The effect of In/N ratio on the optical quality and lasing threshold in GaxIn1 − xAs1 − yNy/GaAs laser structures

Abstract

We present a review of published work concerning the effect of In and N compositions on the operation wavelength, optical quality and lasing threshold in GaxIn1−xAs1−yNy/GaAs QW and double heterostructure lasers. We show that the emission wavelength in the range between 1.0 and 1.4 μ m can be obtained for a wide range of In and/or N concentrations. However, in most Fabry–Perot lasers and vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) reported in the literature, the threshold current density plotted as a function of the relative In/N composition (R= (1 −x)/y) indicate a broad minima for 40 <R< 70, suggesting an optimum relative composition. We also present the results of our studies concerning the optical quality of GaxIn1−xAs1−yNy/GaAs single quantum wells for R= 15. We show that the optical quality of GaInAsN can be improved while achieving a red shift in the PL spectra. This is unlike the results obtained by rapid thermal annealing or conventional annealing, which are widely employed as post-growth treatment techniques, where any increase in the PL intensity is almost always accompanied by an undesired blue shift.