Effect of High Current Density Pulses on Performance Enhancement of Optoelectronic Devices

Abstract

Thermal annealing is commonly used in fabrication processing and/or performance enhancement of electronic and opto-electronic devices. In this study, we investigate an alternative approach, where high current density pulses are used instead of high temperature. The basic premise is that the electron wind force, resulting from the momentum loss of high-energy electrons at defect sites, can mobilize and eliminate internal defects. The proposed technique is demonstrated on commercially-available optoelectronic devices with two different initial conditions. The first study involved a thermally-degraded edge-emitting laser diode. About 90% of the resulting increase in forward current was mitigated by the proposed annealing technique where very low duty cycle was used to suppress any temperature rise. The second study was more challenging, where a pristine vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser was subjected to similar processing to see if the technique can enhance performance. Encouragingly, this treatment yielded a notable improvement of over 20% in the forward current. These findings underscore the potential of electropulsing as an efficient in-operando technique for damage recovery and performance enhancement in optoelectronic devices.

Rejuvenation of degraded Zener diodes with the electron wind force

“…This approach is supported by our previous research, which demonstrated the efficacy of EWF in mitigating postmanufacturing defects, resulting in enhanced forward current at a given voltage in pristine devices. 35) In our previous study, we have also demonstrated the efficacy of EWF assisted low-temperature processing in defect mitigation of metals and alloys. 36) Here, we extend our investigation to intentionally degraded devices, assessing EWF's effectiveness in defect mitigation within semiconductor devices, thus providing a comprehensive strategy for ensuring the longevity and reliability of these components in practical scenarios.…”

Elimination of Low-Angle Grain Boundary Networks in FeCrAl Alloys with the Electron Wind Force at a Low Temperature

“…By employing low frequency and narrow pulse widths, we successfully minimize thermal effects, maintaining the average temperature below 100 • C, even at an elevated current density of 3.35 × 10 5 A cm 2 . The use of short pulse width and low frequency provides sufficient time for heat to dissipate before the next pulse, minimizing the risk of excessive Joule heating [25,36,37]. This approach offers a more controlled exploration of how electropulsing can be optimized to exploit the beneficial aspects of EWF while mitigating the potential drawbacks of excessive Joule heating, thereby advancing our ability to distinguish between the thermal and athermal contributions to stress mitigation in electropulsing treatments.…”