Method for fabricating semiconductor laser facets using combined cleave and polish technique

• Main Authors: YAMADA; NORIHIDE, MARENGER; ERIC, WATANABE; SATOSHI, YAMAOKA; YOSHIFUMI
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 20.06.2000
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ARTCOLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

A method for fabricating opto-electronic devices having a surface that includes a first mirror facet in a first semiconductor layer deposited on a wafer. The mirror facet is located in a first facet plane. In the method of the present invention, the wafer is divided along a first line to create a segment having the mirror facet located therein. The segment is fixed to a fixture that moves in relation to a dicing disk that has a first planar surface in which polishing grit is embedded. The segment is fixed to a mounting surface such that the first plane is aligned parallel to the first planar surface of the dicing disk. The dicing disk is caused to rotate while the first planar surface is in contact with the segment, but not in contact with the mounting surface, thereby polishing a surface of the segment. For opto-electronic devices that include a second mirror facet in a second facet plane, the second facet plane being parallel to the first facet plane and displaced therefrom, the wafer is also divided along the second line such that the segment also includes the second facet plane. The second mirror surface is polished by causing the dicing disk to rotate while the second planar surface is in contact with the segment along the second line. The present invention can be practiced with a conventional dicing saw.