ _g of the leftmost emitter 13 is negative, the value is converted to positive.

<Selection of laser diode bars>
First, for each of the multiple laser diode bars 20 formed in the GaN substrate 10, the range of the gain peak wavelength _λg of the laser diode bar 20 (i.e., the gain peak wavelength difference _{Δλg_BAR} between both ends of the laser diode bar 20) that enables all the emitters 13 to oscillate is calculated.

Next, from the configuration of the wavelength beam combining system 30 (such as the lock wavelength at each position along the longitudinal direction of the laser diode bar 20 shown in FIG. 6 ), the gain peak wavelength difference Δλ _{g_BAR} between both ends of the laser diode bar 20 is calculated according to the arrangement position of the laser diode bar 20.

In this way, the position of the laser diode bars 20 that can be applied to the wavelength beam combining system 30 can be determined, making it possible to select them. The selected laser diode bars 20 are then mounted on the actual wavelength beam combining system 30, and confirmation is made as to whether or not all of the emitters 13 are oscillating. If all of the emitters 13 of each mounted laser diode bar 20 are oscillating, the wavelength beam combining system 30 is treated as a completed product.

Below, we will explain a method for manufacturing a laser diode bar 20 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, and a method for manufacturing a comparative example laser diode bar.

[Example]
<Preparation of the substrate>
As shown in Figure 12, a 2-inch GaN substrate 10 was prepared, which had a main surface (0001), with the +m-axis direction as the main axis of the off-angle, an off-angle of +0.55° in the m-axis direction from the substrate center, an off-angle distribution within the substrate of +0.28 to +0.68° at a distance of 20 mm from the substrate center, an off-angle centered in the +a-axis direction of 0.02°, and a distribution of -0.08° to +0.14° at a distance of 20 mm from the substrate center.

<Laser diode bar layout>
The length of the laser diode bar 20 in the waveguide direction was 2.0 mm, and the length in the longitudinal direction was 10.0 mm. The principal axis direction of the off-angle of the GaN substrate 10 was aligned with the waveguide direction of the laser diode bar 20, and 60 laser diode bars 20 were arranged within the GaN substrate 10, as shown in FIG. 13.

<Epitaxial growth>
A first conductive type cladding layer 21, an active layer 22 of a nitride semiconductor containing 7.0% In with respect to the composition of the entire active layer, and a second conductive type cladding layer 23 were formed by epitaxial growth on a GaN substrate 10. The temperatures of the GaN substrate 10 during epitaxial growth were 980° C. for the first conductive type cladding layer 21 and the second cladding layer 23, and 820° C. for the active layer 22. The carbon heat equalizer plate for heating the GaN substrate 10 was curved to have a difference of 30 μm, so that the surface temperature of the GaN substrate 10 during epitaxial growth was controlled to be 978 to 982° C. during growth of the first conductive type cladding layer 21 and the second cladding layer 23, and 818 to 822° C. during growth of the active layer 22.

<Calculation of λ _{g_CENTER} and Δλ _{g_BAR} for each laser diode bar>
The GaN substrate 10 on which the epitaxial growth had been performed was subjected to PL measurement at room temperature using a He--Cd laser with an excitation wavelength of 325 nm as excitation light.

Fig. 14 shows the results of the gain peak wavelength _λg calculated from the PL measurement. As shown in Fig. 14, it is understood that the distribution of the gain peak wavelength _λg depends on the distribution of the off-angle in the GaN substrate 10. Note that it was confirmed in advance that the gain peak wavelength _λg was the value obtained by adding 4.0 nm to the peak top wavelength of the PL measurement.

The position of the gain peak wavelength λ _g was superimposed on the layout shown in Fig. 13 to calculate the reference value λ _{g_CENTER} of the gain peak wavelength of each of the 60 laser diode bars 20. Fig. 15 shows the value of the reference value λ _{g_CENTER} of the gain peak wavelength of each laser diode bar 20 in the GaN substrate 10.

Next, the gain peak wavelength difference Δλ _{g_BAR} between both ends of each of the 60 laser diode bars 20 when the +m-axis direction of the GaN substrate 10 is facing upward was calculated as shown in FIG.

<Laser diode bar emitter formation, cutting, light emission surface selection, and film formation>
The emitter 13 was formed by aligning the main axis direction of the off-angle of the GaN substrate 10 on which epitaxial growth was performed, i.e., the m-axis direction, with the waveguide direction of the laser diode bar 20. The crystal orientation was based on the orientation flat 18 provided on the GaN substrate 10. Next, the P-side electrode 15 and the N-side electrode 24 were formed, and the laser diode bar 20 was cut out from the GaN substrate 10 on which the emitter 13 was formed. For the laser diode bar 20 in which the gain peak wavelength difference Δλ _{g_BAR} between both ends of the laser diode bar 20 was positive, a transmission film was formed in the −m-axis direction, and a reflection film was formed in the +m-axis direction. On the other hand, for the laser diode bar 20 in which the gain peak wavelength difference Δλ _{g_BAR} between both ends of the laser diode bar 20 was negative, a reflection film 17 was formed in the −m-axis direction, and a transmission film 16 was formed in the +m-axis direction.

Fig. 17 shows the gain peak wavelength difference Δλ _{g_BAR} between both ends of the laser diode bar 20 as viewed from the emission surface of the laser diode bar 20. In Fig. 17, the gain peak wavelength difference Δλ _{g_BAR} between both ends of the laser diode bar 20 has a negative value, i.e., the laser diode bar 20 colored in Fig. 17 has an inverted emission surface, and the gain peak wavelength difference Δλ _{g_BAR} between both ends of the laser diode bar 20 having a negative value is inverted and becomes a positive value. This makes it possible to obtain a laser diode bar 20 with an inverted transmission film and reflection film.

<Selection of laser diode bars>
The wavelength beam combining system 30 was configured with a diffraction grating period d=0.33 μm and L=2.6 m. In this wavelength beam combining system 30, the lock wavelength difference Δλ _{L_BAR} required for the laser diode bar 20 at both ends of the laser diode bar 20 was 1.1 nm. In addition, a plurality of laser diode bars 20 having different gain peak wavelength differences Δλ _{g_BAR} at both ends of the laser diode bar 20 were mounted on the wavelength combining system 30, and it was confirmed that the gain peak wavelength difference Δλ _{g_BAR} at both ends of the laser diode bar 20 at which all emitters could oscillate was 1.1±1.0 nm.

Of the 60 laser diode bars 20 in the GaN substrate 10, the laser diode bars 20 in which the gain peak wavelength difference Δλ _{g_BAR} between both ends of the laser diode bar 20 satisfies 1.1±1.0 nm are the laser diode bars 20 in the positions not colored in Fig. 18, and there were 53 of the 60. When the 53 laser diode bars 20 were mounted in the wavelength beam combining system 30 with different positions for the reference value λ _{g_CENTER} of the gain peak wavelength of the laser diode bar 20, it was confirmed that all the emitters 13 oscillated in all the laser diode bars 20.

[Comparative Example]
In the comparative example, a GaN substrate 10 having almost the same values as in the example was used, except that the emitter 13 was formed by aligning the crystal axis other than the main axis direction of the off angle, i.e., the a-axis direction, with the waveguide direction of the laser diode bar 20. The laser diode bar 20 was produced under the same other conditions as in the example. In the comparative example, as shown in Fig. 19, 22 out of 60 laser diode bars 20 laid out on the GaN substrate 10 had a gain peak wavelength difference Δλ _{g_BAR} of 1.1±1.0 nm between both ends of the laser diode bar 20.

When 22 laser diode bars 20 were mounted on the wavelength beam combining system 30, oscillation was not confirmed in all emitters 13 for two of the laser diode bars 20.

Normally, all the emitters 13 of the 22 laser diode bars 20 should oscillate, but there is a certain conversion variation when calculating the gain wavelength from the peak wavelength of the PL measurement, and it is possible that the gain peak wavelength difference Δλ _{g_BAR} between both ends of the laser diode bar 20 was large. Alternatively, in the working example, the longitudinal direction when the laser diode bar 20 was cut out coincides with the cleavage plane of the GaN crystal 10, so that the emission surface is uniform at the atomic level, but in the comparative example, it does not coincide, so that the emission surface is not uniform, and laser oscillation may be inhibited. It is considered that the comparative example included laser diode bars 20 in which all the emitters 13 did not oscillate due to a combination of either or both of the above possibilities.

As described above, according to the manufacturing method of the laser diode bar 20 of the present disclosure, the emitter 13 is configured so that the main axis direction (preferably the m-axis) of the off-angle of the nitride semiconductor substrate (preferably the GaN substrate 10) coincides with the waveguide direction of the laser diode bar 20. As a result, even if there is a distribution of gain peak wavelengths caused by the off-angle of the nitride semiconductor substrate 10, it is possible to reduce the gain peak wavelength difference Δλ _{g_BAR} between both ends of the laser diode bar 20 in more laser diode bars 20 out of the multiple laser diode bars 20 configured in the nitride semiconductor substrate 10, and to keep it within the range of the lock wavelength of the wavelength beam combining system 30 as shown in FIG. 8. This makes it possible to improve the performance of the oscillation output of the wavelength beam combining system 30.

20, in the embodiment, a large number of laser diode bars 20 having different reference values λ _{g_CENTER} of the gain peak wavelengths to be arranged in the wavelength beam combining system 30 can be obtained from one GaN substrate 10, as compared with the comparative example. This makes it possible to improve the production efficiency of the laser diode bars 20.

In addition, from the standpoint of reducing the number of components in the optical system of the wavelength beam combining system 30, improving stability, and reducing the labor required to adjust the optical system, it is preferable that the longitudinal length of the laser diode bar 20 is long.

21 is a graph showing the ratio of Δλ _{g_BAR} satisfying the range required for realizing the wavelength beam combining system 30 configured with the length of the laser diode bar 20 in the example and the comparative example when the length is changed. The longer the length of the laser diode bar 20, the greater the difference in the compatibility rate between the example and the comparative example. It was found that when the length of the laser diode bar 20 is 6.0 mm or more, the example can obtain a compatibility rate that is 40% or higher higher than that of the comparative example.

The above-described embodiment and examples are merely examples of embodiments of the present disclosure, and the technical scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiment and examples. In other words, the present disclosure can be implemented in various forms without departing from the gist of the present disclosure.

The present disclosure is suitable as a method for manufacturing laser diode bars for use in wavelength beam combining systems.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 nitride semiconductor substrate 11 principal axis direction of off angle 12 laminated structure 13 emitter 15 P-side electrode 16 transmitting film 17 reflective film 18 orientation flat 20 laser diode bar 21 first conductive type cladding layer 22 active layer 23 second conductive type cladding layer 24 N-side electrode
25 Laser light
30 Transmissive wavelength beam combining system 31 to 35 Laser diode bar 20T Laser diode bar array 37 Transmissive diffraction grating 38 External cavity mirror 39 Reflective diffraction grating 40 Reflective wavelength beam combining system

Claims (1)

1. A method for manufacturing a laser diode bar for use in a wavelength beam combining system, comprising:
preparing a nitride semiconductor substrate having a substrate surface oriented in the (0001) plane and having an off-angle of greater than 0° from the (0001) plane toward at least one of the m-axis and the a-axis;
determining the size of the laser diode bar required for the wavelength beam combining system, and setting a layout related to the planned formation position of the laser diode bar in the nitride semiconductor substrate so that the principal axis direction of the off-angle coincides with the waveguide direction;
forming a laminated structure including a first conductive type cladding layer, an active layer, and a second conductive type cladding layer on the nitride semiconductor substrate;
estimating a distribution of gain peak wavelengths of the laser diode bars to be formed in the nitride semiconductor substrate;
forming a plurality of emitters arranged in a stripe pattern in the laminated structure such that a principal axis direction of the off-angle coincides with a waveguide direction;
cutting the laser diode bar having the plurality of emitters from the nitride semiconductor substrate;
determining a position of the laser diode bar in the wavelength beam combining system based on a distribution of gain peak wavelengths of the laser diode bar and a lock wavelength determined by a configuration of the wavelength beam combining system;
Including,
the nitride semiconductor substrate is a single crystal gallium nitride substrate;
a principal axis direction of the off-angle is an m-axis direction of the gallium nitride substrate,
the off-angle at the center position of the substrate surface is greater than 0°,
an off angle in the substrate is in a range of +0.3 to +0.7° in the m-axis direction and gradually increases from one side to the other side in the m-axis direction in the substrate;
The active layer contains In.
A method for manufacturing laser diode bars.

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