High performance AlyGa1−yAs-GaAs-lrxGa1−xAs quantum well lasers defined by silicon-oxygen impurity-induced layer disordering

Abstract

In these experiments impurity-induced layer disordering (IILD) utilizing chemical reduction of SiO2 by Al (from Al0.8Ga0.2As) is employed to generate Si and O to effect layer disordering. The SiO2-Al0.8Ga0.2As reaction is studied with respect to annealing ambient. By controlling the extent of disordering via As4 overpressure, closely spaced (∼1μm) Si-O IILD buried heterostructure lasers can be optically coupled or uncoupled. Direct observation of O incorporation into the buried layers is shown using secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS). The thermal stability of separate-confinement AlyGa1−yAs-GaAs-InxGa1−xAs quantum well heterostructure (QWH) laser crystals is investigated using SIMS, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and photoluminescence (PL) measurements. The data show that the thermal stability of a strained-layer In0.1Ga0.9As quantum well (QW) is strongly dependent upon: (1) the layer thickness and heterointerfaces of the AlyGa1−yAs-GaAs waveguide layers located directly above and below the QW, (2) the type of surface encapsulant employed, and (3) the annealing ambient. Narrow single-stripe (<2μm) lasers fabricated via Si-O diffusion and layer disordering exhibit low threshold currents (Ith ∼ 4 mA) and differential quantum efficiencies,η, of 22% per facet under continuous (cw) room-temperature operation.