1. A semiconductor laser diode element comprising:
a semiconductor laser diode portion including a ridge portion extending in a first direction in which a cavity extends, a groove formed along said ridge portion and a support portion formed along said groove on a side farther from said ridge portion and holding said groove between said support portion and said ridge portion; and
a support substrate bonded to said semiconductor laser diode portion through a fusion layer, wherein:
said fusion layer is formed so as to be embedded in said groove, a space from said ridge portion to said support substrate and a space from said support portion to said support substrate,
said fusion layer includes a first eutectic alloy layer, a second eutectic alloy layer formed on said first eutectic alloy layer, a third eutectic alloy layer formed on said second eutectic alloy layer, and
the melting point of said second eutectic alloy layer is lower than the melting points of said first eutectic alloy layer and said third eutectic alloy layer.
2. The semiconductor laser diode element according to claim 1, further comprising an insulating film formed along an inner surface of said groove, wherein
said fusion layer is embedded in said groove through said insulating film.
3. The semiconductor laser diode element according to claim 1, wherein
the thermal expansion coefficient of said second eutectic alloy layer is larger than the thermal expansion coefficients of said first eutectic alloy layer and said third eutectic alloy layer.
4. The semiconductor laser diode element according to claim 1, wherein
said first eutectic alloy layer, said second eutectic alloy layer and said third eutectic alloy layer contain at least any of an Au-Sn alloy, an Au-Ge alloy and an Au-Si alloy respectively.
5. The semiconductor laser diode element according to claim 1, wherein
said groove in the vicinity of cavity facets of said semiconductor laser diode portion is not embedded with said fusion layer.
6. The semiconductor laser diode element according to claim 5, wherein
the length in a second direction along said cavity facets of said groove in the vicinity of said cavity facets is rendered smaller than the length of said support portion in said second direction in the vicinity of said cavity facets.
7. The semiconductor laser diode element according to claim 1, wherein
said groove is so formed as to extend up to the vicinity of cavity facets of said semiconductor laser diode portion along said first direction.
8. The semiconductor laser diode element according to claim 1, wherein
said groove includes a pair of grooves extending in said first direction so as to hold said ridge portion therebetween.
9. The semiconductor laser diode element according to claim 1, wherein
the thickness of said fusion layer on a region corresponding to said ridge portion is larger than the thickness of said fusion layer on a domain corresponding to said support portion.
10. The semiconductor laser diode element according to claim 1, wherein
said semiconductor laser diode portion further includes a recess portion formed on said support portion, spaced from said groove by a prescribed interval and extending in a third direction in which said groove extends, and
said fusion layer is formed so as to be embedded in said recess portion and a space from said support portion to said support substrate.
11. The semiconductor laser diode element according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor laser diode portion is formed with a nitride-based semiconductor layer.
12. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor laser diode element, comprising steps of:
growing a semiconductor layer constituting a semiconductor laser diode portion on a growth substrate;
forming a ridge portion extending in a first direction in which a cavity extends, a groove extending along said ridge portion, a support portion extending along said groove on a side farther from said ridge portion and holding said groove between said support portion and said ridge portion on said semiconductor laser diode portion;
bonding said semiconductor laser diode portion to a support substrate in a state where a fusion layer is embedded in said groove;
separating said growth substrate from said semiconductor laser diode portion;
forming cavity facets of said semiconductor laser diode portion bonded on said support substrate; and
forming said fusion layer by arranging a first eutectic alloy layer, a second eutectic alloy layer and a third eutectic alloy layer in this order on an upper surface of said semiconductor laser diode portion on a side farther from said growth substrate in advance of said step of bonding said semiconductor laser diode portion to said support substrate, wherein
the heating temperature of said fusion layer in said step of bonding said semiconductor laser diode portion to said support substrate is at least the melting point of said second eutectic alloy layer and less than the melting points of said first eutectic alloy layer and said third eutectic alloy layer.
13. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor laser diode element according to claim 12, further comprising a step of forming an insulating film on an inner surface of said groove in advance of said step of bonding said semiconductor laser diode portion to said support substrate, wherein
said step of bonding said semiconductor laser diode portion to said support substrate includes a step of embedding said fusion layer in said groove through said insulating film.
14. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor laser diode element according to claim 12, wherein
said first eutectic alloy layer, said second eutectic alloy layer and said third eutectic alloy layer contain at least any of an Au-Sn alloy, an Au-Ge alloy and an Au-Si alloy respectively.
15. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor laser diode element according to claim 12, wherein
said step of forming said groove on said semiconductor laser diode portion includes a step of forming said groove so as to extend up to the vicinity of cavity facets of said semiconductor laser diode portion along said first direction.
16. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor laser diode element according to claim 12, wherein
said step of forming said cavity facets of said semiconductor laser diode portion includes a step of cleaving an area of said semiconductor laser diode portion located at a region where said fusion layer is not formed.
17. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor laser diode element according to claim 12, wherein
said step of growing said semiconductor layer on said growth substrate includes a step of growing said semiconductor layer constituting said semiconductor laser diode portion on said growth substrate through a separative layer.
18. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor laser diode element according to claim 17, wherein
said step of separating said growth substrate from said semiconductor laser diode portion includes a step of separating said growth substrate from said semiconductor laser diode portion by applying a laser beam to said separative layer.
19. The semiconductor laser diode element according to claim 4, wherein
said first eutectic alloy layer and said second eutectic alloy layer contain at least an Au-Sn alloy respectively.
20. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor laser diode element according to claim 14, wherein
said first eutectic alloy layer and said second eutectic alloy layer contain at least an Au-Sn alloy respectively.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An armboard including at least a base and an arm platform, for removable deployment under a mattress on top of a procedure table on which a patient is placed for a medical procedure, wherein the armboard is formed with the arm platform situated above the horizontal plane of the base so as to elevate the patient’s arm above the top of the procedure table during deployment.
2. The arm platform of claim 1, further including an element of an integral connection means by which a wrist support device may be removably connected to the armboard.
3. The element of an integral connection means of claim 2, more particularly comprising a slot in the arm platform.
4. The slot of claim 3, more particularly having dimensions selected from the ranges of 0.1 inch to 2.0 inches for the width, and 3 inches to 30 inches for the length.
5. The armboard of claim 1, wherein the arm platform is connected to the base by at least one vertical member having a height selected from the range of 0.25 inches to 6.0 inches.
6. The armboard of claim 1, wherein the plane of the arm platform is oriented at an angle from the horizontal plane that is not the same as that of the base.
7. The armboard of claim 1, more particularly being formed as a single unitary component and further including at least one handhold, and at least one rail on the arm platform.
8. The armboard of claim 1, wherein the base and arm platform more particularly have a symmetrical shape to enable deployment onto either side of a procedure table.
9. A wrist support device for removable attachment to a patient’s forearm, wrist or hand and including at least one of an element of an integral connection means for removable attachment to an armboard.
10. The element of an integral connection means of claim 9, more particularly comprising a generally hook shaped connector.
11. The hook shaped connector of claim 10, further including at least one angled side.
12. The hook shaped connector of claim 10, more particularly depending from a flat front edge of the wrist support device and further including a hook tip the apex of which is located at a distance from said flat front edge that is selected from the range of 0.005 inches to 2.0 inches.
13. The wrist support device of claim 9 further including straps comprising the means of removable attachment to a patient’s forearm, wrist or hand.
14. An apparatus that includes an armboard having at least a base and an arm platform, and a wrist support device, wherein;
the wrist support device is removably attachable to the armboard by an integral connection means;
the integral connection means more particularly comprising a slot element located on the arm platform and a hook-shaped connector element on the wrist support device, the hook-shaped connector element further including at least one angled side;
the wrist support device being removably attachable to a patient;
the armboard being removably deployable underneath a mattress located on top of a procedure table on which the patient is placed for a medical procedure; and,
the armboard being formed with the arm platform situated above the level of the base so as to elevate the patient’s arm above the level of the top of the procedure table during deployment.
15. The armboard of claim 14, wherein the plane of the arm platform is oriented at an angle from the horizontal plane that is not the same as that of the base.
16. The armboard of claim 14, more particularly being formed as a single unitary component.
17. A method of use of an integrated armboard and wrist support apparatus that generally includes the following steps in serial order:
i) the wrist support is removably attached to the patient’s forearm, wrist or hand;
ii) the wrist support is removably attached to the armboard; and,
iii) the site on the forearm, wrist or hand are prepared for a medical procedure.
18. The method of use of claim 17 that further includes the following steps in serial order:
iv) removal of the wrist support from the armboard during or following completion of the medical procedure;
v) post-procedure cleansing of the site on the forearm, wrist or hand; and,
vi) transport of the patient to a recovery area with the wrist support attached to the forearm, wrist or hand and remaining in place for an extended period of minutes or hours after the completion of said medical procedure.