Fabrication process of semiconductor lasers

Abstract

A p-GaAlAs cladding layer is exposed to the air if a groove of the form of a stripe is formed by chemical etching in an n-GaAs layer that serves as a current confinement layer on the p-GaAlAs cladding layer, the groove being so formed as to reach the cladding layer. The GaAlAs is oxidized so easily that an unstable degradation layer is formed on the surface thereof. To solve this problem according to the prior art, an undoped GaAs layer that serves as a cover layer is formed on the p-GaAlAs cladding layer, the n-GaAs layer is formed, and the etching is effected so that the undoped GaAs layer is simply exposed. The undoped GaAs layer is then heated in the MBE apparatus while being irradiated with the As molecular beam and is thermally etched. Therefore, the cladding layer is exposed in vacuum and the p-GaAlAs layer is formed thereon. However, this method is not suited for mass-production since the thermal etching is unstable and it needs the MBE apparatus of a very high degree of vacuum. Quality of the crystal decreases, too, due to the heating. This invention therefore provides a fabrication process of semiconductor lasers in which the cover layer disappears due to interdiffusion of constituent elements that stem from the diffusion of impurities such as zinc ions in the undoped GaAs layer.