Improving the performance of strained InGaAs/AlGaAs single quantum well lasers

Journal Article · Mon Jan 22 04:00:00 EST 1990 · Applied Physics Letters; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.102815· OSTI ID:7030012

Bour, D P; Martinelli, R U; Hawrylo, F Z; Evans, G A; Carlson, N W; Gilbert, D B ^[1]

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1. David Sarnoff Research Center, CN 5300, Princeton, New Jersey 08543-5300 (US)

By adjusting the carrier confining structure and the optical confining structure of strained InGaAs/AlGaAs single quantum well (QW) lasers, an improvement in performance has been obtained. First, the influence of optical confinement was examined by comparing two graded-index confining structures. For In{sub {ital x}}Ga{sub 1{minus}{ital x}}As QWs with either {ital x}=0.20 or {ital x}=0.25, lasers with greater optical confinement factor had improved performance, with both lower threshold (180 A/cm{sup 2} for {ital x}=0.20) and higher characteristic temperature (250 K for {ital x}=0.20), despite their reduced carrier confining potentials. Second, experiments on graded-composition quantum wells show that thin step-grading layers result in improved performance. In this structure, where the QW has {ital x}=0.35, and the step layers have {ital x}=0.15, the optimum step thickness is 30--40 A. Thicker step layers appear to create too much strain, degrading the laser operation. These results indicate that step grading of strained QWs produces active region interfaces with lower defect density, and that step grading is especially useful in improving the performance of long-wavelength, highly strained InGaAs/AlGaAs QW lasers.

• OSTI ID: 7030012
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters; (USA), Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters; (USA) Vol. 56:4; ISSN APPLA; ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
426002* -- Engineering-- Lasers & Masers-- (1990-)
ALUMINIUM ARSENIDES
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ARSENIDES
DATA
DIMENSIONS
ENERGY
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FILMS
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
INDIUM ARSENIDES
INDIUM COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
LASERS
NUMERICAL DATA
OPERATION
PERFORMANCE
PNICTIDES
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMICONDUCTOR LASERS
SOLID STATE LASERS
STRAINS
THICKNESS
THIN FILMS
THRESHOLD ENERGY