Terahertz injection electroluminescence in multiperiod quantum-cascade AlGaAs/GaAs structures

Terahertz electroluminescence in the range ≈1.5 THz was observed in a quantum-cascade GaAs/AlGaAs structure containing 40 periods of tunnel-coupled wells. The luminescence is caused by the spatially indirect optical electron transitions between the ground states of neighboring quantum wells.     

Photoluminescence studies of confined states in AlGaAs/GaAs asymmetric quantum well

In the recombination spectra of AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructures, a peculiar and asymmetric photoluminescence (PL) band F has previously been reported [Aloulou et al., Mater. Sci. Eng. B 96 (2002) 14] to be due to recombinations of confined electrons from the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) formed at AlGaAs/GaAs interface in asymmetric quantum well (AQW). Detailed experiments are reported here on GaAs/Al_0.31Ga_0.69As/GaAs:δSi/Al_0.31Ga_0.69As/GaAs samples with different spacer layer thicknesses. We show that the band F is the superposition of two PL bands F′ and F″ associated, respectively, to AQW and a symmetric quantum well (SQW). In the low excitation regime, the F′ band present a blue shift (4.4 meV) followed by important red shift (16.5 meV) when increasing optical excitation intensity. The blue shift in energy is interpreted in terms of optical control of the 2DEG density in the AQW while the red shift is due to the narrowing of the band gaps caused by the local heating of the sample and band bending modification for relatively high-optical excitation intensity. Calculation performed using self-consistent resolution of the coupled Schrödinger–Poisson equations are included to support the interpretation of the experimental data.     

Photoluminescence investigation of Be-doped Npn AlGaAs/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistor structures

Highly complex Npn AlGaAs/GaAs single heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) layers with Be-doped base were investigated by photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Room temperature PL shows only a broad peak of GaAs due to thermalization; 15 K PL shows five peaks. The peak at 1.481 eV is from a p-type GaAs base, that at 1.517 eV is from a low-doped GaAs layer and that at 1.55 eV is from a high-doped GaAs collector. The that at 1.849 eV is due to bound exciton recombination in an AlGaAs emitter, and that at 1.828 eV is due to the acceptor-related transition from the AlGaAs layer. The integrated intensity ratio of these two peaks can be used to investigate the Be outdiffusion behavior, thus optimizing the growth conditions of base. The DC current gain of the HBT structure with different growth conditions was found to be in good agreement with the PL results.     

GaAs/AlGaAs超晶格的光致发光

在室温下测量了GaAs/A l0.3Ga0.7As超晶格的光致发光,发现在波长λ=761 nm处存在一较强的发光光峰,此发光峰目前尚未见报道。经理论分析表明,此峰是量子阱中的第一激发态电子与受主空穴复合发光。实验还观测到在λ=786 nm处,λ=798 nm处和λ=824 nm处分别存在一发光峰,分析表明λ=786 nm处的发光峰为量子阱阱中费米能级附近的电子与轻空穴复合发光;λ=798 nm处的发光峰为量子阱内的基态电子到轻空穴的复合发光;λ=824 nm处的发光峰为阱中激子复合复合发光。理论计算与实验结果符合的很好。     

810-nm InGaAlAs/AlGaAs double quantum well semiconductor lasers with asymmetric waveguide structures

The 810-nm InGaAlAs/AlGaAs double quantum well （QW） semiconductor lasers with asymmetric waveguide structures, grown by molecular beam epitaxy, show high quantum efficiency and high-power conver- sion efficiency at continuous-wave （CW） power output. The threshold current density and slope efficiency of the device are 180 A/cm^2 and 1.3 W/A, respectively. The internal loss and the internal quantum efficiency are 1.7 cm^-1 and 93%, respectively. The 70% maximum power conversion efficiency is achieved with narrow far-field patterns.     

GaAs/AlGaAs photonic crystals for VCSEL-type semiconductor lasers

The results of modelling of the influence of photonic crystal on the performance of VCSEL-type semiconductor laser structure are shown and indicate that the use of those structures would significantly improve the working parameters of the devices. The method of fabrication of photonic crystals in the Bragg mirrors of GaAs/AlGaAs-based VCSELs is presented.     

Single quantum well transistor with modulation doped AlGaAs/GaAs/AlGaAs structures

Self-consistent calculations have been performed to obtain the wave functions and energy subbands of the two-dimensional electrons confined in a single quantum well of a Al_xGa_1?xAs/GaAs/Al_xGa_1?xAs heterostructure. The wave functions of the two-dimensional electron gas are found to be easily controlled by an external gate voltage applied between the AlGaAs-barriers, indicating a capability of fabricating a novel quantum well device, a modulation-doped single quantum well transistor.     

Modeling and experimental study of 780–808-nm AlGaAs/GaAs injection lasers with electron superlattice barriers

Electron superlattice barriers (ESBs) were used in AlGaAs/GaAs injection lasers to improve the electron confinement of the active layer by Bragg reflection of electron waves. The design of a separate-confinement heterostructure (SCH) laser with ESBs operating at 780–808 nm was optimized. Conventional SCH and SCH-ESB were prepared by low-pressure MOCVD epitaxy. Oxide stripe lasers with stripe widths of 100 and 200µm were prepared. The threshold current density of 0.3 kA/cm² and the characteristic temperature constantT ₀=220 K were measured at a wavelength of 808 nm for SCH-ESB lasers with an active-layer thickness of 40 nm and a resonator length of 0.4–0.5 mm. For conventional SCH lasers with the same geometry, a threshold current density of 0.42 kA/cm² andT ₀=160 K were obtained. Experimental results on the low-temperature photoluminescence characterizing ESB regions are presented and are compared with the calculated miniband energy spectrum of the superlattice structure. The leakage currents for ordinary SCH and SCH-ESB lasers were analyzed. Experimental verification of a reduction in the leakage current for SCH-ESB lasers was obtained.     

Quasi-continuous-wave operation of AlGaAs/GaAs quantum cascade lasers

Quasi-continuous-wave operation of AlGaAs/GaAs-based quantum cascade lasers (λ9 μm) up to 165 K is reported. The strong temperature dependence of the threshold current density and its higher value in high duty cycle is investigated in detail. The self-heating effect in the active region is explored by changing the operating duty cycles. The degradation of lasing performance with temperature is explained.     

Toward soliton emission in asymmetric GaAs/AlGaAs multiple-quantum-well waveguide structures below the half-bandgap

We report what is to our knowledge the first experimental evidence of nonlinear beam displacement in a strip-loaded GaAs/AlGaAs multiple-quantum-well waveguide with an asymmetric, nonlinear cladding. An intensity-dependent spatial displacement of ~2 mum was observed for the guided mode at a wavelength of 1.55 mum. Numerical simulations that correspond to the experiment are also presented. The device has the potential of providing a soliton-emission-based, ultrafast all-optical switch.     

Photoluminescence in GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells associated with excited confinement subbands

We report on photoluminescence emission features which are observed from GaAs/AlGaAs multiple quantum wells only at elevated temperatures (T>10K), using weak cw laser excitation. These features have energies higher than those of the heavy and light hole excitons and are associated with interband transitions between excited confinement conduction and valence subbands. Their energies are compared with values calculated from measured well dimensions and accepted band parameters for a series of samples with well widths between 80 and 375Å.     

Photoreflectance measurements in GaAs/AlGaAs asymmetric quantum wells

In this work we investigated the optical control of the bidimensional electron gas density in a single asymmetric quantum well using, for the first time, photoreflectance. We performed our measurements at 80 and 300 K as a function of the power density of the pump beam. Under strong illumination, the bidimensional electron gas density is washed out of the quantum well and under a dark condition, it reaches its maximum value. The variation of the optical transitions observed in our photoreflectance spectra was related to the induced changes of the band profile in between these two limiting cases.     

Monolithic two-dimensional surface emitting arrays of GaAs/AlGaAs lasers

Surface emitting lasers are of interest for various applications such as monolithic two-dimensional arrays and optical interconnects for integrated optics. Moreover, surface emitting lasers offer the advantage of wafer processing and testing. Several approaches for achieving surface emission are described. In addition, TRW s fabrication of a large monolithic two dimensional array of GaAs/AlGaAs surface emitting lasers which contains a total of 100 lasers is reported.     

Monolithic two-dimensional surface emitting arrays of GaAs/AlGaAs lasers

Surface emitting lasers are of interest for various applications such as monolithic two-dimensional arrays and optical interconnects for integrated optics. Moreover, surface emitting lasers offer the advantage of wafer processing and testing. Several approaches for achieving surface emission are described. In addition, TRW s fabrication of a large monolithic two dimensional array of GaAs/AlGaAs surface emitting lasers which contains a total of 100 lasers is reported.     

Quantum cascade electroluminescence in GaAs/AlGaAs structures

The operation of a unipolar quantum cascade light-emitting diode based on the material system GaAs/AlGaAs is reported. The LED operates at a wavelength of 6.9 μm. Detailed analysis of the electroluminescence spectra shows a linewidth as narrow as 14 meV at cryogenic temperatures, increasing to 20 meV at room temperature. For typical drive-current densities of 1 kA/cm² the optical output power lies in the ten 10 nW range. Additional absorption and photocurrent measurements provide a complete characterization of the mid-infrared emitter.     

Aluminium implantation-induced disordering of AlGaAs/GaAs quantum well structures

The process of Al implantation-induced disordering of AlGaAs/GaAs quantum well structures has been studied for optical waveguide applications. A study of the implanted samples using photoluminescence demonstrates that disordering is primarily a damage-based process and that this process may be suitable for the fabrication of surface gratings.     

810-nm InGaA1As/A1GaAs double quantum well semiconductor lasers with asymmetric waveguide structures

The 810-nm InGaA1As/A1GaAs double quantum well (QW) semiconductor lasers with asymmetric waveguide structures, grown by molecular beam epitaxy, show high quantum efficiency and high-power conversion efficiency at continuous-wave (CW) power output. The threshold current density and slope efficiency of the device are 180 A/cm2 and 1.3 W/A, respectively. The internal loss and the internal quantum efficiency are 1.7 cm-1 and 93%, respectively. The 70% maximum power conversion efficiency is achieved with narrow far-field patterns.     

Catastrophic degradation of pulsed lasers based on AlGaAs/InGaAs/GaAs heterostructures with electron-beam pumping

Catastrophic degradation of pulsed lasers based on InGaAs/AlGaAs/GaAs structures with different design of the active domain with transverse pumping by the electron beam at T = 300 K is studied. In lasers based on structures with a InGaAs single quantum well and with seven quantum wells, the maximal values of pulsed power are 70–90 and 10–20 W, respectively.