InP-Based Antimony-Free MQW Lasers in 2-3 μm Band

Abstract

Mid-infrared semiconductor lasers in the wavelength range of 2-3 µm have aroused increasing interests as they are highly desired for a wide range of applications ranging from medical diagnostics to environmental sensing. Access to this wavelength range was mainly achieved by antimony-containing compound semiconductor structures on GaSb substrates. Besides, InP-based In x Ga 1-x As (x>0.53) type-I multiple quantum well laser is a promising antimony-free approach in this band. The emission wavelength can be tailored to the 2-3 µm band by increasing the indium composition in the quantum wells. During the demonstration of this kind of lasers, controlling the strain and keeping fair structural quality is the main obstacle. In this chapter, the route for developing this kind of lasers is reviewed. The schemes of pseudomorphic and metamorphic structures are discussed for the 2-2.5 µm and 2.5-3 µm range, respectively. In the pseudomorphic scheme, triangular quantum wells grown by digital alloy technology are applied to restrict the strain and increase the lasing wavelength. Lasers at 2.43 µm were demonstrated under continuous wave operation at room temperature. To extend the emission wavelength longer, an InPbased metamorphic template with larger lattice constant was produced and InAs quantum wells were then grown. The lasing wavelength was further increased up to 2.71 µm. The details on the gas source molecular beam epitaxial growth, device processing as well as performance characterization are presented.

Theory and design of InxGa1−xAs1−yBiymid-infrared semiconductor lasers: type-I quantum wells for emission beyond 3μm on InP substrates

“…12,18,19 In parallel, significant effort has been dedicated to extending the wavelength range accessible using InP-based devices. 20 This has involved the development of a variety of novel heterostructures, based on (i) type-II structures incorporating In x Ga 1−x (N)As/GaAs y Sb 1−y QWs (where pulsed-mode operation has been demon-arXiv:1805.05223v1 [cond-mat.mtrl-sci] 14 May 2018 strated out to 2.6 µm at 270 K), 21,22 or (ii) combining growth on Al x In 1−x As or InAs 1−x P x metamorphic buffer layers with highly-strained In x Ga 1−x As, InAs 1−x Sb x , GaSb 1−x Bi x or InAs 1−x Bi x type-I QWs (where pulsedmode operation of a 2.9 µm device at 230 K has recently been demonstrated). [23][24][25][26][27][28][29] Despite these ongoing innovations in heterostructure design and fabrication, pushing the emission wavelength of InP-based diode lasers beyond 3 µm remains a significant challenge.…”

“…However, these devices suffer from strong temperature dependence of the threshold current density-which is exacerbated at longer wavelengths-resulting from a combination of inter-valence band absorption (IVBA), non-radiative Auger recombination, and thermal carrier leakage [12,18,19]. In parallel, significant effort has been dedicated to extending the wavelength range accessible using InP-based devices [20]. This has involved the development of a variety of novel heterostructures, based on (i) type-II structures incorporating In x Ga 1−x (N)As/GaAs y Sb 1−y QWs (where pulsed-mode operation has been demonstrated out to 2.6 μm at 270 K) [21,22], or (ii) combining growth on Al x In 1−x As or InAs 1−x P x metamorphic buffer layers with highly-strained In x Ga 1−x As, InAs 1−x Sb x , GaSb 1−x Bi x or InAs 1−x Bi x type-I QWs (where pulsed-mode operation of a 2.9 μm device at 230 K has recently been demonstrated) [23][24][25][26][27][28][29].…”

The magic of III-Vs

“…Broad wavelength tuning range, as well as In0.49Ga0.51P/GaAs wider bandgap hetero system, supported the important applications of this quaternary including LD and PD of longer wavelength for fiber communication and shorter wavelength for optical disc, as well as hetero-junction bipolar transistor (HBT). Exploration and practice had been made based on those arsenide and phosphide for a variety of devices in recent decades [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25] , resulting in fruitful results. Based on the binaries above in conjunction with related ternaries and quaternaries, a III-V compound containing five elements of Al, Ga, In and As, P could be constructed, but in fact it is the alloy of six binaries, or known as quasihexahydric inherit and develop characteristics of the binaries.…”