Characterization of AlInGaN-based 405nm distributed feedback laser diodes

Abstract

The first-order AlInGaN 405 nm distributed feed-back (DFB) laser diodes were grown on the low dislocation freestanding GaN substrates by a metal organic chemical vapor deposition method. The first-order diffractive grating whose period was 80 nm was formed into an n-type cladding layer. The fine tooth shape grating was obtained by the EB lithography and the dry etching. No additional threading dislocation could be found at the regrowth interface. As a result, we succeeded in demonstrating the first-order AlInGaN based 405 nm DFB laser diodes under cw operation. The threshold current and the slope efficiency were 22 mA and 1.44 W/A under continuous wave operation at 25 °C, respectively. The single longitudinal mode emission was maintained up to an output power of 60 mW. The fundamental transverse mode operation with a single longitudinal mode was observed in the temperature range from 15 °C to 85 °C at an output power of 30 mW. The lifetime was estimated to be 4000 h by the lifetime test which was carried out under the condition of a constant output power of 30mW at 25 °C for 1000 h. The single longitudinal mode emission was maintained for the life tested DFB laser diodes.