Gallium arsenide deep-level optical emitter for fibre optics

Abstract

Fibre-optic components fabricated on the same substrate as integrated circuits are important for future high-speed communications. One industry response has been the costly push to develop indium phosphide (InP) electronics. However, for fabrication simplicity, reliability and cost, gallium arsenide (GaAs) remains the established technology for integrated optoelectronics. Unfortunately, the GaAs bandgap wavelength (0.85 microm) is far too short for fibre optics at 1.3-1.5 microm. This has led to work on materials that have a large lattice mismatch on GaAs. Here we demonstrate the first light-emitting diode (LED) that emits at 1.5 microm fibre-optic wavelengths in GaAs using optical transitions from arsenic antisite (As(Ga)) deep levels. This is an enabling technology for fibre-optic components that are lattice-matched to GaAs integrated circuits. We present experimental results showing significant internal optical power (24 mW) and speed (in terahertz) from GaAs optical emitters using deep-level transitions. Finally, we present theory showing the ultimate limit to the efficiency-bandwidth product of semiconductor deep-level optical emitters.

Gallium-arsenide deep-level materials for THz and fiber-optic applications

“…Fig. 6a shows the first measurement [1] (using 200 ns pulses and duty cycles less than 10 À4 ) of room-temperature electroluminescence from As Ga . Figs.…”

“…Unfortunately, the GaAs band gap wavelength at 0:85 mm is far too short for 1:5 mm fiber optics. Here we present the first GaAs light-emitting-diode (LED) emitting at 1:5 mm wavelengths from arsenic-antisite ðAs Ga ) deep levels [1]. This is an enabling technology for fiber-optic components lattice matched to GaAs ICs.…”

“…(a) Radiative lifetimes (t R ) and nonradiative lifetimes (t NR ) associated with transitions from an upper state to a lower state. (b) Radiative lifetimes (t R ), nonradiative lifetimes (t NR ), and total transition lifetimes (t C1 ) associated with transitions[1] (to As þ Ga and from As Ga ) in LTG-GaAs.…”

Optical And Transport Properties Of Devices Utilizing Nanoscale Deep-Centers

“…Here we demonstrate the first GaAs light-emitting-diode [1] (LED) emitting at 1.5µm fiber-optic wavelengths from arsenic-antisite (As Ga ) deep-levels. Consequently, industry has responded with a costly push to develop InP electronics.…”

Integrated photonics on silicon with wide bandgap GaN semiconductor

“…Waveguides based on direct bandgap III-V semiconductors such as GaAs 2 or InP 3,4 exhibit attractive features but at the expense of significant growth and fabrication effort. 7 In addition, InP presents a couple of issues like fragility, high temperature sensitivity, and relatively high cost. Thanks to their wide-bandgap, IIInitrides are potentially suitable for operation around 1.5 lm, although most of the past research focused on the visible spectral range.…”