H. Riechert

Control of GaN surface morphologies using plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy

The characteristic surface morphologies of GaN grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy under various growth conditions have been investigated. Three growth regimes (one N stable and two Ga stable) are identified on a surface structure diagram (Ga/N ratio versus substrate temperature). The boundary between the N-stable regime (low Ga/N ratios) and the two Ga-stable regimes (high Ga/N ratios) is determined by the growth rate of the films and is constant over the range of substrate temperatures investigated. The boundary between the two Ga-stable regimes (the Ga-droplet regime and the intermediate regime) is determined by the formation of Ga droplets and has an Arrhenius dependence with substrate temperature. The characteristic morphologies of films grown within each of these regimes are investigated using atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. N-stable films have rough, heavily pitted morphologies. Films grown within the intermediate phase have areas of flat surface between la...

Electronic states and band alignment in GalnNAs/GaAs quantum-well structures with low nitrogen content

We investigate the electronic states in strained Ga0.62In0.38N0.015As0.985/GaAs multiple- quantum-well structures using photoluminescence and (polarized) photoluminescence excitation measurements at low temperature. From a theoretical fit to the experimental data, a type-I band alignment for the heavy holes with a strained conduction-band offset ratio of about 80% is obtained, while the light holes show an approximately flat band alignment. Additionally, our results suggest an increased effective electron mass in GaInNAs, possibly due to the interaction of the conduction band with nitrogen-related resonant states, an observation prospectively of benefit for GaInNAs-based diode lasers.We investigate the electronic states in strained Ga0.62In0.38N0.015As0.985/GaAs multiple- quantum-well structures using photoluminescence and (polarized) photoluminescence excitation measurements at low temperature. From a theoretical fit to the experimental data, a type-I band alignment for the heavy holes with a strained conduction-band offset ratio of about 80% is obtained, while the light holes show an approximately flat band alignment. Additionally, our results suggest an increased effective electron mass in GaInNAs, possibly due to the interaction of the conduction band with nitrogen-related resonant states, an observation prospectively of benefit for GaInNAs-based diode lasers.

A quantitative study of radiative, Auger, and defect related recombination processes in 1.3-/spl mu/m GaInNAs-based quantum-well lasers

By measuring the spontaneous emission (SE) from normally operating /spl sim/1.3-/spl mu/m GaInNAs-GaAs-based lasers we have quantitatively determined the variation of each of the current paths present in the devices as a function of temperature from 130 K to 370 K. From the SE measurements we determine how the current I close to threshold, varies as a function of carrier density n, which enables us to separate out the main current paths corresponding to monomolecular (defect-related), radiative or Auger recombination. We find that defect-related recombination forms /spl sim/55% of the threshold current at room temperature (RT). At RT, radiative recombination accounts for /spl sim/20% of I/sub th/ with the remaining /spl sim/25% being due to nonradiative Auger recombination. Theoretical calculations of the threshold carrier, density as a function of temperature were also performed, using a ten-band k /spl middot/ p Hamiltonian. Together with the experimentally determined defect-related, radiative, and Auger currents we deduce the temperature variation of the respective recombination coefficients (A, B, and C). These are compared with theoretical calculations of the coefficients and good agreement is obtained. Our results suggest that by eliminating the dominant defect-related current path, the threshold current density of these GaInNAs-GaAs-based devices would be approximately halved at RT. Such devices could then have threshold current densities comparable with the best InGaAsP/InP-based lasers with the added advantages provided by the GaAs system that are important for vertical integration.

Theoretical and experimental analysis of 1.3-/spl mu/m InGaAsN/GaAs lasers

We present a comprehensive theoretical and experimental analysis of 1.3-/spl mu/m InGaAsN/GaAs lasers. After introducing the 10-band k /spl middot/ p Hamiltonian which predicts transition energies observed experimentally, we employ it to investigate laser properties of ideal and real InGaAsN/GaAs laser devices. Our calculations show that the addition of N reduces the peak gain and differential gain at fixed carrier density, although the gain saturation value and the peak gain as a function of radiative current density are largely unchanged due to the incorporation of N. The gain characteristics are optimized by including the minimum amount of nitrogen necessary to prevent strain relaxation at the given well thickness. The measured spontaneous emission and gain characteristics of real devices are well described by the theoretical model. Our analysis shows that the threshold current is dominated by nonradiative, defect-related recombination. Elimination of these losses would enable laser characteristics comparable with the best InGaAsP/InP-based lasers with the added advantages provided by the GaAs system that are important for vertical integration.

Suitability of Au- and Self-Assisted GaAs Nanowires for Optoelectronic Applications

The incorporation of Au during vapor-liquid-solid nanowire growth might inherently limit the performance of nanowire-based devices. Here, we assess the material quality of Au-assisted and Au-free grown GaAs/(Al,Ga)As core-shell nanowires using photoluminescence spectroscopy. We show that at room temperature, the internal quantum efficiency is systematically much lower for the Au-assisted nanowires than for the Au-free ones. In contrast, the optoelectronic material quality of the latter is comparable to that of state-of-the-art planar double heterostructures.

Recombination mechanisms in GaInNAs/GaAs multiple quantum wells

Recombination processes in Ga1−xInxNyAs1−y/GaAs multiple quantum wells (MQWs) were investigated as function of the nitrogen molar fraction. We found a pronounced S-shaped behavior for the temperature-dependent shift of the photoluminescence emission similar to the ternary nitrides InGaN and AlGaN. This is explained by exciton localization at potential fluctuations. Time-resolved measurements at 4 K reveal an increase of the decay time with decreasing emission energy. A model based on lateral transfer processes to lower-energy states is proposed to explain this energy dependence. The formation of tail states in the Ga1−xInxNyAs1−y/GaAs MQWs is attributed to nitrogen fluctuations.

Development of InGaAsN-based 1.3 μm VCSELs

We review the status of InGaAsN-based vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) emitting in the wavelength range 1.2–1.3 μm and compare them with similar devices that have been realized using other approaches. To prove the potential of InGaAsN-based VCSELs, we present our results for monolithically MBE- and MOVPE-grown and electrically pumped VCSELs on GaAs substrates. Our MBE-grown devices emit at a wavelength of up to 1305 nm with cw output power at room temperature exceeding 1 mW and a threshold current of 2.2 mA. With an oxide-confined current aperture of about 5 μm diameter, they emit up to 700 μW in single-mode operation at room temperature. Bit-error rates of less than 10−11 are achieved for transmission over 20.5 km of standard single-mode fibre at 2.5 Gbit s−1. Our MOVPE-grown VCSELs with a similar device structure emit single mode at a wavelength of 1293 nm with a cw output power of 1.4 mW and a threshold current of 1.25 mA at room temperature. In back-to-back transmission, we reach a data rate of 10 Gbit s−1, proving the feasibility of high-speed data transmission using InGaAsN VCSELs.

Effect of annealing on the In and N distribution in InGaAsN quantum wells

We analyze the influence of annealing on compositional fluctuations in InGaAsN quantum wells by means of composition-sensitive high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and photoluminescence. In as-grown samples, we find In-concentration fluctuations of ±5% on a length scale of 20 nm in a two-dimensional grown quantum well. No indications for N concentration fluctuations are found within the limits of resolution. Annealing homogenizes the In distribution within the well and causes diffusion of N out of the quantum well. According to our compositional analysis, the blueshift in the photoluminescence can in part be attributed to reduction in N concentration inside the well. The more homogeneous In distribution leads to a reduction in linewidth and Stokes shift.

Lattice dynamics of hexagonal and cubic InN: Raman-scattering experiments and calculations

We present results of first- and second-order Raman-scattering experiments on hexagonal and cubic InN covering the acoustic and optical phonon and overtone region. Using a modified valence-force model, we calculated the phonon dispersion curves and the density of states in both InN modifications. The observed Raman shifts agree well the calculated Γ-point frequencies and the corresponding overtone density of states. A tentative assignment to particular phonon branches is given.

Growth diagram and morphologies of AlN thin films grown by molecular beam epitaxy

A growth diagram for molecular beam epitaxy of AlN on sapphire and 6H–SiC was established using reflection high energy electron diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry. In varying the Al/N ratio and growth temperature, distinctive surface morphologies emerge, which are assigned to three regimes of growth, one N-rich (Al/N 1) regimes. Under N-rich conditions, AlN films exhibit rough surface morphologies. In contrast, Al-rich conditions produce excellent smooth surface morphologies, but with the constraint of Al droplet formation at very high Al/N ratios and low temperatures. The differentiation between N-rich and Al-rich regimes is given only by the Al/N ratio, while the two Al-rich regimes (intermediate self-regulated and droplet regime) are separated by the boundary line of Al droplet formation. For this boundary an Arrhenius dependence of growth temperature was found, yielding an activation energy of 3.4±0.1 eV. The observed morphology tr...