Optimized growth of GRIN-SCH quantum well lasers by low pressure organometallic vapor phase epitaxy

Abstract

Low pressure organometallic vapor phase epitaxy is used in fabrication of graded index-separate confinement heterostructure single quantum well lasers. Material properties of epitaxial GaAs and (AlGa)As are optimized by improved reactor design resulting in continuous growth of quantum wells (30 Å) and linearly graded heterostructures at growth rates of 530 Å/min. Computer control and data acquisition are used to monitor and adjust gas flow, valve switching and pressure during growth. Results on lasers with 150 Å wells emitting at 835 nm under pulsed conditions at room temperature given external power and slope efficiencies up to 27% and 67% respectively for 100 μ m stripes, with maximum output power exceeding 1.2 W/facet. External power and slope efficiencies for 5 μ m stripes are as high as 36% and 80% respectively with output powers up to 53 mW/facet. These are the best values yet reported for this type of structure grown by OMVPE. In this paper we present details of pertinent growth parameters required to realize these results.