Gerrit Vermeire

III-V semiconductor waveguiding devices using adiabatic tapers

Abstract In the past few years much effort has been put into the fabrication and optimization of III–V semiconductor waveguiding devices with integrated adiabatic mode size converters (tapers). By integrating a taper with a waveguide device, one wants to reduce the coupling losses and the packaging cost of OEICs in future optical communication systems. This paper gives an overview of different taper designs, their performance and the technological approaches used in realizing such tapered devices.

SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPE AND ELECTRON-BEAM-INDUCED LUMINESCENCE IN QUANTUM WIRES.

Quantum wire structures of GaAs/AlGaAs have been grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy in V grooves using pre‐etched corrugated substrates and have been characterized by high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy. Low‐temperature cathodoluminescence (CL) identifies luminescence peaks with the spatial distributions of the different recombinations, achieving a top view spatial resolution of ≊0.2 μm in the CL images. Principally we report how a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) induces local luminescence in the sample structure, and we spectrally resolve STM‐induced luminescence for the tip in different positions relative to the wires. We have recorded the luminescence from a single wire and observed band‐filling effects resulting from varying levels of excitation into a wire. We have demonstrated the difference between recombination of electron‐hole pairs generated in CL and the recombination of injected holes from the STM tip with a thermalized distribution of accumulated electrons in scanning ...

Anisotropic photoluminescence behaviour of vertical AlGaAs structures grown on gratings

Abstract The formation of vertical AlGaAs quantum wells during MOVPE growth of AlGaAs layers on submicron gratings has been investigated. The influence of the growth temperature, growth velocity, V/III ratio and the overall Al content has been examined and explained using surface diffusion effects of the group III atoms (or reactant species). 77 K PL measurements show a polarization anisotropy and indicate lateral quantum confinement. Also the growth of QWWs on submicron gratings is reported, showing very large PL intensities and polarization anisotropy. Finally the realization of QWWs has been proposed by growing AlxGa1-xAs/AlyGa1-yAs QWs on gratings and based on the different surface mobilities of Ga and Al.

Atmospheric and low pressure shadow masked MOVPE growth of InGaAs(P)/InP and (In)GaAs/(Al)GaAs heterostructures and quantum wells

The shadow masked growth technique is presented as a tool to achieve thickness and bandgap variations laterally over the substrate during metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy. Lateral thickness and bandgap variations are very important for the fabrication of photonic integrated circuits, where several passive and active optical components need to be integrated on the same substrate. Several aspects of the shadow masked growth are characterized for InP based materials as well as for GaAs based materials. Thickness reductions are studied as a function of the mask dimensions, the reactor pressure, the orientation of the masked channels and the undercutting of the mask. The thickness reduction is strongly influenced by the mask dimensions and the reactor pressure, while the influence of the orientation of the channels and the amount of undercutting is only significant for narrow mask windows. During shadow masked growth, there are not only thickness variations but also compositional variations. Therefore, we studied the changes in In/Ga and As/P ratios for InGaAs and InGaAsP layers. It appears that mainly the In/Ga-ratio is responsible for compositional changes and that the As/P-ratio remains unchanged during shadow masked growth.

Normal incidence intersubband absorption in vertical quantum wells

N‐doped vertical AlGaAs quantum wells have been fabricated by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxial growth of a single‐doped AlGaAs layer on a submicron grating. Intersubband absorption at normal incidence is demonstrated in those quantum wells. This opens new possibilities for infrared quantum well devices using intersubband transitions.

Characterization of a single‐layer quantum wire structure grown directly on a submicron grating

A single AlGaAs/GaAs quantum well (QW)/quantum wire (QWR) structure was grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy on a submicron period grating of V grooves. High resolution transmission electron microscopy studies of the sample identifies three regions of the QW; between the grooves, approximately 3.5 nm thick and oriented along (100), on the sidewalls of the V groove slightly thinner and oriented along {111}. At the bottom of the groove an approximately 70 nm wide crescent shaped region forms a QWR. In addition, a vertical quantum well (VQW) extends from the bottom of each V groove in the GaAs substrate to the surface. The luminescence spectra of the sample are dominated by a peak originating in the QW, with additional peaks of the QWR, the VQW and the AlGaAs barrier. The striped nature of the sample is revealed in the top view cathodoluminescence (CL) images of all four peaks. In side view CL images, the QWR emission appears spot like, whereas the emission of the VQW is elongated in the direction perpe...

Cathodoluminescence of single quantum wires and vertical quantum wells grown on a submicron grating

We present cathodoluminescence (CL) investigations of a corrugated GaAs/AlGaAs single quantum well (QW) structure grown on a submicron grating. The CL spectra have four distinct emission peaks. Using plan‐view and cross‐sectional CL imaging together with cross‐sectional transmission electron microscope imaging, we have assigned the four peaks: They originate in the nominal QW, a quantum wire (QWR), a vertical quantum well (VQW), and the barrier, respectively. We have CL‐imaged and ‐characterized single QWRs and VQWs.

Integration technology for light-source arrays with polymeric optical waveguide arrays

The integration of efficient semiconductor lightsources with low-loss functional optical waveguide devices is one of the major problems in integrated optics. In this paper we present a novel integration scheme based on the epitaxial lift-off technique for the integration of a laser diode array with an array of polymeric waveguides. This method shows a number of advantages with respect to previously reported solutions. The presented quasi-monolithic integration of laser diodes with polymeric waveguides might lead to important applications in areas such as optical interconnections and optical communications.

Improved on-chip lightwave measurements of non-planar optoelectronic devices

In this paper we discuss the difficulties associated with the high-frequency characterization of optoelectronic devices. We present solutions that improve the accuracy of conventional (l) and previously reported (2)-(6) techniques for measuring the high-frequency modulation response of optoelectronic devices. The mathematical expressions necessary for calibration are implemented in the parameter extraction software HP- ICCAP. All the measurement equipment is controlled with this software. Using a non-conventional wafer probe, it is now possible to contact devices with a strong non-planar surface. As a measurement example, we present experimental results for a non-planar, 980 nm strained quantum well laser diode.

Atmospheric and low pressure metalorganic vapor phase epitaxial growth of vertical quantum wells and quantum well wires on submicron gratings

Nonplanar metalorganic vapor phase epitaxial growth on submicron gratings has been studied. Growth conditions have been determined to preserve the grating structure and also to enhance the formation of crescent shaped quantum well wire-like GaAs layers. These growth parameters have been used to grow the layer structure of a quantum well wire (QWW) laser, only needing one growth run. Although there is not yet clear evidence for two-dimensional quantum confinement, this technique offers some interesting perspectives for the realization of QWW lasers.