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Journal ArticleDOI

Low-threshold continuous-wave 1.5-/spl mu/m GaInNAsSb lasers grown on GaAs

07 Jun 2004-IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.)-Vol. 40, Iss: 6, pp 656-664
TL;DR: In this article, the first continuous-wave edge-emitting GaAs-based laser operation beyond 1.5 µm was reported, with a threshold current density of 1.06 kA/cm/sup 2, external quantum efficiency of 31%, and characteristic temperature T/sub 0/ of 139 K.
Abstract: We present the first continuous-wave (CW) edge-emitting lasers at 1.5 /spl mu/m grown on GaAs by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). These single quantum well (QW) devices show dramatic improvement in all areas of device performance as compared to previous reports. CW output powers as high as 140 mW (both facets) were obtained from 20 /spl mu/m /spl times/ 2450 /spl mu/m ridge-waveguide lasers possessing a threshold current density of 1.06 kA/cm/sup 2/, external quantum efficiency of 31%, and characteristic temperature T/sub 0/ of 139 K from 10/spl deg/C-60/spl deg/C. The lasing wavelength shifted 0.58 nm/K, resulting in CW laser action at 1.52 /spl mu/m at 70/spl deg/C. This is the first report of CW GaAs-based laser operation beyond 1.5 /spl mu/m. Evidence of Auger recombination and intervalence band absorption was found over the range of operation and prevented CW operation above 70/spl deg/C. Maximum CW output power was limited by insufficient thermal heatsinking; however, devices with a highly reflective (HR) coating applied to one facet produced 707 mW of pulsed output power limited by the laser driver. Similar CW output powers are expected with more sophisticated packaging and further optimization of the gain region. It is expected that such lasers will find application in next-generation optical networks as pump lasers for Raman amplifiers or doped fiber amplifiers, and could displace InP-based lasers for applications from 1.2 to 1.6 /spl mu/m.
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the use of biased deflection plates during GaInNAs growth improved the performance of dilute nitride solar cells and achieved the best performance in terms of dark current density, open-circuit voltage, and fill factor.
Abstract: Dilute nitride films with a roughly 1 eV band gap can be lattice-matched to gallium arsenide and germanium, and therefore could become a critical component in next-generation multijunction solar cells. To date most dilute nitride solar cells have been plagued with poor efficiency, due in large part to short diffusion lengths. This study focuses on two techniques aimed at improving the quality of dilute nitride films grown by molecular beam epitaxy: the utilization of biased deflection plates installed in front of the nitrogen plasma source, and the introduction of antimony during growth. Results from GaInNAs cells grown with and without deflection plates, and GaInNAsSb solar cells are reported. The use of biased deflection plates during GaInNAs growth improved every aspect of solar cell performance. For the GaInNAs devices grown with deflection plates, the dark current density, open-circuit voltage, and fill factor were the best of the devices studied. The GaInNAsSb cells had the highest quantum efficienc...

241 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present materials for light-emitting diodes in the visible spectrum (400 700 nm) are semiconductors with bandgaps between 1.8 and 3.1 eV, with Eg (eV) = hν = 1240 /λ (nm).

209 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the effects of spin-orbit-splitting energy on the dominant Auger recombination loss mechanism were investigated for high-mismatched semiconductor alloys such as GaInNAs and GaBiAs.
Abstract: Highly mismatched semiconductor alloys such as GaNxAs1 − x and GaBixAs1 − x have several novel electronic properties, including a rapid reduction in energy gap with increasing x and also, for GaBiAs, a strong increase in spin-orbit-splitting energy with increasing Bi composition. We review here the electronic structure of such alloys and their consequences for ideal lasers. We then describe the substantial progress made in the demonstration of actual GaInNAs telecommunication (telecom) lasers. These have characteristics comparable to conventional InP-based devices. This includes a strong Auger contribution to the threshold current. We show, however, that the large spin-orbit-splitting energy in GaBiAs and GaBiNAs could lead to the suppression of the dominant Auger recombination loss mechanism, finally opening the route to efficient temperature-stable telecomm and longer wavelength lasers with significantly reduced power consumption.

156 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the electronic structure of GaNAs and GaBiAs has been reviewed and their consequences for ideal lasers have been discussed, and substantial progress has been made in the demonstration of actual GaInNAs telecomm lasers.
Abstract: Highly mismatched semiconductor alloys such as GaNAs and GaBiAs have several novel electronic properties, including a rapid reduction in energy gap with increasing x and also, for GaBiAs, a strong increase in spin orbit- splitting energy with increasing Bi composition. We review here the electronic structure of such alloys and their consequences for ideal lasers. We then describe the substantial progress made in the demonstration of actual GaInNAs telecomm lasers. These have characteristics comparable to conventional InP-based devices. This includes a strong Auger contribution to the threshold current. We show, however, that the large spin-orbit-splitting energy in GaBiAs and GaBiNAs could lead to the suppression of the dominant Auger recombination loss mechanism, finally opening the route to efficient temperature-stable telecomm and longer wavelength lasers with significantly reduced power consumption.

147 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a threshold current density of 690 A/cm 2 was achieved for an emission wavelength of 1400nm with 1200μm long devices. But no indications for 3D growth are detected and carrier localization is below 25meV.

106 citations

References
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a novel material, GaInNAs, that can be formed on GaAs to drastically improve the temperature characteristics in long-wavelength-range laser diodes is proposed.
Abstract: We propose a novel material, GaInNAs, that can be formed on GaAs to drastically improve the temperature characteristics (T0) in long-wavelength-range laser diodes. The feasibility of our proposal is demonstrated experimentally.

1,384 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used a gas-source molecular beam epitaxy in which a nitrogen radical was used as the nitrogen source to grow a light-emitting material with a bandgap energy suitable for longwavelength laser diodes.
Abstract: GaInNAs was proposed and created in 1995 by the authors. It can be grown pseudomorphically on a GaAs substrate and is a light-emitting material having a bandgap energy suitable for long-wavelength laser diodes (1.3-1.55 /spl mu/m and longer wavelengths). By combining GaInNAs with GaAs or other wide-gap materials that can be grown on a GaAs substrate, a type-I band lineup is achieved and, thus, very deep quantum wells can be fabricated, especially in the conduction band. Since the electron overflow from the wells to the barrier layers at high temperatures can he suppressed, the novel material of GaInNAs is very attractive to overcome the poor temperature characteristics of conventional long-wavelength laser diodes used for optical fiber communication systems. GaInNAs with excellent crystallinity was grown by gas-source molecular beam epitaxy in which a nitrogen radical was used as the nitrogen source. GaInNAs was applied in both edge-emitting and vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) in the long-wavelength range. In edge-emitting laser diodes, operation under room temperature continuous-wave (CW) conditions with record high temperature performance (T/sub 0/=126 K) was achieved. The optical and physical parameters, such as quantum efficiency and gain constant, are also systematically investigated to confirm the applicability of GaInNAs to laser diodes for optical fiber communications. In a VCSEL, successful lasing action was obtained under room-temperature (RT) CW conditions by photopumping with a low threshold pump intensity and a lasing wavelength of 1.22 /spl mu/m.

517 citations

Book
09 Jan 2003
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present an overview of the history of semiconductors and their application in the field of energy harvesting and heat generation and dissipation, as well as a discussion of the current state of the art.
Abstract: I. Fundamentals 1. Introduction to Semiconductors 2. Electron Energy Bands 3. Carrier Transport 4. Optical Waves 5. Photon Generation 6. Heat Generation and Dissipation II. Devices 7. Edge-Emitting Laser 8. Vertical- Cavity Lasers 9. Nitride Light Emitters 10. Electroabsorption Modulator 11. Amplification Photodetector

439 citations


"Low-threshold continuous-wave 1.5-/..." refers methods in this paper

  • ...A 500- top p-type GaAs cap layer was doped at cm to facilitate low-resistance ohmic contacts....

    [...]

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors used two n-type As/GaAs distributed Bragg reflectors with a selectively oxidized current aperture adjacent to the optical cavity, and the top output mirror contains a tunnel junction to inject holes into the active region.
Abstract: Selectively oxidized vertical cavity lasers emitting at 1294 nm using InGaAsN quantum wells are reported for the first time which operate continuous wave at and above room temperature. The lasers employ two n-type Al{sub 0.94}Ga{sub 0.06}As/GaAs distributed Bragg reflectors each with a selectively oxidized current aperture adjacent to the optical cavity, and the top output mirror contains a tunnel junction to inject holes into the active region. Continuous wave single mode lasing is observed up to 55 C. These lasers exhibit the longest wavelength reported to date for vertical cavity surface emitting lasers grown on GaAs substrates.

288 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a GaAs−GaAlAs heterostructure laser is modeled as a stripe heat source embedded in a layered structure, and an analytic expression is given for the steady-state thermal resistance 〈R〉 of the model.
Abstract: A GaAs−GaAlAs heterostructure laser is modeled as a stripe heat source embedded in a layered structure, and an analytic expression is given for the steady−state thermal resistance 〈R〉 of the model. Over the range of typical layer thicknesses and conductivities, and for heat generated uniformly in the active region, 〈R〉 varies between 14 and 31 K/W for a 12×375−μ active region. Four types of heat sinks are shown to contribute an additional 3 to 10 K/W. Design implications are drawn for various properties including layer thicknesses, heat−sink and bond parameters, and radiative heat transfer by spontaneous emission. In disagreement with the common tacit assumption of a unique active−region temperature, it is found that about 40% of the temperature drop within the laser occurs in the active region (center to edge).

284 citations


"Low-threshold continuous-wave 1.5-/..." refers background in this paper

  • ...Devices were probed at several points along the length of the ridge to compensate for this effect....

    [...]