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Semiconductor Lasers and Photodetectors by Molecular Beam Epitaxy

  • Chapter
Molecular Beam Epitaxy and Heterostructures

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((NSSE,volume 87))

Abstract

The present review contains results on the performance of A1xGa1-xAs/A1yGa1-yAs DH lasers for optical communication systems. In this respect, MBE-grown (A1Ga)As DH lasers with threshold current densities, Jth, as low as, if not lower than, those prepared by liquid-phase epitaxy (LPE) over the entire wavelength range from infrared to visible (0.88 μm — 0.7 μm) were obtained. Highly reliable DH lasers with Al0.08Ga0.92As active layers were demonstrated. Median CW laser lifetimes > 106h at room temperature were projected for 70°C CW constant power accelerated aging. Optical transmitters containing MBE-grown lasers were installed in 45 Mbit/sec lightwave transmission systems and have been under field-test since 1980. More recently, high quality InP similar to the high purity InP layers grown by vapor phase epitaxy (VPE) and LPE were also prepared by MBE. 1.3μm wavelength InP/GaInAsP DH lasers having averaged Jth of 3.5 kA/cm2 (1.8 kA/cm2 lowest) and 1.5μm wavelength InP/GaAlInAs DH lasers having Jth of 3 kA/cm2 were successfully prepared in a specially designed MBE system. A10.2Ga0.8Sb/GaSb DH lasers lasing at 1.78 μm were successfully prepared by MBE for the first time.

Meanwhile, the unique ability of MBE to grow atomically smooth ultra-thin (≤ 200Å) (A1Ga)As layers free of alloy clusters and layers with any desired compositional and doping profiles resulted in a new generation of electronic and photonic devices. These new devices yielded significant improvements in performance not generally achievable in conventional counterparts. In the photonic area, some examples are: multiquantum well (MQW) heterostructure lasers, double-barrier double-heterostructure lasers, graded-index waveguide separate-confinement heterostructure lasers (GRIN-SCH), multi-wavelength transverse-junction-strip lasers, superlattice avalanche photodetectors, graded-bandgap avalanche photodetectors and phototransistors, majority-carrier photodetectors, and superlattice etalon for optical bistability. With the modified MQW heterostructure and GRIN-SCH lasers extremely low Jth of 250 A/cm2 were obtained. Buried heterostructure GRIN-SCH lasers have threshold of 2.5 mA under CW operation. A lowest value ever reported for semiconductor laser. With the superlattice APD and graded bandgap APD an impact ionization rates ratio enhancement of ~10 was measured.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill, NJ, 07974, USA

    W. T. Tsang

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  1. W. T. Tsang
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. IBM T.J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, 10598, NY, USA

    Leroy L. Chang

  2. Max-Planck-lnstitute, D-7000, Stuttgart 80, Germany

    Klaus Ploog

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© 1985 Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, Dordrecht

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Tsang, W.T. (1985). Semiconductor Lasers and Photodetectors by Molecular Beam Epitaxy. In: Chang, L.L., Ploog, K. (eds) Molecular Beam Epitaxy and Heterostructures. NATO ASI Series, vol 87. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-5073-3_16

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-5073-3_16

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-8744-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-5073-3

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